PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Corey Clark (ranked 5315 p4p, 22420 weight class) and Maung Maung Thu (ranked 212 p4p, 260 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Clark
vs
Thu

170 cm
30
135
12 - 9 - 0

166 cm
25
135
11 - 7 - 0

Great wrestler
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing
Urban Fighter

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Corey Clark !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Maung Maung Thu!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Kenichi Hosakawa and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Clark avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
A jab from Clark does it's job there.
Clark jabs Thu right on the nose. Thu blinks but takes it well.
Clark misses with a hook.
Clark moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromThu.
Clark throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Thu scoring well with a low kick there.
Clark misses the shot to the body.
Thu ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Thu.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Clark throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Clark checks the leg kick.
Clark throws a jab but it's blocked by Thu.
Thu unleashes a big counter combination but Clark bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Thu moves away from the strike by Clark .

That's one minute gone in the round.
A lazy left from Clark finds it's target.
Clark misses with a jab, cross combination.
Thu appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Clark misses the shot to the body.
Thu throws a shot from downtown. Clark moves away and avoids it.
Thu swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Clark counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Thu!
Clark scoring with punches and elbows.
Thu taking a bit of punishment here - Clark scoring with strikes.
Clark scoring with punches from side control.
Thu told us pre-fight that he has been working on his escapes in training. Let's see if he can call on some of his new skills to get back to his feet.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
An elbow from Clark crashes against the mat.
Clark working the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Clark tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Thu taking a bit of punishment here - Clark scoring with strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thu takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Clark working the head with strikes.
Clark throws an elbow but Thu slips to the side and avoids it well.
Thu on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Clark landing strikes.
Clark scoring with punches from side control.
An elbow from Clark crashes against the mat.
Clark scoring with punches and elbows.
Thu really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Clark . If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Clark misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Clark cracks Thu with a big right hand but Thu just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Thu is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Thu takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Clark throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Clark working the head with strikes.
Clark in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Clark works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Clark sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Thu is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Thu avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Clark .
Clark working the head and body with strikes.
Thu dodges the ground and pound from Clark .
Thu defending against the ground and pound.
Clark lands an elbow.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Thu can do anything to dispel that myth.
Clark looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Thu is avoiding damage well.
Thu is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
We've been hearing that Clark has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Clark landing strikes.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Thu takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Clark in side control lands a decent elbow.
Clark working the ground and pound.
Clark has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Clark in side control, throwing shots but Thu defends.
Thu is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Clark grinds an elbow into Thu's temple.
Clark landing a few strikes.
Clark is working Thu over with some ground and pound from side control.
Clark in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Thu avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Clark .
Clark is chipping away with strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Corey Clark dominated that round.
That's time! Clark 's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Clark fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Thu manages to avoid it.
Clark throws a body punch but Thu moves out of range.
A left lands for Thu.
Nice defenses there by Thu.
Thu throws a hook to the side of Clark 's head but Clark sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Clark tests Thu's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Clark avoids the body shot from Thu.
Clark digs a good body shot into Thu's ribs.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Clark just misses with a punch to the body.
A jab from Clark misses.
Thu tries a quick counter leg kick but Clark is wise to it.
A solid leg kick lands there for Thu.
Clark throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Thu sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Thu tries a quick counter leg kick but Clark is wise to it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thu tried to score with a low kick but Clark checks it.
Clark misses with a left hand
and Thu makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Thu moves away from the strike by Clark .
A looping hook to the body misses from Clark . Thu does a little dance to reset his feet.
Clark throws a right hand that misses
and Thu counters with a nice body shot.
Clark throws a right hand that misses
and Thu counters with a right hand to the body.
Clark throws a jab but it's blocked by Thu.
Clark throws a body shot but no joy.
Thu is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Clark is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Thu gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Clark .
Clark will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Thu is trying to counter with his kicks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thu throws a low kick but it's checked well by Clark .
Clark cracks Thu with an open hand slap.
Thu bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Thu throws a jab but it's blocked by Clark .
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Clark swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Thu.
Clark missing with a left hand there. Thu was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Clark throws a looping overhand right but Thu ducks down to avoid it.
Clark misses with an uppercut
and Thu counters with a stiff right hand.
Corey Clark is winning the standup battle so far.
Clark lands a right hook to the body.
Thu looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Clark just misses with a punch to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thu throws a lazy right hand but Clark sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Corey Clark seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A looping hook to the body misses from Clark . Thu does a little dance to reset his feet.
Clark misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Thu.
Clark throws a right hand that misses
and Thu counters with a straight right hand.
Clark lands with a straight right. Thu didn't see that one coming.
Maung Maung Thu is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Clark scores with a crisp jab that stopped Thu in his tracks.
Clark throws a jab but it's blocked by Thu.
Clark throws a sloppy body shot
and Thu counters with a lovely straight right hand!
A lazy left from Clark finds it's target.
Thu scores with a hook.
Thu throws a big shot that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thu takes a jab right on the kisser.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Clark misses with a straight right.
Clark misses with a wild body shot.
Thu is clearly looking to counter with head kicks.
Clark lands a nice shot to the body.
Clark scores with a decent looking hook.
A looping hook to the body misses from Clark . Thu does a little dance to reset his feet.
Thu throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Clark 's head.
Clark is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Thu can do to turn this around?
Clark missing with a left hand there. Thu was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
A telegraphed right hand from Clark misses the target.

Clark throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Thu was covering up waiting for the punch and Clark finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Clark distracts Thu with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Corey Clark dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Clark bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Clark feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Thus jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Thu connects with a crisp jab.

It looks like Corey Clark has been cut.
Thu takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Thu throws a series of punches but Clark moves out of range.
Clark misses with an uppercut.
Thu throws a sloppy head kick and Clark moves out of range easily.
Clark tries to counter with a takedown but Thu is quick to defend against it.
Thu lands a really nice looking cross but Clark seems unphased.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thu lands a nice hook to Clark 's body. Clark takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Clark ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Thu moves away.
Thu throws a big counter head kick but Clark avoids it with no problem.
Clark smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Clark just misses with a punch to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Clark throws a body punch but Thu moves out of range.
Thu misses with a kick to the body

and Clark counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Clark is in close to Thu's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Clark is working Thu over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Clark content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Thu utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Clark throws a big elbow that misses.
Clark postures up and lands a big shot to Thu's brow.
Clark is looking to work some ground and pound but Thu has wrist control.
Clark landing some decent shots from guard.
Clark throwing strikes but missing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Clark throwing strikes from guard but Thu blocks nicely.
Thu avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Clark is looking to work some ground and pound but Thu has wrist control.
Clark cracks Thu with a solid left hand.
Clark content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Thu utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Clark lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Clark keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Thu's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thu avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Clark accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Clark content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Clark landing some decent shots from guard.
Thu not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Clark working some strikes from top position.
Clark missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Clark chips away with some ground and pound.
Clark throws a big right hand that misses.
Clark lands a couple of digs.
Clark with a nice head shot there.
Maung Maung Thu has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thu looking to control.
Clark is looking to work some ground and pound but Thu has wrist control.
Clark connects with a couple of short punches.
Clark keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Thu's head.
Clark is looking to work some ground and pound but Thu has wrist control.
Clark postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Clark loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Clark landing some decent shots from guard.
Clark cracks Thu with a solid left hand.
Clark is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

And that's the end of the fight!
Corey Clark showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Clark has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 30:27
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Corey Clark !
Corey Clark decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.