PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Lars Fredrickson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nikolai Valuev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lars Fredrickson has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Fredrickson
vs
Valuev

189 cm
20
213 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

213 cm
23
219 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent knees
Powerful

SPARTAN FIGHTWARE

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 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Lars Fredrickson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Nikolai Valuev!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Ivan Kurochkin and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Valuev is looking to clinch but Fredrickson is avoiding it.
Valuev fails with an attempt to clinch.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Fredrickson.

Fredrickson goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Valuev has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Fredrickson but great work by Valuev.
Fredrickson tries to bench press Valuev off him but Valuev keeps the position.
Fredrickson wants to control but Valuev postures up.
Fredrickson is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Valuev wants to stand but Fredrickson is controlling his arm.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Fredrickson is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Valuev is one step ahead and moves to full mount!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fredrickson is looking to get to half guard.
Fredrickson throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Valuev really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Fredrickson. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Fredrickson is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Valuev manages to capitalize on a mistake by Fredrickson to take his back!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Valuev controlling well, preventing Fredrickson from escaping the position.
Fredrickson turns into Valuev and is now in his guard.
Fredrickson wants to pass the guard but Valuev is keeping the position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Fredrickson avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Fredrickson changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Valuev looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Valuev is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Fredrickson lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Fredrickson looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Valuev is avoiding damage well.

Fredrickson wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Valuev, who protects the arm well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Fredrickson decides to stand up, so the ref orders Valuev to his feet.
Valuev tries to close the distance and clinch but Fredrickson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Fredrickson throws a body punch but Valuev moves out of range.
The fight stays on the outside here - Valuev looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Fredrickson keeps the fight on the outside.
Valuev ducks under a wild hook from Fredrickson.
Fredrickson keeps the fight on the outside.
Valuev tries to clinch but Fredrickson moves out of range.
Valuev tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Fredrickson paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Valuev tries to clinch but Fredrickson moves out of range.
Valuev tries to close the distance and clinch but Fredrickson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Valuev wants to clinch.
Valuev fails with an attempt to clinch.
Valuev tries to clinch up.
Valuev tries to clinch there but Fredrickson circles away.
Fredrickson lands a jab.
Nikolai Valuev is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Fredrickson shoots in but no luck this time.
A combination from Fredrickson does no damage.
Nikolai Valuev seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Valuev tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
The fighters circling - Fredrickson throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

Fredrickson scores a takedown into full mount!
Valuev looks gassed!
Fredrickson wants to take Valuev's back but he can't do it this time.
Fredrickson lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lars Fredrickson dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Fredrickson misses with a looping left.
Fredrickson closes this distance looking for a takedown but Valuev circles away.
Valuev tries to clinch up.
Fredrickson shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Valuev pinned against the cage. Valuev gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Fredrickson throws a big shot that misses.
Valuev fails with an attempt to clinch.

Valuev gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Valuev throws a knee to the head but misses.
Valuev misses with a knee to the head.
Fredrickson misses with a body punch.
Valuev with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Fredrickson tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Valuev smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lars Fredrickson. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Fredrickson feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Fredrickson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Valuev swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Fredrickson scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Valuev is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fredrickson looking to pass the guard.
Fredrickson trying to control but Valuev is working from the bottom.
Valuev is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Fredrickson is controlling him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Fredrickson is looking to work some ground and pound but Valuev has wrist control.
Valuev is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Fredrickson shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Valuev wants to clinch up but Fredrickson keeps it at a distance.
Valuev uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Fredrickson.
Fredrickson closes this distance looking for a takedown but Valuev circles away.
Valuev is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
The fighters circling - Fredrickson throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

Valuev drives through and clinches with Fredrickson against the cage.
Fredrickson lands a right hand.
Valuev misses with a knee to the head.
Fredrickson has had enough of the clinch but Valuev keeps him there for the moment.
A head punch on the inside from Fredrickson fails to land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valuev with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Fredrickson tries for a takedown. No joy.
A short body shot lands from Fredrickson as the two fighters clinch.
Fredrickson tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Valuev smiles and moves away.

Fredrickson feints and as Valuev raises his hands in defense, Fredrickson changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Fredrickson drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Fredrickson jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Fredrickson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Valuev swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Fredrickson in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fredrickson loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Fredrickson might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Fredrickson passes Valuev's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Fredrickson passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Valuev!
Valuev is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Fredrickson is landing with some decent strikes but Valuev is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Fredrickson fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lars Fredrickson dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Some wild striking there from Fredrickson.
Fredrickson misses with a series of wild punches.
Fredrickson thuds a left hand into Valuev's body.
Fredrickson misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Valuev.
Valuev tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Fredrickson shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Valuev as he jumps to the side.
Valuev avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Fredrickson stuns Valuev with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Valuev showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Fredrickson.
Valuev tries to close the distance and clinch but Fredrickson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Valuev tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Fredrickson will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Valuev slips a jab and a cross from Fredrickson.
Valuev takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Valuev doesn't manage to clinch there - Fredrickson circles away.
Valuev tries to close the distance and clinch up but Fredrickson swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Valuev is looking to clinch.

Fredrickson darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Valuev is trying to stand.
Fredrickson is looking to advance position but Valuev won't allow it.
Fredrickson thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Valuev's head.
Fredrickson frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Valuev takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

Fredrickson is going olschool here, as he tries to force Valuev to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Valuev shrugs it off.

Valuev has left one of his arms exposed and Fredrickson doesn't need a second invitation. He's isolated it and locked on a tight armbar. Valuev screams and taps out, obviously in a lot of pain. Hopefully there isn't permanent damage to that arm.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:47 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Lars Fredrickson!