PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Van Damme (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kendall Clarke (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Damme comes to the cage accompanied by Fight to Survive. Clarke has chosen Seven Nation Army 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.

Damme
vs
Clarke

186 cm
25
199 lbs
9 - 1 - 0

198 cm
25
193 lbs
9 - 7 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Lethal high kicks
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Global Nutritional ACME (Q157) 90% ROR on Laundry

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Van Damme!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Kendall Clarke!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, Trevor Gratis and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Damme moves into the clinch.
A nice left hand lands by Damme.
Damme misses with a body punch.
Damme tries to throw a body punch but Clarke avoids it by throwing Damme back against the cage.
A nice left hand lands by Damme.
Damme tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Clarke's elbow.
Clarke is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Damme tries to work over Clarke's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Damme presses Clarke against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Damme is leaning against Clarke and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
A head punch on the inside from Damme fails to land.
A short body shot lands from Damme as the two fighters clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Damme throws a punch but it's blocked by Clarke.
Damme lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Damme avoiding damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Damme misses with a shot to the kidneys.
A frustrated look appears on Clarke's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Clarke working hard to break the clinch.
Clarke can't break the clinch.
Damme tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Clarke is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Damme misses with some punches.
Clarke working hard to break the clinch.
A right hand to the body from Damme.
Damme tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Clarke's elbow.
Damme throws a punch but it's blocked by Clarke.
Damme misses with some punches.
Clarke is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Damme tries to work over Clarke's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Damme working aggressively here.

Clarke's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Damme scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Van Damme seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Damme connects with a crisp jab.
Clarke tries to land a leg kick but Damme saw it coming and moves away.
An inside leg kick lands from Damme.
Damme feints and then cracks Clarke's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Clarke down.
Damme checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Clarke throws out a loose jab but Damme uses good head movement to avoid it.
That kick from Damme tenderised Clarke's leg. Clarke is trying to keep his angry face on.
Damme tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Clarke paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Damme misses with a hook
and Clarke counters with a nice uppercut.
Clarke throws a body punch but Damme moves out of range.
Damme lands with a thumping leg kick.

Damme clinches.
Clarke wants to break free but Damme has control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Damme misses with a punch on the inside.
Damme lands a hook that snaps the head of Clarke backwards.
Damme keeps control of Clarke as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Damme goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Damme struggles to land a body shot inside as Clarke controls his hands.
Damme tries to work over Clarke's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Damme pushes Clarke back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Clarke is trying to break free.
Damme swings wildly with an uppercut but Clarke uses good head movement to avoid it.
Damme tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Clarke's elbow.
Clarke is working for takedown but Damme is calmly controlling the position for now.
Van Damme has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kendall Clarke.
Damme throws a punch but it's blocked by Clarke.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Damme.
Damme scores with a shoulder strike.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Clarke has had enough of the clinch but Damme keeps him there for the moment.
Damme throws a head punch that misses.

Clarke successfully pulls guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.

Clarke is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Damme defends well.

Damme decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Clarke, up you get!
Clarke throws a shot from downtown. Damme moves away and avoids it.
Clarke on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Damme. Damme obviously looking to wear him down.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Clarke shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Clarke looks gassed!
Clarke thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Damme holds of for dear life.
Damme wants to hold on but Clarke pushes him away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Van Damme dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Damme dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Clarke. That did some damage!
Clarke circles away from the clinch attempt.
Damme cracks the inside of Clarke's front leg.
Damme moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Clarke thows a body shot but no joy.
Clarke keeps the fight on the outside.
Van Damme is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Damme misses with a double jab.
Clarke jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Damme lands a leg kick that knocks Clarke off balance momentarily.
Clarke's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Damme tries to close the distance and clinch up but Clarke swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Damme keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Damme fails with an attempt to clinch.
Clarke dodges the punch combination from Damme.
Clarke drops his hands momentarily and Damme takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
A nice leg kick lands there from Damme.
Damme lands with a straight right. Clarke didn't see that one coming.
A chopping leg kick lands by Damme.
Van Damme is winning the standup battle so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Damme doesn't manage to clinch there - Clarke circles away.
Clarke misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Damme.
Clarke lands an overhand right.
Damme tries to clinch but Clarke is having none of it.

Clarke gets tackled into the cage by Damme. Damme maintains the clinch.
Damme is defending well against a takedown attempt.

