PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Cassius Clay (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Martin Berg (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Martin Berg looks lathargic as he enters the arena. Wake up son, you're about to have a fight!

Clay
vs
Berg

170 cm
20
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
18
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 1

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Cassius Clay!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Martin Berg!
The judges for this bout are Patrick Alders, Daniel Blasius and Nard Betker.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Clay misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Clay wants to clinch.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Clay.
Clay is looking to take a break and control but Berg is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Berg dodges the ground and pound from Clay.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Clay decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Good shot there by Clay.

Clay clinches.
Nice elbow from Berg.

Berg escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Berg shoots in looking for a takedown. Clay tries to sprawl out of it but Berg keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Clay manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Berg looks winded!
Berg defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Clay.
Clay misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Berg slaps away a takedown attempt from Clay, before circling back to the center of the mat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cassius Clay. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Berg blocks a head kick by Clay.
Clay shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Berg but Berg pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Berg fails to land the takedown.
Clay tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Berg swivels and escapes.
Clay tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Berg manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Some wild striking there from Berg.
Clay throws a head kick that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Berg darts in and clinches Clay up against the cage.
Berg lands a good knee to the midsection. Clay won't want to take too many of those.

Berg manages to pull guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Clay accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Berg lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Clay!
Berg throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Clay because Berg loaded up on that one.
Berg controlling the pace for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Clay is looking to get to half guard.
Berg is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Clay can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Berg throwing strikes here but Clay is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Clay has given up his back - I don’t know if this is a deliberate ploy to try and escape or if he is just struggling down there.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Berg controlling from the back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Martin Berg will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Berg forces Clay back against the cage and clinches.
Clay has had enough of the clinch but Berg keeps him there for the moment.
Clay wants to get back to striking at distance but Berg won't allow it.
Berg using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Berg lands a knee to the head.
Berg just leaning against Clay, taking a breather.

Clay has Berg pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Clay pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Berg tumbling to the mat - Clay dives into Berg's guard.
Berg keeping moving, preventing Clay from controlling successfully.
Berg is breathing heavily.
Berg wants to sweep here but Clay controlling him for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Berg has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Clay is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
Berg tries to stall but Clay uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Berg missing with knees to the body.
A frustrated look appears on Clay's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Berg keeps control of Clay as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Clay tries to pull guard but Berg holds him up against the cage and eventually Clay drops back down to his feet.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Clay just misses with a elbow thrown towards Berg's brow.
A bit of stalling here from Berg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Clay tries to pull guard but Berg holds him up against the cage and eventually Clay drops back down to his feet.
Clay drops down looking for an ankle pick but Berg pulls his leg out and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cassius Clay. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Berg tries to clinch there but Clay circles away.
Berg shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Clay as he avoids it easily.
Cassius Clay is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Clay moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

Berg rushes Clay and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Clay wants a takedown.

Berg has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Clay uses from the top position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Berg trying to control the position here.
Clay has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Berg manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Berg controlling the pace for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Berg manages to capitalize on a mistake by Clay to take his back!
Berg really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Clay.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Martin Berg showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. This is the final round!

Berg looks to land a combination. Clay sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Clay with a poor takedown
and Berg counters with an inside leg kick.
Berg misses with a takedown attempt - Clay sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Berg tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Clay manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Clay shoots in for a takedown but Berg shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Clay goes for a double leg but Berg avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Berg continues to drive forward.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cassius Clay. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Berg goes for a takedown attempt but Clay pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Clay rushes Berg and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Clay wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Berg is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Clay pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Clay can't break the clinch.
Clay drops down looking for an ankle pick but Berg pulls his leg out and moves away.
Clay shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.

Berg closes the distance and clinches.
Clay wants a takedown but no success here.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Clay fails to pull guard.

Berg pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Clay stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Clay wants it to stay on the feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Clay shoots in and drives through. Berg sprawls well.
Clay shoots in for a takedown but Berg shows good takedown defense.
Berg wants to clinch up but Clay keeps it at a distance.
Berg tries to clinch up but Clay circles away and keeps his distance.

Berg has Clay up against the cage in a clinch.
Berg taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Clay managing to block the knees to the body from Berg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Clay keeps control of Berg as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Clay tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Clay fails to pull guard.
Berg lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Clay letting Berg take a breather here.
Berg fails to pull guard.
Berg jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Clay walks away with a smile on his face. Berg gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Berg stuffs the takedown.
Berg shoots in but no luck this time.
Clay lands with a slapping head kick.
Clay shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Berg sprawls well. Berg wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Clay gets slowly back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Clay shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Berg as he jumps to the side.

Berg clinches up against the cage.
Clay tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Berg lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Clay or not.
A frustrated look appears on Clay's face as he tries to break the clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.

Berg's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

And that's the end of the fight!
Martin Berg comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Berg winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Patrick Alders scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 28:30
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Martin Berg!