PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Cassius clay (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Nathan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). On his way into the cage it seems that Cassius clay has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Cassius clay seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

clay
vs
Nathan

180 cm
19
170 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

183 cm
22
169 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Enjoys gardening

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Cassius clay!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Matt Nathan!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

clay gets a takedown into half guard.
Nathan trying to control but clay postures up.

clay stands up and beckons Nathan to join him on the feet.
clay shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Nathan tries to sprawl but clay drives through with a takedown into half guard.
clay tries to stand and escape but Nathan is controlling the position.
clay is trying to control. Nathan wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

clay is working for a submission of some sort.

clay is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's one minute gone in the round.
clay stops Nathan from getting back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
clay is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
clay is looking to stand up but Nathan won't let him.
clay looking to pass the guard.

clay has gone for a leg lock! Nathan slips out almost immediately though and dives into clay's guard.
clay keeping full guard, as Nathan tries to pass.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

clay had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Nathan defends it easily.
Nathan wants to control from the top but clay keeps moving.

clay throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

clay has his foot on Nathan's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Nathan works his way back into a safe position though.
clay looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Nathan puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
clay is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Nathan jumps into side control!
Nathan trying to control the position but clay is working away.
clay is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Nathan's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Nathan looks gassed!

clay looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
clay tries to roll over but Nathan keeps him under control.
clay has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Nathan is working away from the top position though.
clay is trying to get back to full guard.
clay has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Nathan is working away from the top position though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cassius clay 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.

clay shoots for a takedown but Nathan saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Cassius clay is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
clay has a takedown stuffed.
clay fails to land the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cassius clay. That's going to take a lot out of him.
clay shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Nathan pinned against the cage. Nathan gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
clay fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Nathan avoids it really well and circles away.

clay shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Nathan looking for submissions off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nathan won't allow clay to pass to mount.
Nathan trying to control from the bottom.
Nathan is breathing heavily.
clay takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
clay wants to stand up but Nathan is controlling the position.
clay is looking to take a break and control but Nathan is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
clay stops Nathan from getting back to his feet.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

clay is working for a kimura but Nathan is defending it quite comfortably.

clay stands up from half guard.

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.
Nathan keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
clay shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Nathan defends it nicely.
The fight stays on the outside here - Nathan looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
clay shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
A punch lands to the side of Nathan 's head but he takes it in his stride.
clay throws a right and a left that Nathan avoids nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nathan shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. clay manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
clay working a defensive guard here.

clay throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

clay is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
clay is trying to keep Nathan in close.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

clay is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Nathan stopping the sweep attempt from clay.
Nathan is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

clay looking for subs off his back but Nathan has passed one foot through into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Cassius clay will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Nathan keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Nathan doesn't manage to clinch there - clay circles away.
clay with a poor takedown

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

clay working for submissions but it's allowed Nathan to get to half guard.

clay looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Nathan takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Nathan takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
clay trying to control but Nathan postures up.
Nathan wants to free his trapped foot but clay is holding on for dear life with his legs.
clay tries to get to full guard but Nathan has control of the leg.
clay won't allow Nathan to pass to mount.
Cassius clay overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
clay is looking to control Nathan's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can clay avoid being mounted?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
clay regains full guard. Nicely done.

clay escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Nathan gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

clay looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
clay trying to keep a closed guard but Nathan is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

clay has his foot on Nathan's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Nathan works his way back into a safe position though.
clay looking to control.

clay has his foot on Nathan's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Nathan works his way back into a safe position though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nathan wants to control from the top but clay keeps moving.
clay is trying to keep Nathan in close.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
clay is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

clay is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Nathan defends well.
Nathan is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
clay is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Matt Nathan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Cassius clay is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

clay stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Matt Nathan.
I think clay has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Cassius clay!