PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Marcus Phoenix (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Niko Clooten (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Phoenix's entrance music is Im Still Fly - Page ft. Drake. A fine choice. Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Phoenix
vs
Clooten

192 cm
22
218 lbs
11 - 0 - 0

190 cm
22
222 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Powerful takedowns
Good low kicks
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Marcus Phoenix!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Niko Clooten!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Ian Loll and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Phoenix lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Clooten backs up against the cage.

It looks like Niko Clooten has been cut.
Phoenix fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Clooten checks it well.
Phoenix throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Clooten throws a sloppy head kick and Phoenix moves out of range easily.
Phoenix throws a looping overhand right but Clooten ducks down to avoid it.
Clooten throws a low kick, looking for Phoenix's leg but Phoenix calmly moves out of range.
Phoenix misses with a hook.
Clooten avoids a kick to the body.
A lazy left from Phoenix finds it's target.
Clooten moves out of range of the body kick.
Phoenix misses with a straight left.
A low kick from Phoenix misses
and Clooten counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Phoenix throws a nice looking combination but Clooten bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Clooten checks a leg kick.
Phoenix waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Clooten.
Clooten pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Phoenix rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Clooten moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Phoenix misses with a leg kick
and Clooten counters with a nice body kick.
Marcus Phoenix seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Clooten misses with a hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Clooten jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Clooten checks a leg kick nicely.

Clooten shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Phoenix is trying to defend but Clooten finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Phoenix tries to get to full guard but Clooten has control of the leg.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Clooten is looking to advance position but Phoenix won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Clooten stalling away here and it's allowed Phoenix to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Clooten is fighting to break Phoenix's control of his arms but Phoenix is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Clooten is looking to advance position but Phoenix has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Phoenix wants to take his opponent's back but he's not managed it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Clooten tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.

Phoenix stands up from mount. Strange move.
Phoenix misses with the combination.
Clooten plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Phoenix thows a leg kick but Clooten checks it
letting Clooten counter with a right hand.
A swing and a miss from Phoenix.
An inside leg kick from Phoenix misses.
A clash of legs there as Phoenix blocks the low kick.
Clooten throws a looping overhand right but Phoenix ducks down to avoid it.
Phoenix thuds his right hand into Clooten's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Clooten's corner calls for a 1-2. Clooten obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Clooten moves out of range of the strikes.
Clooten throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Phoenix lands with a shot to the body.
Clooten tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Clooten looks gassed!
Phoenix misses with a hook. Clooten ducked under it nicely.
Phoenix throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Clooten stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Phoenix looks to land a left hand but Clooten moved out of range nicely.
Phoenix misses the shot to the body.
Phoenix fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
A shot to the liver by Phoenix. Beautiful body shot.
Phoenix lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Phoenix avoids the head kick by Clooten.
Phoenix fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Clooten checks it well.
Phoenix punishes Clooten's body with a nice straight punch.
Marcus Phoenix is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A low kick from Phoenix misses
and Phoenix takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Phoenix with a hook.
Phoenix looks to score with a jab to the body but Clooten is just out of range.
Phoenix throws a low kick but Clooten avoids it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcus Phoenix dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Niko Clooten's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Clooten ducks under a wild hook from Phoenix.
Phoenix lands with a cross.
Phoenix smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Phoenix lands with a cross.
Phoenix leaves Clooten with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Phoenix just misses with a punch to the body.
Phoenix throws a hook but Clooten blocks it.
Clooten uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Phoenix.
Some wild striking there from Phoenix.
Clooten throws a sloppy head kick and Phoenix moves out of range easily.
Clooten bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Clooten misses with a head kick.
Clooten lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Phoenix jabs at Clooten's body.
Clooten is breathing heavily.
Phoenix tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Clooten was well out of range. Poor timing from Phoenix.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Clooten throws a lazy right hand but Phoenix sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Clooten avoids a kick to the body.
Phoenix throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Clooten stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Phoenix thows a body shot but no joy.
Good shot there by Phoenix.
Phoenix is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Phoenix misses the shot to the body.
Phoenix throws a shot to the body.
Phoenix throws a hook but Clooten avoids it easily.
Phoenix turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A head kick misses from Phoenix.
A bone on bone clash there as Clooten blocks the leg kick.
A swing and a miss from Phoenix.
Phoenix lands a really nice looking cross but Clooten seems unphased.
Phoenix jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Phoenix with a jab.
Clooten shoots in but Phoenix avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Phoenix misses the jab.
Phoenix misses with a double jab.
Clooten moves out of range as Phoenix strikes.
Clooten drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Phoenix swings for the body but Clooten moves out of range.
A jab from Phoenix finds it's way through Clooten's defenses.
A cross from Phoenix lands.

