PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Thad Clarke (ranked 6107 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joe Smith (ranked 25395 p4p, 0 weight class). Smith has a niggling injury. He would have liked to come in 100% fit but that's not always possible. Joe Smith will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Clarke
vs
Smith

157 cm
18
278 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

225 cm
18
265 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Thad Clarke!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Joe Smith!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, John Roberts and Joseph Jones.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Clarke looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Clarke has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Smith had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Clarke defends it easily.
Smith looks winded!
Clarke lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Clarke loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Clarke's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Smith preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Clarke is working Smith over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Clarke with a flurry of punches that miss.
Clarke is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Clarke distracts Smith with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Clarke postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Clarke landing with the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Clarke lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Clarke stops Smith from standing up.

Clarke stands and steps away. Smith gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Clarke pushes Smith up against the cage in a clinch.
Smith gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Clarke.
Clarke drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Smith gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Clarke holding his opponent close, against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Smith jumps into guard, dragging Clarke to the mat.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Clarke accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Clarke really is a fat lump.
Clarke throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Smith works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Clarke landing with the ground and pound.
Smith utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Clarke lands a couple of elbows.
Clarke scoring with some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Clarke accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Clarke lands a couple of elbows.
Clarke working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Clarke connects with a couple of short punches.
Clarke landing some decent shots from guard.
Clarke content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Clarke distracts Smith with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Clarke lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Clarke lands a couple of elbows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Clarke landing with the ground and pound.

Clarke avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Clarke in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Clarke is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Clarke lands a couple of digs.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Clarke distracts Smith with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

Smith looking for a guillotine here but Clarke defends easily.
Smith avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Clarke misses with a two punch combination.
A combination from Clarke does no damage.
Smith unleashes a big counter combination but Clarke bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Thad Clarke is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Clarke looks to land a combination but Smith avoids it well.
Smith drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Clarke defends it well.

Smith scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Clarke is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Clarke striking from the bottom but nothing landed.
Clarke is looking for a sweep.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Clarke is pushing Smith's head away, looking to escape. Smith manages to hold on to the position though.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Clarke trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Clarke throws a couple of strikes even though he's not really in a good position to do so.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Clarke fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Smith sprawls well initially but Clarke persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Smith pushes Clarke off but Clarke dives into side control.
Clarke working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Smith wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Clarke is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Smith can do to turn this around?
You can see the frustration on Smith's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith taking punishment in the form of punches.
Clarke connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Smith some visible discomfort.
Clarke works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Smith is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Clarke working the head with strikes.
Clarke working the ground and pound from side control.

Clarke is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Smith knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Smith is trying to control Clarke's posture but Clarke avoids it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Clarke tries for a kimura but Smith is defending well.
Smith struggling a bit here.

Clarke working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Clarke creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Smith sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Clarke is trying to ground and pound but Smith uses the momentary lack of control by Clarke to regain half guard.

Clarke is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Smith doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Clarke.
Smith wants to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thad Clarke dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Clarke closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Clarke lands in his opponent's guard.
Clarke makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Clarke with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Clarke lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Clarke is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Clarke with a nice head shot there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Clarke postures up.
Clarke is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Clarke chips away with some ground and pound.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Clarke postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Clarke working some strikes from top position.
Clarke makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Clarke is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Clarke content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Smith lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Smith trying to control the position from guard on top but Clarke is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Clarke is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Clarke slowing the pace effectively.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Clarke breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
No joy there for Clarke, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Smith closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Smith breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Clarke tries to bum rush Smith with a series of wild strikes but Smith uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Smith misses with the combination.
Clarke rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Smith moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Clarke moves in looking to clinch but Smith pushes him off.
Clarke looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Smith is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.

Clarke closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Smith quickly recovers to half guard.
Clarke not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Clarke has decided to stand back up but his arm is trapped. Whilst he's worrying about his arm, Smith works to full guard.
Smith is controlling Clarke's posture.
Smith working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Clarke.
Clarke throws a big elbow that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Clarke accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Smith tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Clarke working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Clarke throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Smith clinches.
A frustrated look appears on Smith's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Clarke pressing his opponent against the cage.
Joe Smith has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Thad Clarke is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Smith tries a knee to the head but Clarke blocks it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Thad Clarke showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Clarke, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 John Kavanagh scores the fight 30:27
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 30:27
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thad Clarke!