PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Norris Travis (ranked 24662 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sam Clark (ranked 6627 p4p, 0 weight class). Sam Clark has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Travis
vs
Clark

178 cm
19
177 lbs
1 - 6 - 0

187 cm
18
175 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Solid chin

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 1 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Norris Travis!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Sam Clark!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, James Glass and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Travis closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Clark quickly recovers to half guard.
Travis slows the pace down in half guard.
Travis seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Clark for as long as he can get away with.

Travis is looking for a kimura here.
Clark avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Travis.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Travis thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Clark's head.
Travis sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Clark defending well though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Clark avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Travis.
Clark blocking the ground and pound attempt from Travis.
Travis content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Clark is trying to stand back up but Travis is controlling him
Travis throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Sam Clark seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Clark closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Clark wants to get back to striking at distance but Travis won't allow it.
Travis missing with knees to the body.

Travis pulls Clark into guard.
Travis has a closed guard, preventing Clark from standing up.

Travis is looking for a triangle but Clark pushes his legs off easily.
Clark really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Travis. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Clark wants to stand but Travis is controlling his posture from full guard.

Travis throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Travis is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Clark wanted to stand there but Travis had control of the position.
Clark looks winded!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Travis is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Clark has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Travis is proving hard to escape from.
Travis seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

Clark decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Sam Clark is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Travis takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Travis misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Clark tries to bum rush Travis with a series of wild strikes but Travis uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Travis throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Clark's waist but Clark gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Travis off to one side.
Travis takes a swing at Clark's ribcage but misses.
Horrible takedown attempt by Travis or perhaps it was just good defense by Clark, which made it look bad.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Norris Travis. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Travis tries to clinch up but Clark circles away and keeps his distance.
Horrible takedown attempt by Travis or perhaps it was just good defense by Clark, which made it look bad.
Clark moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Clark will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Travis closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Clark's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Sam Clark will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Travis shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Clark as he avoids it easily.

Clark has closed the distance and engaged Travis in a clinch.
Nice body punch from Travis.

Clark escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Travis shoots in but Clark avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Clark lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.

It looks like Norris Travis has been cut.
Clark takes a swing at Travis's ribcage but misses.
Travis throws a counter high kick but Clark was just alert enough to avoid it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Travis on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Clark stuffs the takedown attempt from Travis. Travis gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Norris Travis. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Clark is breathing heavily.
Clark scores with a jab to the jaw.
Sam Clark is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Clark rushes Travis and presses him up against the cage.
Travis lands a nice knee to the body.
Travis is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

Travis breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Clark throws a series of punches but Travis moves out of range.
Travis looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.

Clark gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Clark breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Travis.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Clark misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Travis feinted with a counter takedown.
Clark stuffs the takedown attempt from Travis. Travis gets slowly back to his feet.

Clark moves into the clinch.

Travis breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Clark throws a combination that misses
and Clark takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Clark throws a series of punches but Travis moves out of range.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Travis thuds a left hand into Clark's body.
Travis shoots for a double leg takedown but Clark sprawls well. He's pushed Travis's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Travis tries to clinch up but Clark circles away and keeps his distance.

Travis changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Clark looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Travis controlling from side mount.

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.
Travis working the body and head with strikes.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
A lull in the action here as Travis stalls from top position.
Clark 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.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sam Clark showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Norris Travis's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Travis looks for a takedown but Clark sprawls well.
Clark throws a one two combo.
Travis tries to clinch but Clark moves away
and Clark counters with a two punch combo.
Clark throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Clark darts in and clinches Travis up against the cage.
Travis working Clark over with knees to the body.
Travis tries to pull guard but Clark won't allow it.
Clark wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Travis tries a body shot but Clark blocks it.
Travis tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Norris Travis. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Knees to the body from Travis.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Travis stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Travis fails to pull the fight into his guard.
A frustrated look appears on Clark's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Travis pulls guard.

Clark decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Travis, up you get!
Clark has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Clark tries a head kick but it misses.
Travis misses with a head kick.

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

Travis breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Clark has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Clark falls off balance throwing a combination
and Travis counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Clark stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Clark wants it to stay on the feet.
Clark misses with a double jab.
Travis tries to counter with a takedown but Clark is quick to defend against it.
Nice takedown defense from Clark. No joy for Travis on that attempt.
Sam Clark seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Clark lands with a shot to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A head kick from Travis lands but Clark takes it in his stride.
Travis shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Clark pinned against the cage. Clark gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Clark fails to land with a series of punches.
Travis tries to clinch up.
Clark takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Travis ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Clark moves away.
Clark will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
A combination from Travis does no damage.

Clark pushes Travis up against the cage in a clinch.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Clark is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Travis successfully pulls guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Travis will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Travis manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Clark manages to get himself to full guard.

Travis is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Travis trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Travis controls from within his opponent's guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Sam Clark.
I've got Clark winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Daniel Bishop scores the fight 27:30
Judge James Glass scores the fight 27:30
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 28:30

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