PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Davy Walsh (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ivan Emelianenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Walsh
vs
Emelianenko

190 cm
22
147 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
23
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Hates pizza

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight 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, Davy Walsh!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ivan Emelianenko!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Viktor Lagutenko and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Emelianenko looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Walsh is fending him off so far but Emelianenko persists. Nope, Walsh circles away and we're back to standing.
Walsh is looking to clinch but Emelianenko is avoiding it.
Emelianenko shoots in for a takedown but Walsh shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Emelianenko closes the distance and clinches up with Walsh, looking for a takedown. Emelianenko pushes Walsh against the cage but Walsh circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Davy Walsh has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ivan Emelianenko.
Emelianenko looks for a takedown but Walsh sprawls well.
Walsh really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Emelianenko tries to score a power double leg takedown but Walsh sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Emelianenko somewhat.
Walsh feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Emelianenkos jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Emelianenko shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Walsh as he avoids it easily.
Emelianenko shoots in but Walsh avoids the takedown attempt easily.
No luck for Emelianenko with that takedown attempt.
Walsh will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Walsh cracks a nice hook into Emelianenko's ribs.
Walsh fails with a takedown attempt.
Walsh lands with a shot to the body.
A nice combination there by Walsh.

Emelianenko is rocked!
Walsh scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Emelianenko is still on wobbly legs! Can Walsh finish him?
Walsh shoots in and drives through. Emelianenko sprawls well.
Emelianenko shoots in and drives through. Walsh sprawls well.
Emelianenko looks winded!
Walsh throws a series of punches but Emelianenko avoids them all with ease.
Emelianenko seems to have recovered his senses.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Horrible takedown by Emelianenko or perhaps it was just good defense by Walsh which made him look bad.
Walsh throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Emelianenko's waist but Emelianenko gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Walsh off to one side.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Walsh looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Emelianenko is fending him off so far but Walsh persists. Nope, Emelianenko circles away and we're back to standing.
Walsh lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Walsh has his takedown stuffed

and Emelianenko counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Emelianenko lands strikes from half guard.
Walsh missing with punches from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Emelianenko wants to stand but his hand is trapped. Walsh uses the opportunity to regain full guard.
Walsh throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Walsh wants to stand and escape but Emelianenko is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Walsh looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Emelianenko tries to stand but Walsh is controlling from the bottom.
Emelianenko content to stall in guard here.
Walsh thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Emelianenko stopping the sweep attempt from Walsh.
Walsh has Emelianenko pulled in close to control his posture.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Emelianenko fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Emelianenko shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Walsh pinned against the cage. Walsh gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Emelianenko avoids the head kick by Walsh.

Emelianenko shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Walsh's guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Emelianenko postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Emelianenko preventing the sweep.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Davy Walsh will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Walsh fails with a takedown attempt.
Emelianenko shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Walsh doesn't manage to clinch there - Emelianenko circles away.
Walsh tries a head kick but it misses.
Emelianenko shoots in and drives through. Walsh sprawls well.
Emelianenko avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Walsh tries to clinch but Emelianenko moves out of range.
Walsh will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Walsh misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Walsh gets tackled into the cage by Emelianenko. Emelianenko maintains the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Walsh goes for a takedown attempt but Emelianenko pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Davy Walsh. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Walsh closes this distance looking for a takedown but Emelianenko circles away.
Emelianenko shoots in but Walsh avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Davy Walsh is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Walsh shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Emelianenko avoids a kick to the body.
Emelianenko fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Emelianenko shoots in for a double leg but Walsh sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Walsh tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Horrible takedown by Emelianenko or perhaps it was just good defense by Walsh which made him look bad.
Emelianenko gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Walsh counters by moving into the clinch.
Walsh changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Emelianenko fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Walsh tries to close the distance and clinch but Emelianenko swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Emelianenko looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Walsh is fending him off so far but Emelianenko persists. Nope, Walsh circles away and we're back to standing.
Emelianenko looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Emelianenko shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Walsh sprawls well. Walsh wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Emelianenko gets slowly back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Horrible takedown by Walsh or perhaps it was just good defense by Emelianenko which made him look bad.
Walsh shoots in and drives through. Emelianenko sprawls well.
Walsh throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Emelianenko shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Walsh defends it nicely.
Walsh fails to land the takedown.

Emelianenko gets a double leg takedown into Walsh's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Emelianenko trying to control the position from guard on top but Walsh is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Walsh will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Emelianenko working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Emelianenko chips away with some ground and pound.
Walsh keeping moving, preventing Emelianenko from controlling successfully.
Emelianenko landing some decent shots from guard.
Ivan Emelianenko has got the better of the ground game so far.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Emelianenko wants to control from the top but Walsh keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ivan Emelianenko showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Walsh throws a series of punches but Emelianenko avoids them all with ease.
Nice takedown defense from Emelianenko. No joy for Walsh on that attempt.
Emelianenko takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Walsh shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Emelianenko as he avoids it easily.
Walsh closes the distance looking to clinch
and Emelianenko counters with a body kick.
Emelianenko fails with a takedown attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Emelianenko is defended easily by Walsh.

Emelianenko shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Emelianenko was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Walsh can't do much from the bottom here.
Walsh is trying to get back to half guard.
Walsh is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Emelianenko's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Walsh won't allow Emelianenko to pass to mount.
Walsh is looking to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Walsh is trying to control but can't.
Emelianenko seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Walsh does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Walsh is trying to maintain the position but Emelianenko is very close to passing his half guard.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Davy Walsh wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Walsh shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Emelianenko as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Davy Walsh. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Emelianenko fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Walsh pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Emelianenko closes this distance looking for a takedown but Walsh circles away.

Walsh gets caught napping as Emelianenko dives in and scores a takedown. Walsh manages to retain guard.
Walsh will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Emelianenko is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Walsh is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Walsh is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Emelianenko is controlling him.
Emelianenko slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Ivan Emelianenko wasn't active enough on the ground.
Walsh misses with a wild combination.
Emelianenko looks for a takedown but Walsh sprawls well.
Emelianenko shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Walsh but Walsh pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Walsh shoots for a double leg takedown but Emelianenko sprawls well. He's pushed Walsh's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Emelianenko fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Walsh avoids it really well and circles away.

Emelianenko instigates a clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ivan Emelianenko.
I think Emelianenko 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 Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight for Ivan Emelianenko!
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight for Davy Walsh!
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight for Ivan Emelianenko!

Ivan Emelianenko wins by split decision!