PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Fedor Emelyanenko (ranked 24990 p4p, 25134 weight class) and Michal Materla (ranked 538 p4p, 552 weight class). Fedor Emelyanenko looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Emelyanenko
vs
Materla

183 cm
27
240
1 - 3 - 0

212 cm
19
212
1 - 8 - 0

Dangerous GnP
Brawler
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Fedor Emelyanenko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Michal Materla!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Frank Antenori and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Materla shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Emelyanenko as he avoids it easily.
Emelyanenko looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
A telegraphed right hand from Emelyanenko misses the target.
Materla changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Emelyanenko looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Emelyanenko slaps away a takedown attempt from Materla, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Materla shoots for a double leg takedown but Emelyanenko sprawls well. He's pushed Materla's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Fedor Emelyanenko has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Michal Materla.
Emelyanenko throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Materla sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Emelyanenko throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Nice takedown defense from Emelyanenko. No joy for Materla on that attempt.
Emelyanenko is looking for a counter combo.
Emelyanenko looks to land a combination but Materla avoids it well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Materla darts in and clinches Emelyanenko up against the cage.
Materla just leaning against Emelyanenko, taking a breather.
Materla is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Emelyanenko to keep the fight standing.
Emelyanenko is trying to push Materla away but Materla has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Materla tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Emelyanenko avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Emelyanenko is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Emelyanenko has had enough of the clinch but Materla keeps him there for the moment.
Materla drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Emelyanenko is trying to force a seperation but Materla has the dominant position.

Materla's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Materla is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Materla shoots for a takedown but Emelyanenko saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Materla closes the distance and clinches up with Emelyanenko, looking for a takedown. Materla pushes Emelyanenko against the cage but Emelyanenko circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Materla closes this distance looking for a takedown but Emelyanenko circles away.
Emelyanenko misses with a right hand
letting Materla counter with a right hand.
Emelyanenko leaves Materla with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Materla looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Materla throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Materla takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Materla shoots in for a takedown but Emelyanenko shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Materla moves out of range as Emelyanenko strikes.
Emelyanenko throws a looping overhand right but Materla ducks down to avoid it.
Emelyanenko checks a leg kick.

Materla fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Emelyanenko, pushing him back against the cage.
Emelyanenko is trying to break the clinch but Materla has him pressed against the cage.
Materla with an attempt at a knee that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Materla tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Emelyanenko just stands there and leans against the cage.
Emelyanenko wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Materla has him pressed against the cage.
Materla is stalling here.
Materla tries to pull guard but Emelyanenko holds him up against the cage and eventually Materla drops back down to his feet.
Materla drops down looking for an ankle pick but Emelyanenko pulls his leg out and moves away.
Materla staying out of range there.
Materla tries a head kick but it misses.
Emelyanenko swinging wildly here.

Materla clinches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Emelyanenko just misses with a elbow thrown towards Materla's brow.
Emelyanenko wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Materla has him pressed against the cage.

Materla's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Materla tries a head kick but it misses.
Materla dives in for a single leg takedown but Emelyanenko sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Emelyanenko misses with a wild body shot.
Materla tries to close the distance and clinch but Emelyanenko swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Materla gets a clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Emelyanenko is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Materla breaks the clinch.
Materla tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Fedor Emelyanenko will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Emelyanenko avoids the head kick by Materla.
Emelyanenko throwing a counter right hand but Materla manages to avoid it.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Materla.
Materla fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Materla is looking to clinch but Emelyanenko is avoiding it.

Materla clinches.
Materla is stalling here.

Emelyanenko breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Materla has closed the distance and engaged Emelyanenko in a clinch.
Emelyanenko is trying to force a seperation but Materla has the dominant position.
Materla keeps control of Emelyanenko as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Emelyanenko breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Emelyanenko defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Materla.
Materla is looking to clinch but Emelyanenko is avoiding it.
Materla closes the distance and clinches up with Emelyanenko, looking for a takedown. Materla pushes Emelyanenko against the cage but Emelyanenko circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Fedor Emelyanenko has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Michal Materla.
Emelyanenko throws a series of punches but Materla moves out of range.
Materla tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Emelyanenko defends well and Materla ends up having to push Emelyanenko into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

Materla moves into the clinch successfully.
Materla avoiding damage.

Materla breaks from the clinch.
Materla fails with the takedown.
A big left from Emelyanenko misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Materla clinches with his opponent.
Emelyanenko wants to break the clinch but can't.
Emelyanenko misses with a punch to the body.
Materla looking to throw knees to the head but Emelyanenko is blocking nicely.
Emelyanenko avoiding damage as Materla throws knees to the body.
Emelyanenko is trying to break the clinch but Materla is controlling him.
Materla stalls.
Emelyanenko wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Emelyanenko tries to break free but Materla pushes him back against the cage.
Materla manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

Materla manages to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Materla fails with the takedown.
Emelyanenko appears to be looking for a big counter.
Emelyanenko gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Materla counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Emelyanenko swinging wildly here.
Emelyanenko has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.

Materla has taken the fight to the clinch.
Emelyanenko tries to break free but Materla pushes him back against the cage.

Materla successfully pulls guard.
Materla has his hands on Emelyanenko's head, controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Emelyanenko trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Michal Materla showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. 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.

Materla digs a good body shot into Emelyanenko's ribs.
Materla fails in his attempt to clinch.
Fedor Emelyanenko is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Materla fails to land the takedown.
Materla shoots in looking for a takedown. Emelyanenko tries to sprawl out of it but Materla keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Emelyanenko manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Materla shoots in but Emelyanenko avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Emelyanenko was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Fedor Emelyanenko has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Michal Materla.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Materla misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
As Materla looks to move away, Emelyanenko throws a big counter combo but Materla just gets out of the way.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Emelyanenko misses with the combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Materla goes for a double leg but Emelyanenko avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Emelyanenko continues to drive forward.

Materla has managed to clinch.
Emelyanenko avoids a wild elbow strike from Materla.

Materla's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Materla takes the fight into the clinch.
Emelyanenko working hard to break the clinch.
Emelyanenko wants to get back to striking at distance but Materla won't allow it.

Materla gets control of Emelyanenko's arms and successfully pulls guard. Materla will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Emelyanenko has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Materla is proving hard to escape from.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Emelyanenko wants to control from the top but Materla keeps moving.
Materla is pulling down on Emelyanenko's head. It's preventing any offense from Emelyanenko, at least for the moment.
Materla is looking to stand up but Emelyanenko isn't so interested in that idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Materla is trying to control the position but Emelyanenko postures up.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Materla bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Emelyanenko's guard.

Materla won't allow Emelyanenko to get back to his feet.
Emelyanenko is trying to control the position but Materla postures up.
Materla is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Emelyanenko stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Emelyanenko wants it to stay on the feet.
Fedor Emelyanenko seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Materla fails with a takedown attempt.
A slow jab from Emelyanenko misses its intended target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Materla shoots in but no luck this time.
Emelyanenko lands with a thumping leg kick.
Nice sprawl there from Emelyanenko as Materla shoots in.
Emelyanenko went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Emelyanenko throws a jab but it's blocked by Materla.
Materla with a lazy takedown attempt
and Emelyanenko counters with a thumping low kick.
Emelyanenko throws a hook but Materla blocks it.
Materla shoots in looking for a takedown. Emelyanenko tries to sprawl out of it but Materla keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Emelyanenko manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Emelyanenko looks to land a right hand but Materla moved out of range.
Materla throws a head kick but Emelyanenko moves out of range.

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 Fedor Emelyanenko.
I think Emelyanenko 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Fedor Emelyanenko!
Fedor Emelyanenko was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.