PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Vasily Zaets (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lennox Karelin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Zaets
vs
Karelin

181 cm
22
203 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
22
205 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Self confident

Good wrestler
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Vasily Zaets!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Lennox Karelin!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Fedor Mirinova and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zaets tries to clinch but Karelin is having none of it.
Karelin throws a series of punches but Zaets moves out of range.
A punch combination from Karelin misses.
Karelin misses with a series of wild punches.

Zaets closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Karelin to the mat! Karelin manages to get full guard.
Zaets lands a couple of digs.
Zaets wanted to stand there but Karelin had control of the position.
Zaets wants to pass the guard but Karelin is keeping the position.

Karelin looking for a guillotine here but Zaets defends easily.

Karelin manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Karelin looks gassed!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zaets tries to clinch but Karelin moves out of range.

Zaets gets a takedown into half guard.
Zaets controlling the pace.
Karelin pushes Zaets off looking to stand but Zaets dives back in and keeps control.
Zaets is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zaets works his way into full mount!
Zaets controlling his opponent.
Zaets lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Karelin hang on?
Zaets landing shots from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zaets landing shots from mount.
Zaets controlling his opponent.

Zaets looking to secure an arm triangle but Karelin defends it well.
Karelin taking shots to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Zaets is working for a guillotine from mount but Karelin frees his head quite easily.
Karelin regains half guard.
Zaets lands strikes from half guard.
Nice strikes from Zaets there.
Karelin has hold of Zaets's hands but Zaets slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Zaets looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Zaets trying to control but Karelin is working from the bottom.

Zaets postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Karelin is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Zaets, into his guard.
Karelin wants to get up but he can't break Zaets's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karelin stopping the sweep attempt from Zaets.
Karelin works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Zaets has a hand on Karelin's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Karelin takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!

Karelin looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Zaets is flailing around like a fish out of water, trying to land strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Zaets keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

Karelin looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Karelin with shots to the head and body - Zaets looks very uncomfortable down there.
Zaets is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

Karelin working for a submission but Zaets is keeping him at bay.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zaets tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Karelin throws some wild stikes that Zaets manages to avoid easily.
Zaets can't escape the position.
Zaets on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Zaets tries to get out of the position.
Karelin misses with a head shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Zaets is looking to improve his position but Karelin isn't that keen on the idea.
Zaets's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Karelin throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Zaets tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Karelin avoids the attempt from Zaets to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Lennox Karelin will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Zaets is looking to score with low kicks.
Zaets misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Zaets fails with a takedown attempt.
Karelin throws a lazy right hand but Zaets sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Karelin rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Zaets moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Karelin misses with the combination.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Zaets.
Zaets tries to close the distance and clinch but Karelin swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Zaets drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Zaets trying to control but Karelin is working from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Karelin is working an open guard so Zaets takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Karelin gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Karelin is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Zaets wants to control from the top but Karelin keeps moving.
Zaets is really struggling to control Karelin but he's trying to hold on to the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Zaets gets to his feet. Karelin looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Zaets looks for a takedown but Karelin sprawls well.
Vasily Zaets is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Zaets tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Karelin throws a hook but Zaets blocks it.
Zaets shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Karelin as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vasily Zaets. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A combination from Karelin does no damage.

Zaets closes the distance and clinches.

Zaets drags the fight down to the ground.
Zaets lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Karelin!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karelin gets back to half guard.
Karelin is looking to escape.
Zaets trying to control from half guard but Karelin is working away.
Zaets landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Zaets prevents Karelin from improving his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Zaets stands up and beckons Karelin to join him on the feet.
Zaets pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Karelin throws a hook to the side of Zaets's head but Zaets sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
A combination from Karelin does no damage.
Karelin shoots for a double leg takedown but Zaets sprawls well. He's pushed Karelin's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Karelin fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Karelin looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Karelin throws a hook to the side of Zaets's head but Zaets sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
A combination from Karelin does no damage.
Karelin fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Zaets on the side of the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Vasily Zaets showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Zaets has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 30:28
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Vasily Zaets!