PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Joe Clark (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marcus Phoenix (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Phoenix has chosen Dream Big - Crooked I feat Akon as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. 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
Phoenix

190 cm
28
210 lbs
17 - 7 - 0

192 cm
25
218 lbs
15 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
World class boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 17 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Joe Clark!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Marcus Phoenix!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, Elvis Blanc and Yves DeLean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Phoenix throws a hook but Clark avoids it easily.
Clark keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Phoenix takes a jab right on the kisser.
Clark lands with a hook. Phoenix tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Phoenix stalks Clark and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Clark's face. Clark staggers backwards, shaken.

It looks like Joe Clark has been cut.
A combination from Phoenix does no damage.
Clark looks to land a left hand but Phoenix moved out of range nicely.
Clark lands a nice shot to the body.
A swing and a miss from Phoenix.
Phoenix misses with a straight left.
Phoenix connects with a body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Clark moves into range and connects with a jab.
Clark misses with a leg kick.
Phoenix scoring well with a low kick there.
Phoenix lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Clark circles away quickly and effectively.
Clark keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Phoenix.
Phoenix jabbing away but nothing is landing.
A combination from Phoenix does no damage.
Nice cross by Clark.
A telegraphed right hand from Phoenix misses the target.
Clark throws a low kick, looking for Phoenix's leg but Phoenix calmly moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Clark uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Phoenix.
Phoenix loads up on a big right hand but Clark slips the punch.
Phoenix throws a jab but it's blocked by Clark.
Clark fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Phoenix has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Clark has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Phoenix.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Phoenix, right into the meat.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Phoenix tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Clark was well out of range. Poor timing from Phoenix.
Clark throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Phoenix counters with a nice body shot.
Phoenix darts in and out, connecting with a jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Phoenix ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Phoenix avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Clark tries to move into range but Phoenix moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Clark tests Phoenix's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Clark takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Phoenix misses with a two punch combination.
Clark takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Phoenix keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Clark throws the left hand but Phoenix avoids the punch easily.
Phoenix misses with an uppercut.
Clark misses with a right hand
and Phoenix counters with a leg kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Clark throws a wild body kick that Phoenix sees coming a mile off.
Clark moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Phoenix misses with an uppercut. Clark saw that one coming.
Clark blocks a jab.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Phoenix lands a right hook to the body.
Clark misses with a head kick.
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 Joe Clark's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Clark tries to move into range but Phoenix moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Clark throws out a leg kick but Phoenix moves out of range and Clark only half commits.
Phoenix misses with a hook.
Clark uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Phoenix.
Phoenix lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Clark at a distance.
Phoenix ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Phoenix throws a big shot that misses.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Phoenix in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
A slow jab from Phoenix misses its intended target.
A telegraphed right hand from Phoenix misses the target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big left from Clark misses.
Phoenix throws out a loose jab but Clark uses good head movement to avoid it.
Phoenix misses with a lunging right hand
and Clark counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Phoenix uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Clark.
Marcus Phoenix seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Phoenix rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Clark moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Phoenix with a hook.
Phoenix is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Clark.
Phoenix throws a hook but Clark avoids it easily.
Clark uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Phoenix.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Clark moves out of range as Phoenix strikes.
Phoenix lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Phoenix cracks Clark with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Phoenix tries a head kick but it misses.
Clark keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Clark uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Phoenix.
Clark throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Phoenix looks to throw the jab but Clark is out of range.
Marcus Phoenix seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Phoenix throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Phoenix throws a looping overhand right but Clark ducks down to avoid it.
Nice body punch from Clark.
Phoenix dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

Oooooh!!! Phoenix has knocked Clark down with a huge combo! Phoenix steps away and waves a wobbly Clark back to his feet! This one might not go much longer!

Clark is rocked!
Clark moves out of range of the strikes.
Oh Clark is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Phoenix slips under a jab from Clark.
Clark seems to have got his legs back now.
Clark fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Phoenix.
Phoenix swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Phoenix is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Clark.
Phoenix just misses with a punch to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Phoenix misses with a right hand
and Clark counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Clark keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Clark throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Phoenix moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.

Joe Clark's cut is getting worse.
Phoenix uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Clark has time to react.
Phoenix throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Clark blocks a jab.
Phoenix misses with the combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcus Phoenix showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Joe Clark's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Phoenix throws a shot from downtown. Clark moves away and avoids it.
Clark tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Phoenix is able to avoid easily.
Phoenix scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Phoenix takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
A looping hook to the body misses from Phoenix. Clark does a little dance to reset his feet.
Phoenix throws a hook but Clark avoids it easily.
Clark shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Clark misses with a looping left.
Phoenix lands with a right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Phoenix throws a sloppy head kick and Clark moves out of range easily.
Clark lands with a nice body punch.
Phoenix scores with a jab.
Clark lands a body shot.
Phoenix fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Clark manages to avoid it.
Phoenix misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Clark fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Phoenix manages to avoid it.
Phoenix tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Clark was well out of range. Poor timing from Phoenix.
Joe Clark has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
This entire fight has taken place on the feet so far and you wonder whether Clark might be better served trying to take this one to the ground because he's losing the standup battle so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Clark misses with an uppercut. Phoenix saw that one coming.
Phoenix cracks Clark with an open hand slap.
Clark throws a nice outside leg kick.
Phoenix misses with a hook.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Phoenix checks a leg kick.
Phoenix misses with an uppercut.
Phoenix thows a left - swing and a miss!
Clark throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Phoenix stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
A decent looking cross lands there for Clark.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Phoenix ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Clark moves away.
Clark tries to bum rush Phoenix with a series of wild strikes but Phoenix uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Phoenix throws a series of strikes that have Clark backpedaling.
Phoenix misses with a lunging right hand
and Clark counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Phoenix takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Clark rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Phoenix moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
A shot to the body from Phoenix misses
and Clark counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Clark fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Phoenix has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Clark throws a jab when Phoenix was well out of range.
Phoenix avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Phoenix throws an overhand right that lands on Clark's shoulder, as Clark tries to avoid the shot.
Phoenix moves out of range as Clark strikes.
Phoenix throws a shot to the body.
Marcus Phoenix is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Clark scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Phoenix throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Clark sees it coming and avoids it easily.
A looping hook to the body misses from Clark. Phoenix does a little dance to reset his feet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Phoenix throws a hook but Clark blocks it.
Phoenix lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Joe Clark.
Well Phoenix has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Robert Douchet scores the fight 27:30
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Marcus Phoenix!