PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Phil Clayborne (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Owen Garvan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Owen Garvan has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Phil Clayborne's chin.

Clayborne
vs
Garvan

189 cm
25
155 lbs
5 - 6 - 0

177 cm
22
159 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

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 5 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Phil Clayborne!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Owen Garvan!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, James Ackerman and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Garvan shoots in for a double leg but Clayborne sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Clayborne looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Garvan shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Clayborne pinned against the cage. Clayborne gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Clayborne wants to clinch up but Garvan keeps it at a distance.
Clayborne takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Clayborne tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Garvan swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Clayborne is looking to clinch.
Clayborne really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Clayborne clinches up with Garvan and pushes him back against the cage.

Clayborne escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Clayborne is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Garvan looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Clayborne is fending him off so far but Garvan persists. Nope, Clayborne circles away and we're back to standing.
Phil Clayborne has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Owen Garvan.
Clayborne defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Garvan.
Garvan tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Garvan throws a head kick but Clayborne moves out of range.
Clayborne tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Garvan counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Garvan is taking a breather. Clayborne says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Garvan wants to control but Clayborne is keeping him busy.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Garvan wants to stand but Clayborne has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.

Garvan is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Clayborne sees it coming and defends easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Garvan is looking to advance position but Clayborne won't allow it.
Garvan controlling the action here.
Garvan wants to pass the guard but Clayborne is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garvan thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Garvan fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Clayborne avoids it really well and circles away.
Garvan shoots in looking for a takedown. Clayborne tries to sprawl out of it but Garvan keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Clayborne manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Garvan tries to close the distance and clinch but Clayborne swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Garvan shoots for a takedown but Clayborne saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Garvan is looking to clinch but Clayborne is avoiding it.
Garvan tries to close the distance and clinch up but Clayborne swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Clayborne tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Garvan decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Clayborne's guard.
Garvan stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Clayborne swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Garvan controls from within his opponent's guard.
Garvan wants to get up but he can't break Clayborne's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Owen Garvan dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Garvan throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Clayborne on the side of the head.
Phil Clayborne is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Clayborne keeps the fight on the outside.
Garvan tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Clayborne swivels and escapes.
Garvan misses with a series of wild punches.
Garvan shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Clayborne defends it nicely.
Clayborne tries to clinch there but Garvan circles away.
Garvan swats away the attempt to clinch by Clayborne.
Garvan fails to land the takedown.
Phil Clayborne has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Owen Garvan.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Garvan looks for a takedown but Clayborne sprawls well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Garvan looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Clayborne stuffs the takedown.
Phil Clayborne is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Clayborne fails in his attempt to clinch.
Clayborne avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Garvan tries to score with a low kick but Clayborne moves his leg out of the way.
Nice sprawl there from Clayborne as Garvan shoots in.
Clayborne looks to land a body kick but Garvan moved away.
Garvan throws a series of punches but Clayborne avoids them all with ease.
Garvan doesn't manage to clinch there - Clayborne circles away.
Garvan tries to close the distance and clinch but Clayborne swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Garvan tries to close the distance and clinch but Clayborne swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Garvan fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Clayborne tries to clinch there but Garvan circles away.
Clayborne tries to close the distance and clinch but Garvan swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
The fight stays on the outside here - Garvan looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
The fight stays on the outside here - Clayborne looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Garvan is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Clayborne swats away the attempt to clinch by Garvan.
Garvan lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Clayborne circles away quickly and effectively.
Garvan shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Clayborne as he avoids it easily.
Garvan tries to clinch up but Clayborne circles away and keeps his distance.
Clayborne avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Clayborne tries to clinch but Garvan moves away

and Garvan counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Garvan.
Garvan is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Garvan keeps control of Clayborne as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garvan has Clayborne pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Clayborne manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Garvan tries to work over Clayborne's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Garvan jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Clayborne walks away with a smile on his face. Garvan gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Garvan dives in and grabs Clayborne's left leg, looking for a takedown. Clayborne pushes down on Garvan's head and hops out.
Horrible takedown by Garvan or perhaps it was just good defense by Clayborne which made him look bad.
Clayborne tries to clinch but Garvan moves away

and Garvan decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Clayborne's guard.

Clayborne looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Garvan scoring with punches to the head and body.
Garvan is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Clayborne working a defensive guard here.
Clayborne keeping moving, preventing Garvan from controlling successfully.
Clayborne trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Clayborne keeping full guard, as Garvan tries to pass.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Owen Garvan showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Clayborne slaps away a takedown attempt from Garvan, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Clayborne looks to land a body kick but Garvan moved away.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Garvan is defended easily by Clayborne.
Garvan tries to clinch there but Clayborne circles away.
Garvan lands with a nice combination. Clayborne backs away looking to recover.
Clayborne ducks right into an uppercut from Garvan.
Clayborne keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Phil Clayborne has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Owen Garvan.
Garvan closes the distance and clinches up with Clayborne, looking for a takedown. Garvan pushes Clayborne against the cage but Clayborne circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
No luck for Garvan with that takedown attempt.
Clayborne doesn't manage to clinch there - Garvan circles away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Clayborne keeps the fight on the outside.
Clayborne tries to close the distance and clinch but Garvan swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Garvan looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Clayborne is fending him off so far but Garvan persists. Nope, Clayborne circles away and we're back to standing.
Garvan circles away from the clinch attempt.
Garvan shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Clayborne defends it nicely.
Clayborne stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Clayborne wants it to stay on the feet.
Clayborne wants to clinch.
Garvan tries to clinch but Clayborne is having none of it.
Good standup being displayed there by Garvan as he connects with a hook.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Garvan is defended easily by Clayborne.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Clayborne.
Good standup being displayed there by Garvan as he connects with a hook.
An inside leg kick from Garvan misses.
Garvan fails with the takedown.
Clayborne tries to clinch up.
Clayborne closes the distance looking to clinch
and Garvan counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Clayborne keeps the fight on the outside.
Garvan slips a jab and a cross from Clayborne.
Garvan tries to clinch but Clayborne is having none of it.
Clayborne avoids the head kick by Garvan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garvan throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Clayborne's waist but Clayborne gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Garvan off to one side.
Garvan fails with an attempt to clinch.
Clayborne pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Clayborne moves out of range as Garvan throws a body kick.
Garvan has a takedown stuffed.
Clayborne wants to clinch up but Garvan keeps it at a distance.

Clayborne closes the distance and clinches.
Garvan blocks the elbow strike.
Clayborne blocks a body shot from Garvan.
Clayborne keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Garvan's efforts to push away.
Garvan tries to pull guard but Clayborne won't allow it.
Garvan wants a takedown.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Garvan fails to pull the fight into his guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Clayborne's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Phil Clayborne has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Garvan lands a body shot.
Clayborne tries to close the distance and clinch but Garvan swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Garvan misses with a takedown attempt - Clayborne sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Garvan throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Clayborne throws a body kick that misses.
Phil Clayborne seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Clayborne keeps the fight on the outside.
Garvan catches Clayborne with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Garvan circles away from the clinch attempt
enabling Garvan to counter with a crisp jab.
Owen Garvan is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Garvan shoots in but Clayborne avoids the takedown attempt easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Phil Clayborne showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Garvan 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 Andrew Berry scores the fight 28:29
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 28:29
Judge William Gold scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Owen Garvan!