PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Steven Stamkos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Charles Clayton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Clayton has chosen Lose Yourself as his entrance music. Charles Clayton has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Steven Stamkos's chin.

Stamkos
vs
Clayton

180 cm
23
165 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

180 cm
22
164 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Tends to cut

Damnfield clothing

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Steven Stamkos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Charles Clayton!
The judges for this bout are Dillan Fox, Yves DeLean and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stamkos has a takedown stuffed.
Stamkos drops his hands momentarily and Clayton takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Stamkos shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Clayton pinned against the cage. Clayton gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Clayton connects with a crisp jab.
Clayton with a jab.
Stamkos throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Stamkos keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Stamkos thows a body shot but no joy.
Stamkos walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Stamkos throws a lazy right hand but Clayton sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Stamkos shoots in looking for a takedown but Clayton manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Stamkos's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Steven Stamkos. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Stamkos misses with a hook. Clayton ducked under it nicely.
Clayton shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Stamkos but Stamkos pushes him off and we're back to square one.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Stamkos closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Clayton is looking to regain half guard here but Stamkos keeps moving and retains side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Stamkos decides to stand up, so the ref orders Clayton to his feet.
Stamkos has a takedown stuffed.

Clayton fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Stamkos to the ground. Clayton is now in Stamkos's guard.
Stamkos preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Clayton accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Stamkos is breathing heavily.
Clayton throws a big right hand that misses.
Clayton throwing strikes from guard but Stamkos blocks nicely.
Clayton in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Clayton accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Clayton in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Stamkos not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Clayton is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Clayton working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Clayton landing some decent shots from guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Stamkos utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Clayton throwing strikes but missing.
Clayton cracks Stamkos with a solid left hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Clayton stands and throws Stamkos's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Clayton is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Stamkos knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Clayton throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Clayton lands a nice forearm strike.
Clayton throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Stamkos works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stamkos is looking to improve his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Clayton with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Clayton throws a strike but Stamkos avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Clayton sitting in guard here, content to control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Clayton connects with a couple of short punches.
Clayton working some strikes from top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Charles Clayton dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Clayton blocks a low kick nicely.
Clayton checks a low kick from Stamkos.
Clayton fails in his attempt to clinch.
Stamkos slips a jab and a cross from Clayton.
Stamkos lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.

Clayton moves into the clinch.
Clayton prevents Stamkos from breaking the clinch.
Stamkos wants to get back to striking at distance but Clayton won't allow it.
Clayton lands a good knee to the midsection. Stamkos won't want to take too many of those.
Clayton throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Clayton putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Stamkos in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Clayton prevents Stamkos from breaking the clinch.

Clayton turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Stamkos managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Clayton.

Clayton is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Stamkos has escaped the position, nice work there.
Stamkos can't do much from the bottom here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stamkos on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Clayton tries to score with some ground and pound. Stamkos controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Clayton trying to control the position but Stamkos is working away.
Clayton lands a nice forearm strike.
An elbow from Clayton crashes against the mat.
Clayton fails to land a wild elbow strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Clayton wants to control but Stamkos is keeping him busy.
The strikes coming from Clayton are missing the target in this wave of attacks.

Clayton tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Clayton has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Clayton working the ground and pound.
Clayton creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Stamkos sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Clayton thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Stamkos regains half guard.
Stamkos keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Stamkos trying to hold on to Clayton's head to control him but Clayton postures up.
Clayton is trying to control the action in half guard but Stamkos is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Clayton sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Stamkos defending well though.
Stamkos wants to control but Clayton is keeping busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Clayton throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Charles Clayton has got the better of the ground game so far.
Clayton takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Ground and pound from Clayton.
Clayton not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Clayton not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Clayton is trying to control. Stamkos wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Clayton with the ground and pound but Stamkos uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Clayton missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Stamkos is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Charles Clayton showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Clayton scores with a decent looking hook.
Clayton has a takedown stuffed.
Stamkos misses with an uppercut.

Clayton is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Stamkos's half guard.
Clayton throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Clayton is working for a submission of some sort.

Clayton is trying to work for a kimura but Stamkos is defending well.
Clayton takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Clayton thows a huge punch but Stamkos dodges it nicely.
Clayton throwing shots but Stamkos is blocking nicely.
Clayton working over Stamkos with some ground and pound. Stamkos looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Clayton is keen to just control but Stamkos is a slippery customer.
Clayton is looking to stall here but Stamkos recovers full guard.
Clayton throws an elbow that misses. Stamkos uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Clayton's guard. Nice move by Stamkos!
Steven Stamkos has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stamkos wants to stand but Clayton has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Clayton is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Stamkos avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Clayton is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Stamkos gets to his feet - Clayton follows without any prompting.
Stamkos shoots in and drives through. Clayton sprawls well.
Clayton stuffs the takedown.

Clayton moves into the clinch.

Clayton drags the fight down to the ground.
Stamkos would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Clayton wants to sweep here but Stamkos controlling him for the moment.
Clayton manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Stamkos manages to get himself to full guard.
Stamkos controls Clayton momentarily but Clayton frees himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Clayton controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Clayton drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Stamkos manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Clayton has Stamkos in his guard.

Clayton looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Stamkos passes into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Charles Clayton comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Clayton 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 Dillan Fox scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Charles Clayton!
After winning the bout, Charles Clayton thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.