PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Freddie Emilianenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Daniel Cormier (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Emilianenko comes to the cage accompanied by Nirvana - Rape Me. Freddie Emilianenko could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Daniel Cormier's chin.

Emilianenko
vs
Cormier

185 cm
24
230 lbs
9 - 2 - 0

180 cm
27
260 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

L.A. Elite Clothing Co
L.A. Elite Clothing Co

1337 ANZAC

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 9 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Freddie Emilianenko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Daniel Cormier!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Emilianenko stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Emilianenko wants it to stay on the feet.
Nice uppercut there from Emilianenko.
Emilianenko moves away from the strike by Cormier.
Emilianenko pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Cormier fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Emilianenko tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Cormier is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Emilianenko can't fight it off and eventually Cormier manages to take the fight to the floor. Emilianenko looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Cormier wants to control from the top but Emilianenko keeps moving.
Cormier looking to sit in guard and control but Emilianenko gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Emilianenko stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Cormier swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Emilianenko stays in close to Cormier's body and controls the position.
Cormier manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Cormier looking to finish with strikes here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Emilianenko tries to reverse the position but Cormier maintains control.
Emilianenko sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Cormier really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Emilianenko. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Emilianenko on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Cormier wants to free his trapped foot but Emilianenko is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Emilianenko avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Cormier.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The fighters are battling for position here. Emilianenko manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Cormier looking to sit in guard and control but Emilianenko gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Emilianenko stops Cormier from standing up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cormier preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Cormier can do anything to dispel that myth.
Emilianenko stops Cormier from standing up.
Emilianenko postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Emilianenko trying to control the position from guard on top but Cormier is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Emilianenko throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Cormier works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Emilianenko trying to control the position from guard on top but Cormier is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cormier working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Emilianenko.
Emilianenko working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Emilianenko throwing strikes from guard but Cormier blocks nicely.
Emilianenko pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Cormier is keeping the position for now.
Cormier wants to stand up but Emilianenko is controlling him.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Emilianenko wants to pass the guard but Cormier is keeping the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Daniel Cormier will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Emilianenko loads up on a big right hand but Cormier slips the punch.
Daniel Cormier is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cormier jabs Emilianenko right on the nose. Emilianenko blinks but takes it well.
Emilianenko looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Cormier falls off balance throwing a combination
and Emilianenko counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Emilianenko with a poor takedown

and Cormier counters by clinching up.
Emilianenko goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Emilianenko stops a takedown attempt from Cormier.

Cormier breaks from the clinch.
Emilianenko smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Cormier tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Emilianenko was well out of range. Poor timing from Cormier.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Emilianenko dodges the punch combination from Cormier.
Cormier is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Cormier misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Emilianenko avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Cormier takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Emilianenko shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Cormier as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Freddie Emilianenko. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Emilianenko shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Emilianenko looking to finish Cormier with some ground and pound. This is bad for Cormier!
Cormier is desperately trying to improve his position but Emilianenko has a good base and remains in mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Emilianenko unloads with some shots from mount but Cormier bucks and avoids them well.
Emilianenko putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Emilianenko wants to control the pace but Cormier is squirming around nicely.
Emilianenko is really struggling to control Cormier but he's trying to hold on to the position.

Emilianenko goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Cormier turns into him and now he's in Emilianenko's guard.
Cormier postures up in Emilianenko's guard and throws a big left but Emilianenko blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Emilianenko looking to hit a scissor sweep but Cormier is one step ahead there.
Emilianenko keeping full guard, as Cormier tries to pass.
Emilianenko controls Cormier momentarily but Cormier frees himself.
Cormier makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Emilianenko trying to control the position.
Cormier scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cormier trying to control but Emilianenko is working from the bottom.
Emilianenko is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Cormier stays in close to Emilianenko's body and controls the position.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Cormier throws a strike but Emilianenko rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Cormier wants to sweep here but Emilianenko controlling him for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Freddie Emilianenko dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Emilianenko cracks Cormier with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Cormier scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.

Cormier shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Cormier showed some decent athleticism there.
Emilianenko moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Cormier makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Emilianenko is on top in guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cormier is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Emilianenko is looking to work some ground and pound but Cormier has wrist control.
Emilianenko slips nicely into half guard.
Emilianenko slows the pace down in half guard.
Emilianenko wants to stand up but Cormier manages to regain full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Emilianenko tries to free his leg and advance position but Cormier is retaining full guard.
Cormier is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Emilianenko is controlling him.
Freddie Emilianenko overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Emilianenko is fighting to break Cormier's control of his arms but Cormier is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Emilianenko tries to free his leg and advance position but Cormier is retaining full guard.
Emilianenko sitting in guard, not really doing much.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Cormier throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Emilianenko doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Cormier counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Cormier slaps away a takedown attempt from Emilianenko, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Emilianenko tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Cormier manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Emilianenko dodges the punch combination from Cormier.
Emilianenko misses with a body shot.
Cormier misses with the combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cormier changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Emilianenko tries to avoid it but Cormier manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Emilianenko to the ground. Emilianenko escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Cormier shoots in for a double leg but Emilianenko sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Emilianenko with a hook.
Emilianenko shoots and misses

and Cormier counters with a takedown into side control.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Freddie Emilianenko. That's going to take a lot out of him.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Emilianenko managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Cormier.
Cormier wants to control for a moment but Emilianenko uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.
Emilianenko gets full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cormier makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Daniel Cormier.
I think Cormier has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 29:29
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!