PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Bryce Pate (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jay Van Clief (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Van Clief is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by "X Gonna give it to ya". We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Pate
vs
Van Clief

174 cm
24
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
25
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Bryce Pate!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Jay Van Clief!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Van Clief shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Pate sprawls well. Pate wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Van Clief gets slowly back to his feet.
Van Clief closes the distance and clinches up with Pate, looking for a takedown. Van Clief pushes Pate against the cage but Pate circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Van Clief has a takedown stuffed.
Bryce Pate has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jay Van Clief.
Pate throws a nice looking combination but Van Clief bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Pate misses with a left hand
and Van Clief counters with a three punch combo that has Pate backing up. Pate nods at Van Clief to acknowledge the strikes.
Pate lands a head kick!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Van Clief fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Van Clief moves into the clinch.
Pate jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Van Clief walks away with a smile on his face. Pate gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Pate throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pate throws a right and a left that both miss.

Van Clief fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Pate, pushing him back against the cage.
Pate tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Van Clief just stands there and leans against the cage.
Pate is trying to pull guard but Van Clief turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

Pate tightens his grip and picks Van Clief up, before dumping him to the ground. Van Clief manages to land in guard.

Van Clief scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Van Clief tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Pate defends well and Van Clief ends up having to push Pate into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Pate half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Van Clief goes for a double leg but Pate avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Pate continues to drive forward.

Van Clief closes the distance and clinches.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Van Clief lands a nice shot to the body.
Pate tries to stall but Van Clief uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Pate tries to pull guard but Van Clief forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Van Clief looking to stall.
Pate trying to control the position but instead, Van Clief has worked for underhooks and has pushed Pate into the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Clief tries to break the clinch but Pate is controlling the position.
Pate comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Pate keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Van Clief's efforts to push away.
Pate avoiding damage as Van Clief throws knees to the body.
Van Clief is pushing Pate up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

Pate's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Nice sprawl there from Pate as Van Clief shoots in.
Van Clief shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Pate defends it nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pate tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Van Clief replies with a solid counter kick to the body but Pate blocks it well.

Van Clief takes the fight into the clinch.
Pate looking to slow down the pace here.
Pate tries to pull guard but Van Clief holds him up against the cage and eventually Pate drops back down to his feet.
Pate is trying to maintain a safe position but Van Clief gets an underhook and turns Pate into the cage.

Pate jumps guard.
Van Clief's corner is telling him to maintain position.

Pate working for a triangle but Van Clief defends it easily.
Van Clief must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Pate wants to sweep but no luck.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pate utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Van Clief passes Pate's left leg - he's now in half guard.

Van Clief stands up and beckons Pate to join him on the feet.

Van Clief shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Pate's guard.

Pate has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Van Clief is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Van Clief wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Jay Van Clief will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

No joy there for Van Clief, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Pate throws a quick counter head kick but Van Clief was just out of range.

Van Clief has managed to clinch.
Pate wants to stall.
Van Clief is looking to control Pate's arms but Pate gets an underhook and turns him. Now Van Clief has his back to the cage.
Pate jumps guard but Van Clief stands there with Pate around his waist. Pate gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
The referee is keeping an eye on Van Clief - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Van Clief wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Van Clief is looking to break free of the clinch but Pate has double underhooks.
Van Clief being controlled against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The referee calls for Pate to work.
Pate gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.
Van Clief misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Pate.
Van Clief's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Clief avoiding damage as Pate throws knees to the body.
Van Clief wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Pate has him pressed against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Van Clief's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Van Clief wants to break the clinch but can't.
Pate is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Van Clief to keep the fight standing.

Pate ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Pate no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Pate lands a good elbow from the bottom.
Pate is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Van Clief is controlling him.
Van Clief trying to control but Pate is working from the bottom.

Van Clief decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A punch combination from Pate misses.
Van Clief changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Pate misses with a double jab.
Pate misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Van Clief.
Pate tries to clinch

and Van Clief counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Pate tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Van Clief manages to move to mount!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Van Clief content just to control the position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Clief looking to finish with strikes here!
Van Clief misses with a head shot.
Pate throws a strike but has given up his back in the process.
Van Clief has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of Pate's body.
Van Clief is continuing to stall.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pate covering up well and avoiding damage.
Van Clief thows a huge left but connects with the canvas and not his opponent.
Van Clief tries to get the hooks in deep but Pate pushed the leg off.

Van Clief is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Pate has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Pate is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Van Clief gets his way!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jay Van Clief showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Pate's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Van Clief tries a low kick but Pate avoids it.
Van Clief fails with a takedown attempt.
Van Clief stalks Pate and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Pate's face. Pate staggers backwards, shaken.

Pate is rocked!

It looks like Bryce Pate has been cut.
Van Clief shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Pate as he avoids it easily.
Oh Pate is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Van Clief closes this distance looking for a takedown but Pate circles away.
Pate is looking to counter the offense by Van Clief and move into the clinch.
Bryce Pate has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jay Van Clief.
Van Clief throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Van Clief just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromPate.
Pate checks a leg kick.
Pate throws a sloppy head kick and Van Clief moves out of range easily.
Van Clief is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Pate leaves Van Clief with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Van Clief clinches with his opponent.
Pate has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Van Clief avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Van Clief has had enough of the clinch but Pate keeps him there for the moment.

Pate breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Van Clief takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Van Clief tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Pate defends well and Van Clief ends up having to push Pate into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Pate throws a head kick but Van Clief moves out of range.

Pate moves into the clinch successfully.
Pate is trying to pull guard but Van Clief turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Pate is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Van Clief is keeping busy.
Van Clief scores with a hook to the body.
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!
Van Clief tries to land a knee to the head but Pate blocks with his arms.
Van Clief looking to stall.
Pate is trying to stall.

Pate decides to pull guard.
Van Clief trying to control but Pate is working from the bottom.
Van Clief wants to pass the guard but Pate is keeping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pate looking to hit a scissor sweep but Van Clief is one step ahead there.
Van Clief seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Pate wants to stand up but Van Clief is controlling him.
Van Clief slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Van Clief tries to free his leg and advance position but Pate is retaining full guard.

Pate is working an open guard so Van Clief takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Van Clief smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Danga de danga de dang - Van Clief scores with a four punch combination!

Van Clief closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Van Clief throws an elbow that misses.
Van Clief wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Pate has him pressed against the cage.
A nice left hand lands by Van Clief.
Pate tries for a takedown. No joy.
Van Clief misses with an elbow strike.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Van Clief.

Van Clief breaks the clinch.
Pate walks into a straight right hand from Van Clief.
Van Clief goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Van Clief throws a 1-2 combo that connects squarely on Pate's jaw, knocking him onto his back! Van Clief dives in looking to finish as Pate flails his arms in a desperate attempt to block Van Clief's strikes! Van Clief is raining down hammerfists and the ref stops it! Pate's desperate flailing just didn't constitute intelligent defence. Some people will probably question the ref's decision but Pate was definitely hurt and the ref saved him from taking unnecessary punishment. A fighter's safety is paramount in this sport.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:41 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Jay Van Clief!
Jay Van Clief took some time post fight to say the following; 'Thank you to my fans! I never stop training and evolving. I am here to prove I'm the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be!'.