PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Puntti Pena (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Aleksandr Karelin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Pena
vs
Karelin

190 cm
23
235 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

191 cm
21
237 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Puntti Pena!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Aleksandr Karelin!
The judges for this bout are Paul Aken, Aafke Stam and Albert Achterberg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Karelin closes the distance and clinches.
Karelin is trying to drag Pena to the mat but Pena just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Karelin has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Pena is trying to keep an underhook but Karelin manages to get the takedown into half guard.

Karelin looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Karelin not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Karelin sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Pena defending well though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karelin looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

Karelin is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Pena defends it well.
Karelin missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Pena knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Karelin on the ground.
Karelin drops an elbow to the side of Pena's head.

Karelin is trying to work for a kimura but Pena is defending well.
Karelin thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Pena's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Karelin is keen to just control but Pena is a slippery customer.
Pena regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Karelin.
Karelin trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Pena keeping moving, preventing Karelin from controlling successfully.
Karelin throwing strikes but missing.
Karelin throwing strikes from guard but Pena blocks nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pena preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Karelin working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Karelin wants to control from the top but Pena keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Karelin postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Pena is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Karelin, into his guard.

Karelin has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Pena can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Pena has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pena prevents Karelin from getting back to his feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Karelin has his takedown stuffed
and Pena counters with a left and a right that stings Karelin.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Karelin shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Pena napping and manages to drive through into side control!

Karelin tries for a kimura but Pena is defending well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aleksandr Karelin dominated that round.
That's time! Pena's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

No joy there for Karelin, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Pena scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

It looks like Aleksandr Karelin has been cut.
Pena looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Pena fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Pena checks a low kick from Karelin.
Karelin fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Pena works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Pena checks a leg kick nicely.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Karelin clinches.
A body shot lands from Karelin.
Karelin has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Karelin is working Pena over against the cage.
Karelin presses Pena against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karelin tries for a takedown. No joy.
Pena tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Karelin lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Pena backwards.
Karelin is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Puntti Pena has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Aleksandr Karelin.
Pena tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Karelin avoids it.
Pena is pressed up against the cage. Karelin has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Pena down to the mat. Pena avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Karelin misses with a low kick as Pena jumps back.
Pena swings for the body but Karelin moves out of range.
Karelin throws out a leg kick but Pena moves out of range and Karelin only half commits.
Pena circles away from the clinch attempt.
Pena lands with a nice combination. Karelin backs away looking to recover.
Pena lands a jab to Karelin's midsection.
Puntti Pena is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Pena drops Karelin with a beautiful combination! Karelin stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Pena is looking for the KO!

Karelin is rocked!
Puntti Pena seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Karelin is breathing heavily.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Pena throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Karelin is still on wobbly legs! Can Pena finish him?
Puntti Pena is winning the standup battle so far.
Pena throws a right and a left that both miss.
Karelin misses with a low kick.
Karelin slips a jab and a cross from Pena.
A punch combination from Karelin misses.
Karelin seems to have recovered his senses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Karelin displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Pena throws out the jab.
Pena scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Karelin doesn't seem bothered though.
Pena displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Karelin.
Karelin throws a series of punches but Pena moves out of range.
No joy there for Pena, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Some bone on bone action there as Pena checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Karelin has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Karelin shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Pena sprawls well. Pena wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Karelin gets slowly back to his feet.
Pena lands a body shot.

Pena gets tackled into the cage by Karelin. Karelin maintains the clinch.

Karelin breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pena lands a right hook to the body.
Pena scores with a hook to the body. Karelin takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Pena punishes Karelin's body with a nice straight punch.
Pena ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Pena, as that shot connected.
Karelin fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
A combination from Pena does no damage.
Pena jabs Karelin to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Pena scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Karelin doesn't seem bothered though.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Pena punishes Karelin's body with a nice straight punch.

Karelin darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Karelin throwing shots but Pena is blocking nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Karelin throwing shots but Pena is blocking nicely.
Karelin is just content to waste time from the top position. Pena takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.

Karelin drops back looking for a leg! Pena is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Pena manages to kick Karelin off! Karelin jumps back into Pena's guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Karelin drops back looking for a leg! Pena is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Pena manages to kick Karelin off! Karelin jumps back into Pena's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Puntti Pena dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Aleksandr Karelin's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Karelin moves into the clinch.
Karelin drops down looking for an ankle pick but Pena pulls his leg out and moves away.
Karelin fails with a takedown attempt.
Pena throws a right and a left that Karelin avoids nicely.
Pena throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Karelin on the side of the head.
Karelin throws a leg kick but Pena moved away.
Pena is looking to wear down Karelin with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Pena throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Karelin.
Pena throws a right and a left that both miss.
Pena throws a shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karelin takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Karelin takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
No joy there for Karelin, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Good exchange - Pena coming out on top.
A jab from Karelin finds it's way through Pena's defenses.
Pena misses with a combination

and Karelin counters with a shoot takedown. Pena fights it but they end up in guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Karelin postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Karelin is looking to work some ground and pound but Pena has wrist control.
Karelin trying to control the position from guard on top but Pena is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Karelin throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Pena works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pena keeping moving, preventing Karelin from controlling successfully.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Pena preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Karelin postures up and lands a big shot to Pena's brow.
Pena on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Pena tries to get out of the position.
Karelin throws a big right hand that misses.
Karelin stands and throws Pena's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Karelin is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Pena is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karelin wants to control but Pena is keeping him busy.

Karelin has hold of Pena's arm. He's looking for a kimura. Pena seems comfortable defending it but Karelin has shifted his position slighty and is cranking on the arm! Pena is real pain and he's forced to tap out! Pena is disgusted with himself for not defending it better but Karelin couldn't care less - he's delighted!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:29 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Aleksandr Karelin!