Clooten is rocked!
Phoenix throws a jab but it's blocked by Clooten.
Clooten walks into a left hand.
Clooten is still on wobbly legs! Can Phoenix finish him?
Phoenix with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Clooten seems to have recovered his senses.
Clooten keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Phoenix lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Phoenix jabs Clooten right on the nose. Clooten blinks but takes it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Clooten chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Phoenix can pounce on him.
Phoenix looks to score with a jab to the body but Clooten is just out of range.
Phoenix uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Clooten has time to react.
Phoenix tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Clooten was well out of range. Poor timing from Phoenix.
Phoenix lands a right hook to the body.
Phoenix throws a series of punches but Clooten avoids them all with ease.
Nice body kick from Phoenix.
Phoenix throws a low kick, looking for Clooten's leg but Clooten calmly moves out of range.
Phoenix with a nice cross.
Phoenix throws a looping overhand right but Clooten ducks down to avoid it.
Phoenix misses with a wild combination.
Clooten on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Clooten moves out of range of the leg kick from Phoenix.
Phoenix throws a nice looking combination but Clooten bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Marcus Phoenix is winning the standup battle so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Phoenix bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Clooten's head backwards.
Phoenix scores with a sloppy right hand. Clooten should have avoided that one.
Phoenix loads up on a big right hand but Clooten slips the punch.
Phoenix throws the left hand but Clooten avoids the punch easily.
Phoenix is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Clooten can do to turn this around?
Clooten lands a nice hook to Phoenix's body. Phoenix takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Phoenix moves away from the strike by Clooten.
Clooten throws a left and a right that both miss
and Phoenix counters with a head kick. That will keep Clooten thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Clooten misses with a few strikes there.
Phoenix thows a body shot but no joy.
Clooten misses with a double jab.
Clooten smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Phoenix lands a nice leg kick that just misses Clooten's sensitive parts.
Phoenix fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Clooten on the side of the head.
Phoenix will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Clooten throws a head kick but Phoenix moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcus Phoenix dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Niko Clooten's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Phoenix cracks Clooten with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Clooten throws a jab but it's blocked by Phoenix.
Clooten swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Phoenix wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Phoenix dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Clooten. That did some damage!
Phoenix thows a body shot but no joy.
Clooten ducks under a wild hook from Phoenix.
Phoenix lands a jab to Clooten's midsection.
Phoenix connects with a jab.
Clooten walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Jab, jab by Phoenix - just one landing.
Clooten takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Phoenix, right into the meat.
Phoenix throws a leg kick that misses.
Phoenix throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Phoenix throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Phoenix throws a body punch but Clooten moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Phoenix throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A left lands for Phoenix.
Phoenix cracks the inside of Clooten's front leg.
Phoenix lands with an uppercut that bounces Clooten off the cage and back into rage.
Phoenix lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Clooten backs up against the cage.
Decent striking displayed by Phoenix there.
Phoenix cracks Clooten with a big right hand that sees him stumbling back against the cage! Clooten falls to his knees and Phoenix doesn't need a second invitatation - he rushes in and fires off several unanswered shots that force the referee to stop the fight! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:33 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Marcus Phoenix!
Marcus Phoenix retains his light heavyweight title!