PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jacob Clarke (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Islam Makhachev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Clarke
vs
Makhachev

178 cm
26
168 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

177 cm
23
155 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Hates pizza

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Solid chin

V-Mask Clothing (10%)

KAISER Nutrition - Q160/$250

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jacob Clarke!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Islam Makhachev!
The judges for this bout are Chad Campbell, Anthony Taglia and Franklyn Lucas.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Makhachev.
It looked like Clarke was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Makhachev.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Clarke checks a leg kick.
Clarke just misses with a punch to the body.
And Makhachev tries to counter it with a takedown but Clarke pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Clarke thumps Makhachev with a low kick.
Clarke scores with a slapping inside leg kick.

Clarke closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Clarke keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

Clarke is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Makhachev keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Makhachev tries to kick Clarke off but Clarke keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Makhachev tries to get to full guard but Clarke has control of the leg.
Makhachev really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Clarke. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Clarke is thwarting Makhachev's attempts to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Makhachev wants to improve his position but Clarke is controlling well.
Clarke is controlling the pace.
Clarke sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Makhachev defending well though.
Makhachev tries to get to full guard but Clarke has control of the leg.
Makhachev trying to control but Clarke postures up.
Clarke is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Makhachev is trying to stand.
Clarke working Makhachev over with strikes.
Clarke stalling.
Clarke is nestled in close to Makhachev, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Clarke wants to control but Makhachev is keeping him busy.
Clarke drops an elbow to the side of Makhachev's head.
Clarke throwing shots but Makhachev is blocking nicely.
Clarke throwing shots but Makhachev is blocking nicely.
Makhachev tries to kick Clarke off in order to stand up. Clarke Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.
You can see the frustration on Makhachev's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Clarke tries to move to mount but Makhachev blocks the move with his legs.
Makhachev can't do much from the bottom here.
Clarke is working Makhachev over with some ground and pound from side control.
Makhachev felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.

Clarke is trying to get an arm triangle but Makhachev is defending well.
Clarke working away.
Clarke has control of an arm but Makhachev manages to advance to Clarke's back!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Clarke wants to escape the position.

Clarke is in a bad position with Makhachev working for a choke. Clarke manages to spin nicely into guard and the danger is over for the moment.
Clarke's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Makhachev utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Makhachev has an active guard here but Clarke has managed to pass into half guard.
Makhachev looks winded!

Clarke is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Still in half guard, Clarke seems content to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jacob Clarke dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Makhachev with a lazy takedown attempt
and Clarke counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Makhachev thinking.
Makhachev shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Clarke sprawls well. Clarke wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Makhachev gets slowly back to his feet.

Makhachev clinches.
Clarke misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Makhachev.
Clarke lands with a right to the head.
Clarke is looking for a takedown.

Clarke escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Clarke looks to score with a jab to the body but Makhachev is just out of range.
Clarke scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Clarke scoring well with a low kick there.
The fight stays on the outside here - Makhachev looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Clarke avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Clarke stuffs the takedown attempt from Makhachev. Makhachev gets slowly back to his feet.
Jacob Clarke has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Islam Makhachev.
Makhachev misses with a wild combination.
Makhachev rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Clarke counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Clarke connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Clarke scores with a sloppy right hand. Makhachev should have avoided that one.
Clarke throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Makhachev on the side of the head.
Clarke thuds his shin into the meat of Makhachev's side.
Makhachev is breathing heavily.

Clarke moves into the clinch successfully.
Clarke pushes off an throws an elbow but Makhachev leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Makhachev blocking some punches.
Makhachev tries to break free but Clarke pushes him back against the cage.
Clarke is looking to control Makhachev's arms but Makhachev gets an underhook and turns him. Now Clarke has his back to the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Clarke can't find room to land a body shot as Makhachev controls the action.
Clarke is looking for a takedown.
Clarke digs a right hand underneath Makhachev's ribcage. Makhachev let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Makhachev avoids a wild elbow strike from Clarke.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Clarke manages to break the clinch.
Makhachev shoots in and drives through. Clarke sprawls well.
Clarke jabs at Makhachev's body.
Good exchange - Clarke coming out on top.
Clarke connects with a body shot.
Clarke lands a right hook to the body.
Clarke throws a nice head kick!
Makhachev takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Clarke jabs at Makhachev's body.
Clarke scores with a head kick. Makhachev tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Clarke throws a head kick but Makhachev moves out of range.
Clarke is looking to wear down Makhachev with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Makhachev takes one on the chin but seems OK.
We've been told by Clarke's head coaches at The Butcher's Block that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.

Clarke shoots in and bounces Makhachev off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Clarke pushes down on Makhachev's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Clarke wants to control but Makhachev is keeping him busy.
Jacob Clarke overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Clarke is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Makhachev is just riding it out for now. Clarke eventually gives up the hold.
Makhachev is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Clarke scores with a couple of nice shots.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Clarke working the head and body with strikes.
Makhachev taking some punishment here, with Clarke in his half guard.
Makhachev blocking the ground and pound attempt from Clarke.
Clarke is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Clarke looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Clarke sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Makhachev defending well though.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Clarke in particular looking to stall.
Clarke working Makhachev over with strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jacob Clarke dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Clarke fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Makhachev has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Makhachev misses with a combination
and Clarke counters with a leg kick.
Clarke scores with a jab to the body.
Clarke misses with a head kick.
Islam Makhachev is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Clarke lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Clarke slaps away a takedown attempt from Makhachev, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Makhachev tries to move into range but Clarke moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A jab from Clarke finds it's way through Makhachev's defenses.
Makhachev takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Clarke connects with a leg kick. Makhachev looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Clarke connects with the punch.
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!
Clarke just misses with a punch to the body.
Jacob Clarke seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Makhachev shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Clarke as he jumps to the side.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Clarke throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Clarke thuds a left hand into Makhachev's body.
Clarke throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Clarke is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Makhachev can do to turn this around?
Makhachev takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.

Makhachev is rocked!
Clarke scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Makhachev is still on wobbly legs! Can Clarke finish him?
Clarke ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Makhachev seems to have recovered his senses.
Good exchange - Clarke coming out on top.
Clarke scoring well with a low kick there.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A lazy left from Clarke finds it's target.
Clarke fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Makhachev walks into a stiff left hand from Clarke.
A solid leg kick lands there for Clarke.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Clarke tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Makhachev manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Clarke thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Makhachev if he has to take too many more of those.
Clarke closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Clarke works Makhachev's body with a nice hook.

Clarke closes the distance and clinches.
Clarke lands with a right to the head.
Makhachev is pressed against the cage. Clarke pushes back and unleashes a big elbow that really hurts Makhachev! Two more big strikes from Clarke and Makhachev crumples to the mat and taps out furiously due to the strikes!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:38 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). Jacob Clarke!