PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Aleksanteri Karelin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Luc Lemay (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Karelin comes to the cage accompanied by CCCP. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Karelin
vs
Lemay

191 cm
24
286 lbs
13 - 6 - 0

200 cm
23
285 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Aleksanteri Karelin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Luc Lemay!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Fedor Mirinova and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lemay misses with a takedown attempt - Karelin sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Lemay misses the shot to the body.
Karelin throws a big shot that misses.
Karelin misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Lemay.
Lemay scores with a body shot.
Lemay defending well as Karelin loads up on a big left hand.
Karelin misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Lemay.
Good shot there by Lemay.
Lemay slips a straight right by Karelin.
Karelin steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Lemay.
Luc Lemay seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lemay uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Karelin.
Karelin displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Lemay.
Karelin slips a straight right by Lemay.
Lemay thows a body shot but no joy.
Karelin throws a jab when Lemay was well out of range.
Karelin throws a big shot that misses.
Karelin scores with a hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lemay uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Karelin.
Lemay ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Karelin moves away.
Lemay listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
A slow jab from Lemay misses its intended target.
Karelin throws a poor cross that misses
and Lemay counters with a two punch combo.
Lemay throws a looping overhand right but Karelin ducks down to avoid it.
Karelin defending well as Lemay loads up on a big left hand.
Karelin keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Lemay misses the shot to the body.
Karelin swings for the body but Lemay moves out of range.
Karelin loads up on a big right hand but Lemay slips the punch.
Karelin dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Lemay slips under a jab.
Karelin is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Lemay's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Lemay slips a straight right by Karelin.
Lemay keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Karelin stuffs the takedown.
Aleksanteri Karelin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Luc Lemay.
Karelin misses with an uppercut. Lemay saw that one coming.
Karelin lands with a shot to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lemay fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Karelin misses the jab.
Lemay blocks a jab.
Lemay throws a body punch but Karelin moves out of range.
Lemay throws a big shot that misses.
Lemay cracks Karelin with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Karelin throws a hook to the side of Lemay's head but Lemay sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Lemay cracks Karelin with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Lemay misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Lemay.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
A bit of a lull in the action here.
Lemay with the ground and pound but Karelin regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Lemay throwing shots but Karelin is blocking nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lemay controlling the action here.
Karelin is trying to get back to full guard.

Lemay is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Lemay throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Karelin has his hands clasped together around Lemay's back. He's all about the action.
Karelin keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lemay missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Lemay working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Lemay looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Karelin with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Karelin trying to control here.
Lemay throwing shots but Karelin is blocking nicely.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Lemay not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Lemay is trying to work for a kimura but Karelin is defending well.
Lemay looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Lemay is working for a kimura but Karelin is defending it quite comfortably.
Lemay not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Luc Lemay dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Karelin misses with a hook
and Lemay makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Karelin is looking light on his feet compared to last time was saw him fight.
Karelin keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Karelin throws a hook but Lemay avoids it easily.
Karelin lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Lemay ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Karelin loads up on a big right hand but Lemay slips the punch.
Lemay ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

Karelin gets caught flat footed, as Lemay shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Karelin preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Lemay preventing the sweep.
Lemay is looking to work some ground and pound but Karelin has wrist control.
Lemay is working Karelin over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Lemay trying to control but Karelin is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lemay throws a big right hand that misses.
Lemay has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lemay trying to control but Karelin is working from the bottom.
Karelin tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Karelin avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Karelin wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Lemay looking to pass the guard.
Lemay trying to control the position from guard on top but Karelin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lemay throws a big elbow that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Nice defenses there by Lemay.
Lemay looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Karelin is fending him off so far but Lemay persists. Nope, Karelin circles away and we're back to standing.
Lemay throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Lemay.
Nice straight punches there by Karelin. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Karelin.
Karelin connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Karelin throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Nice shot by Lemay.
Lemay uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Karelin.
Karelin blocks a jab.
Good standup being displayed there by Karelin as he connects with a hook.
Lemay throws the left hand but Karelin avoids the punch easily.
Lemay slips under a jab.

Lemay looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Karelin!
Lemay wants to control but Karelin is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Lemay swings around for an armbar but Karelin sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Lemay's guard.
Karelin has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Karelin wants to control from the top but Lemay keeps moving.

Lemay is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Karelin stays in close to Lemay's body and controls the position.

Lemay looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Karelin passes into half guard.
Lemay is looking to improve his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lemay trying to control here.
Lemay is looking to get back to full guard here but Karelin has managed to pass to side control instead.
Karelin looking to control but instead Lemay has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.

Lemay looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Lemay is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Karelin pulls his head out easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Luc Lemay showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Lemay scores with a punch to the head.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Karelin enables Lemay to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Karelin manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Lemay throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Karelin works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Lemay throws an elbow that misses. Karelin uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Lemay's guard. Nice move by Karelin!
Lemay keeping moving, preventing Karelin from controlling successfully.
Karelin content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Karelin slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Lemay has an active guard here but Karelin has managed to pass into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lemay tries to roll over but Karelin keeps him under control.

Lemay looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Lemay is looking for a sweep. Karelin is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Lemay missing with punches from the bottom.

Lemay has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Karelin escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Karelin!
Lemay is looking to reverse the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lemay is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Karelin is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Lemay is in all sorts of trouble here.
Karelin with the ground and pound from mount.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Karelin landing strikes from the mount.
Karelin controlling the position easily from mount.
Lemay is looking to improve his position but Karelin isn't that keen on the idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lemay is flailing around like a fish out of water, trying to land strikes.
Luc Lemay has got the better of the ground game so far.
Lemay is in all sorts of trouble here.
Lemay sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Lemay is staying active underneath Karelin, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Lemay actively working from the bottom here.

Lemay looking for a kimura from the bottom but Karelin passes into side control!
Lemay takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Lemay struggling a bit here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lemay is trying to improve his position.
Lemay can't do much from the bottom here.
Aleksanteri Karelin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Luc Lemay is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Lemay sneaks back into half guard.
Karelin thows a huge punch but Lemay dodges it nicely.
Lemay wants to control but Karelin is keeping busy and won't allow it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Karelin thows a huge punch but Lemay dodges it nicely.

Lemay is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Karelin pulls his head out easily.

Karelin is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Lemay defends it well.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Aleksanteri Karelin.
Well Lemay has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 28:30
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 28:29
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Luc Lemay!
A relieved looking Luc Lemay thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.