PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Van Clark (ranked 25085 p4p, 0 weight class) and Daley Hitchen (ranked 4489 p4p, 0 weight class). Daley Hitchen is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Clark
vs
Hitchen

159 cm
24
178 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

185 cm
25
170 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Van Clark!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Daley Hitchen!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Sam Margolis and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Hitchen closes the distance and pushes Clark back into the cage.

Clark breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Hitchen tries a head kick but it misses.
Hitchen tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Hitchen instigates a clinch.

Clark pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Hitchen fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Clark manages to avoid it.
A head kick misses from Hitchen.
Clark swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Clark tries to move into range but Hitchen moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.

Hitchen feints and as Clark raises his hands in defense, Hitchen changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Clark has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Clark is on top in guard.

Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Clark slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Clark has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

Hitchen is working an open guard so Clark takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Hitchen takes the fight into the clinch.
Hitchen blocks an elbow strike from Clark.
Clark could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Hitchen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Daley Hitchen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Hitchen throws a leg kick but Clark sees it coming and moves out of range.

Clark closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Hitchen quickly recovers to half guard.

Clark gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Hitchen lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Clark at a distance.

Hitchen drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Hitchen looks winded!
Clark wants to control but Hitchen postures up.
Hitchen trying to control the action but Clark is working from the bottom.
Clark manages to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Clark controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Clark wants to control but Hitchen is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Clark is trying to get back to full guard.
Clark slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Clark manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Hitchen manages to get himself to full guard.

The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Clark wants to stand but Hitchen is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Clark controlling from the top position.
Clark's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

Clark decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Daley Hitchen will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Clark on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.

Clark shoots in and bounces Hitchen off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Hitchen wants to control but Clark passes easily into half guard.
Clark prevents Hitchen from improving his position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Clark stands up out of the half guard.

Hitchen has closed the distance and engaged Clark in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Clark breaks the clinch.
Clark avoids the head kick by Hitchen.

Hitchen gets a clinch.

Clark breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Hitchen gets a double leg takedown into Clark's guard.

Clark pushes Hitchen off and gets back to his feet.
Hitchen is breathing heavily.

Clark drives through with a takedown into guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hitchen is trying to hold Clark in close to prevent damage but Clark has managed to pass into half guard.
Clark performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a sustained period of stalling by Clark.

Clark postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Hitchen to stand up.
We've been informed that Hitchen has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.

Clark gets a takedown into half guard.
Clark performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

Clark stands up and beckons Hitchen to join him on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hitchen has managed to clinch.

Hitchen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Hitchen will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Hitchen fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Clark, pushing him back against the cage.

Hitchen pulls guard effortlessly.

Hitchen is working an open guard so Clark takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hitchen looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Clark!
Clark gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Clark keeping control of the position.

Hitchen is looking for a kimura but Clark is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Hitchen to get the leverage.
Clark gets back to full guard.
Clark manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Hitchen manages to get himself to full guard.

And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Van Clark 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!

Clark shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Hitchen looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Clark puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Clark not doing much here.

Clark postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Hitchen to stand up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Hitchen closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Clark's guard.
Hitchen really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Clark. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Hitchen takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Clark seems keen to control Hitchen's posture.
Clark looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Van Clark overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Clark is on top in guard.

Clark decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Clark dives in and scores a takedown into Hitchen's guard.
Clark's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Further stalling from Clark.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hitchen is working an open guard so Clark takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Hitchen tries to sprawl but Clark drives through with a takedown into half guard.

Hitchen has one foot on Clark's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Hitchen closes the distance and clinches.
Clark effectively controlling the action here.

Hitchen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Clark gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Hitchen to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Clark seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Clark is on top in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Hitchen is working an open guard so Clark takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Clark changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Hitchen looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Hitchen tries to strike from the bottom but misses.
Clark just content to control the position.
Clark working the head with strikes.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Van Clark.
I think Clark has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 James Glass scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 29:28
Judge William Gold scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Van Clark!