PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Blaine Bundy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alexander Karelin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Karelin comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Soviet National Anthem kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Bundy
vs
Karelin

190 cm
23
240 lbs
8 - 5 - 0

193 cm
21
281 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Powerful

Divine - Drugs (158 products)
Hell's Balls Recovery

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 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Blaine Bundy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Alexander Karelin!
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, Reed Andrews and Steve Montenegro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Bundy closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Bundy lands in his opponent's guard.
Karelin utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Karelin trying to control the position.

Karelin is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Bundy is aware though and is defending well.
Bundy passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Bundy tries for a kimura but Karelin is defending well.
Karelin regains half guard there - taking advantage of Bundy's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karelin avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Bundy.
Karelin is in trouble now - Bundy has advanced to mount!
Bundy throwing strikes but Karelin recovers to half guard. A much better position.
Bundy stops Karelin from getting back to his feet.

Bundy is working for a kimura from half guard. He's really concentrating on the hold and it's allowed Karelin to slip a leg under and get back to full guard.

Bundy drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Karelin manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Bundy has Karelin in his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Karelin scoring with punches to the head and body.
Bundy looking to hit a scissor sweep but Karelin is one step ahead there.
Bundy is working hard here to advance position.
Bundy has momentary wrist control but Karelin slips an elbow through the middle.
Bundy looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Karelin scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Karelin is in close to Bundy's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Karelin chips away with some ground and pound.
Bundy striking off his back but it's not causing Karelin any problems.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Bundy is on top in guard.
Bundy is looking to work some ground and pound but Karelin has wrist control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bundy trying to control the position from guard on top but Karelin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bundy working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Karelin wants to sweep but no luck.
Bundy looking to sit in guard and control but Karelin gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Karelin content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Karelin scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Karelin wants to control from the top but Bundy keeps moving.
Karelin slips nicely into half guard.
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.
Karelin looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Bundy with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Bundy wants to improve his position but Karelin is controlling well.
Karelin blocks the strikes from Bundy.
Nice strikes from Karelin there.
Bundy taking some punishment here, with Karelin in his half guard.
Karelin trying to control from half guard but Bundy is working away.
Karelin not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Karelin has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Nice strikes from Karelin there.
Karelin blocks the strikes from Bundy.
Bundy wants to get back to full guard.
Karelin takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Bundy is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Karelin displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Bundy.
Blaine Bundy is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Karelin keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Karelin tries to clinch up but Bundy circles away and keeps his distance.
Bundy uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Karelin.
Karelin tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Bundy paws at him with a jab and circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bundy shoots in for a double leg but Karelin sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Blaine Bundy. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Karelin misses with a looping left.
A slow jab from Karelin misses its intended target.
Bundy changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Karelin tries to avoid it but Bundy manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Karelin to the ground. Karelin escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big left from Karelin misses.
Karelin is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Bundy.
Karelin swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Alexander Karelin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Karelin fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Bundy sprawls well initially but Karelin persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Bundy has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Karelin is working away from the top position though.
Karelin landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Karelin looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
The fighters are battling for position here. Bundy manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Bundy had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Karelin defends it easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Karelin slips nicely into half guard.
Bundy tries to roll over but Karelin keeps him under control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Still in half guard, Karelin seems content to control.
Bundy won't allow Karelin to pass to mount.
Karelin landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Karelin is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Karelin is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Bundy tries to get to full guard but Karelin has control of the leg.
Karelin working the head and body with strikes.
Bundy is looking for a sweep. Karelin is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Karelin takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Bundy trying to control from the bottom.
Karelin trying to control the action but Bundy is working from the bottom.
Karelin working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karelin trying to control from half guard but Bundy is working away.
Bundy wants to improve his position but Karelin is controlling well.
Bundy works his way to full guard. Good work.
Karelin with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Bundy controls Karelin momentarily but Karelin frees himself.
Karelin landing some decent shots from guard.
Karelin thows a big elbow that misses.
Bundy is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Karelin avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Karelin stands up over Bundy, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Karelin trying to control the position from guard on top but Bundy is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bundy looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Karelin stands up over Bundy, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Karelin is looking to work some ground and pound but Bundy has wrist control.
Bundy looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Bundy lands a good elbow from the bottom.
Karelin's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Bundy trying to strike off his back.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Karelin looking to pass the guard.
Karelin trying to control the position from guard on top but Bundy is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexander Karelin showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Bundy with a lazy takedown attempt

and Karelin decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Bundy's guard.
Bundy tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Karelin throwing strikes but missing.
Bundy looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Bundy throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Bundy manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Karelin is working to get back to half guard.
Alexander Karelin has got the better of the ground game so far.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Poor strikes thrown by Bundy there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karelin is trying to escape the mount.
Bundy dominating with strikes here.
Bundy looking to finish Karelin with some ground and pound. This is bad for Karelin!
Bundy thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
The referee warns Karelin that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Bundy looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bundy working Karelin over with strikes here.
Karelin blocking the ground and pound.
Karelin blocking the ground and pound.
Karelin tries to lock up and control but Bundy gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Bundy has control of Karelin's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Karelin regains control of the situation pretty easily.

Bundy has hold of Karelin's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Karelin manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Bundy sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bundy lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Karelin hang on?
Bundy putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Poor strikes thrown by Bundy there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Bundy trying to control but Karelin is having none of it.

Bundy moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Karelin has worked his arm free - good work by Karelin!
Karelin wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Blaine Bundy has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Bundy tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Bundy swings around for an armbar but Karelin sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Bundy's guard.
Karelin content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

Karelin avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Blaine Bundy showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Karelin 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 Columbo Gatti scores the fight 28:29
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alexander Karelin!