Clarke breaks from the clinch.
A solid leg kick lands there for Damme.
Clarke shoots for a takedown but Damme saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Clarke is breathing heavily.
Clarke scores with a leg kick.
Van Damme is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Damme connects with a high kick.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Damme fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Clarke has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Clarke keeps the fight on the outside.
Clarke keeps the fight on the outside.
Clarke misses with a wild combination.
Clarke throws a good cross that connects.
Good exchange - Damme coming out on top.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Clarke takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Damme lands a jab-cross combination.
Damme fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Clarke looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Damme throws a series of punches but Clarke avoids them all with ease.
Damme is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Clarke can do to turn this around?
The fight stays on the outside here - Damme looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Clarke looks to land a combination but Damme avoids it well.
A punch combination from Damme misses.
Damme feints and then cracks Clarke's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Clarke down.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Damme.
Clarke tries to break the clinch but Damme is controlling the position.
A nice right hand lands inside from Damme.
Damme lands a hook to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Clarke manages to break the clinch.
Damme throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Clarke.
Clarke showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Damme.
Clarke tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Clarke fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Damme misses with a few strikes there.
Clarke takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Damme is looking to land body kicks.
Clarke checks a leg kick.

Damme has closed the distance and engaged Clarke in a clinch.
Damme doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

Clarke has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Damme is trying to keep an underhook but Clarke manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Clarke seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Damme does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Clarke has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Damme might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Damme wants to control but Clarke is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Clarke tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Damme is looking to improve his position but Clarke isn't that keen on the idea.
Clarke content just to control the position here.
Clarke with a couple of short strikes.
Clarke looking to ground and pound but Damme is blocking nicely.
Clarke has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Damme's face.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Clarke breaks from Damme's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Clarke cracks Damme with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Clarke unloads with some shots from mount but Damme bucks and avoids them well.
Kendall Clarke has got the better of the ground game so far.
Damme working to try and regain half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Van Damme dominated that second round.
That's time! Damme's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Clarke takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Clarke tries to score a power double leg takedown but Damme sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Clarke somewhat.
A big left from Damme misses.
Clarke throws the left hand but Damme avoids the punch easily.
Clarke moves out of range of the body kick from Damme.
Damme throws a leg kick which misses Clarke's front leg but catches the back leg as Clarke tries to avoid it.
Clarke will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Damme avoids the body shot from Clarke.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Damme, as that shot connected.
Nice defenses there by Damme.
Damme doesn't manage to clinch there - Clarke circles away.
Damme fails with an attempt to clinch.
Clarke throws a right hand that Damme ducks under and follows up with a left that Damme also avoids with ease.
Clarke avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Damme scoring well with a low kick there.
Clarke throws a series of punches but Damme moves out of range.
Clarke takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Damme stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Damme wants it to stay on the feet.
Van Damme has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kendall Clarke.

Damme darts in and clinches Clarke up against the cage.
Clarke blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Damme tries to work over Clarke's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Damme lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Clarke.
Damme gets through Clarke's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Damme is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Damme misses with a hook to the ribs.
Van Damme has scored more points in the clinch so far.
A short left from Damme.

Damme pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Damme wants to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Clarke blocks a head kick by Damme.
Clarke avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Damme looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Damme scores with a crisp jab that stopped Clarke in his tracks.
Damme fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Clarke.

Clarke decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Clarke not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Damme knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Clarke on the ground.
Nice strikes from Clarke there.
Van Damme is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Clarke is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Damme tries to kick Clarke off but Clarke keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Clarke not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Damme gets back to full guard.
Clarke wants to control from the top but Damme keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Clarke working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Clarke is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Clarke won't allow Damme to get back to his feet.
Damme avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Damme keeping full guard, as Clarke tries to pass.
Damme wants to hit a switch here but Clarke passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Damme there!

Clarke looking to secure an arm triangle but Damme defends it well.
Damme reaches up and holds on to Clarke to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Clarke throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Damme because Clarke loaded up on that one.
Clarke sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Clarke trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Clarke won't let Damme get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Clarke looking to control but Damme is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Damme tries to reverse the position but Clarke maintains control.
Clarke lands a big elbow.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Clarke landing strikes from the mount.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Clarke raining down shots from the mount!
Clarke is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Kendall Clarke has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Clarke is landing with some decent strikes but Damme is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Kendall Clarke.
I think Damme 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 Alec Ball scores the fight 29:28
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Van Damme!