PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mark Clarke (ranked 1974 p4p, 2865 weight class) and Claudio Castagnoli (ranked 243 p4p, 333 weight class). Castagnoli has chosen James Bond Theme as his entrance music. Claudio Castagnoli is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Clarke
vs
Castagnoli

185 cm
28
275
9 - 4 - 0

192 cm
22
250
3 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Insanely flexible

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Bondi MMA ðŸï¸

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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 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Mark Clarke!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Claudio Castagnoli!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Johanna Lukiainen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Clarke tries a head kick but it misses.
We've been informed that Castagnoli has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Clarke looks to throw the jab but Castagnoli is out of range.
Castagnoli with a nice cross.
Clarke definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Castagnoli showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Clarke.
Castagnoli throws a counter combo.
Clarke takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.

Clarke gets a double leg takedown into Castagnoli's guard.
Clarke scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Castagnoli working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Clarke.
Clarke is fighting to break Castagnoli's control of his arms but Castagnoli is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Clarke pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Castagnoli is keeping the position for now.
Castagnoli wants to sweep here but Clarke controlling him for the moment.
Clarke lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Clarke preventing the sweep.
Clarke scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Clarke throwing strikes but missing.

Castagnoli is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Clarke postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Castagnoli looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Castagnoli manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Clarke manages to get himself to full guard.

Castagnoli wants to control from the top but Clarke keeps moving.
Castagnoli stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Clarke swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Clarke has his hands on Castagnoli's head, controlling the position.
Clarke keeping full guard, as Castagnoli tries to pass.
Clarke keeping moving, preventing Castagnoli from controlling successfully.
Clarke trying to control the position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Castagnoli advances position into side control!

Castagnoli swings around for an armbar but Clarke sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Castagnoli's guard.
Clarke has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Clarke throws a big right hand that misses.
Clarke preventing the sweep.
Castagnoli keeping moving, preventing Clarke from controlling successfully.
Castagnoli looking to hit a scissor sweep but Clarke is one step ahead there.
Clarke works over Castagnoli with some ground and pound from guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Clarke looking to pass the guard.
Castagnoli wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Clarke engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Clarke won't allow Castagnoli to sweep him here.
Castagnoli pulls Clarke in close to prevent any damage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Clarke stands up over Castagnoli, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Clarke won't allow Castagnoli to sweep him here.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Clarke dominated that round.
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.

Clarke tries a head kick but it misses.
Clarke throws a sloppy head kick
and Clarke takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Castagnoli lands a right hook to the body.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Clarke crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Castagnoli - the referee stops the clock and Clarke gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Castagnoli. Clarke manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Clarke takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Clarke throws a body kick that misses.
Castagnoli cracks Clarke with a good jab.
Castagnoli slips under a jab.
Clarke throws the kick towards the body but Castagnoli avoids it.
Castagnoli stuns Clarke with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Castagnoli avoids the head kick by Clarke.
Castagnoli replies with a solid counter kick to the body but Clarke blocks it well.
Castagnoli dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Castagnoli connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Clarke momentarily.
Castagnoli scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Clarke doesn't seem bothered though.
Castagnoli throws a head kick that half lands.

It looks like Mark Clarke has been cut.
Castagnoli lands with a shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A shot to the liver by Castagnoli. Beautiful body shot.

Castagnoli instigates a clinch.

Castagnoli gets control of Clarke's arms and successfully pulls guard. Castagnoli will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Castagnoli has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Castagnoli looking for a triangle here. Clarke is fighting it but it looks tight! Castagnoli pulls the arm across and this one won't last much longer! Nope, Clarke is tapping out - this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:34 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Choke). Claudio Castagnoli!
Mark Clarke spoke after the fight, saying 'You beat me again... Well played. I wish you the best of luck in the future... However this is my final fight, thank you to everyone who supported me.. I want to pass the torch to Handerson. Good work brother.'.