PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Craig Clifton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alex Asztalos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Asztalos has chosen Dethroned Emperor by Celtic Frost as his entrance music. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Clifton
vs
Asztalos

179 cm
30
191 lbs
16 - 14 - 0

188 cm
27
199 lbs
10 - 4 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

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 16 - 14 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Craig Clifton!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Alex Asztalos!
The judges for this bout are Saam Ante, Nard Betker and Wagner Zegers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Asztalos getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Asztalos has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Clifton is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Clifton shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Asztalos but Asztalos pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Clifton misses with a takedown
letting Asztalos counter with a right hand.
An inside leg kick lands from Asztalos.
Clifton looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Craig Clifton. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Asztalos throws a leg kick but Clifton sees it coming and moves out of range.
Clifton has his takedown stuffed
and Asztalos cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Asztalos lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Asztalos throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Clifton sees it coming and avoids it easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Clifton looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Asztalos lands with a right hand.
Asztalos connects with a body shot.
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!
Nice uppercut there from Asztalos.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Asztalos throws a body shot but no joy.
Asztalos displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Clifton.
Clifton moves out of range as Asztalos strikes.
Clifton staying out of range there.
Clifton darts in looking for a takedown but Asztalos gets double underhooks and turns Clifton into the ropes.
Clifton with a poor takedown
and Asztalos connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Clifton shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Asztalos but Asztalos pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Clifton fails with the takedown.
Asztalos tests Clifton's chin there with a solid looking shot.
A nice inside leg kick there by Asztalos. That's going to slow Clifton down.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Clifton.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Asztalos stuffs the takedown.
Clifton closes the distance and clinches up with Asztalos, looking for a takedown. Clifton pushes Asztalos against the ropes but Asztalos circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Asztalos lands a nice leg kick that just misses Clifton's sensitive parts.
Clifton closes the distance and clinches up with Asztalos, looking for a takedown. Clifton pushes Asztalos against the ropes but Asztalos circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Clifton darts in looking for a takedown but Asztalos gets double underhooks and turns Clifton into the ropes.
Asztalos throws a jab but it's blocked by Clifton.
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!
Asztalos throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Clifton feints and as Asztalos raises his hands in defense, Clifton changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

The fighters are working up against the ropes. Asztalos manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the ropes.
Asztalos lands a hook that snaps the head of Clifton backwards.
Clifton fails to pull guard.
Asztalos lands a shot to the body.
Clifton blocking some punches.
Asztalos misses with a hook from the clinch.
Asztalos scores with a hook to the body.
Clifton is breathing heavily.
Asztalos lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Asztalos lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Asztalos lands with a light punch inside.
A hook to the body from Asztalos.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Asztalos.
Asztalos struggles to land a body shot inside as Clifton controls his hands.
Clifton's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Asztalos tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Clifton's elbow.
Asztalos tries a body shot but Clifton blocks it.
Clifton jumps guard but Asztalos stands there with Clifton around his waist. Clifton gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
A nice left hand lands by Asztalos.
A nice left hand lands by Asztalos.
A head punch on the inside from Asztalos fails to land.
Asztalos has a couple of punches blocked by Clifton.
A short right from Asztalos.
Asztalos throws a head punch that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Clifton jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Asztalos walks away with a smile on his face. Clifton gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Clifton.

Asztalos throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Asztalos throws a body punch but Clifton moves out of range.
Clifton drops down looking for a counter takedown but Asztalos sprawls and moves away.
Asztalos connects with a looping right hand.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Asztalos.
Asztalos lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Asztalos throws a nice outside leg kick.
Clifton takes one on the button.
Asztalos is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Clifton had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
Clifton takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Asztalos looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Asztalos throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Asztalos scores with a jab to the body.
Clifton dives in for a single leg takedown but Asztalos sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the ropes.
Asztalos looks like he wants to counter punch here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alex Asztalos dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Asztalos lands a glancing blow to the side of Clifton's head.
Clifton steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Asztalos.
Clifton tries to counter with a takedown but Asztalos is quick to defend against it.
Asztalos tests Clifton's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Clifton dives in for a single leg takedown but Asztalos sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the ropes.
Asztalos misses with a few strikes there.
Clifton attempts a counter takedown but Asztalos avoids it well and moves away.
Clifton shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Asztalos pinned against the ropes. Asztalos gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Asztalos scores with a body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Clifton shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Clifton wants to lay and pray for a moment but Asztalos keeps working.
Clifton stops Asztalos from getting back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Asztalos pushes Clifton off and gets back to his feet.
Clifton closes this distance looking for a takedown but Asztalos circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Craig Clifton. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Asztalos lands a really nice looking cross but Clifton seems unphased.
Asztalos scores with a hook.
A telegraphed right hand from Asztalos misses the target.
Asztalos throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Clifton stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Asztalos lands a slapping body shot.
Alex Asztalos is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Asztalos bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Alex Asztalos seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Clifton misses with a takedown attempt - Asztalos sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Asztalos just misses with a punch to the body.
Asztalos waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Clifton.
Clifton is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Clifton gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Asztalos counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Clifton thinking.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Clifton takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Asztalos loads up on a big right hand but Clifton slips the punch.
Asztalos connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Asztalos lands a nice looking body shot.
Asztalos misses with a straight right.
Asztalos has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Clifton fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Asztalos scores with a sloppy right hand. Clifton should have avoided that one.
A swing and a miss from Asztalos.
Clifton keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Clifton half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Clifton shoots in for a takedown but Asztalos shows good takedown defense.
Clifton doesn't succeed with the takedown
enabling Asztalos to counter with a crisp jab.
Clifton misses with a takedown
and Asztalos counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Clifton is rocked!
Clifton stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Asztalos.
Asztalos scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Oh Clifton is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Clifton tries for a takedown but Asztalos circles away easily

and Asztalos counters by moving into the clinch.
Asztalos can't find room to land a body shot as Clifton controls the action.
Clifton seems to have got his legs back now.
Asztalos softening up his opponent with strikes, against the ropes.
Asztalos lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Asztalos misses with a punch to the body.
Asztalos can't find room to land a body shot as Clifton controls the action.
Clifton drops down looking for an ankle pick but Asztalos pulls his leg out and moves away.
Asztalos takes a swing at Clifton's ribcage but misses.
Asztalos lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Clifton tries for a takedown but Asztalos circles away easily

and Asztalos counters with a nice right hand that sends Clifton toppling to the canvas! Clifton scrambles and gets back to his feet - can Asztalos finish him?!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Clifton walks straight into a right hand from Asztalos - that's dropped him! Asztalos jumps into mount and starts pounding away - can he finish?! More strikes go undefended and the referee has to dive in to save Clifton from any more punishment! Clifton complains about the stoppage but falls over as he tries to stand back up, so it was clearly a good stoppage.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:54 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Alex Asztalos!
A very excited looking Alex Asztalos rambled incoherently for about 5 minutes post fight about how awesome he is. It was kinda funny for a while but then everyone got annoyed.