PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Pavel Sekera (ranked 1550 p4p, 2665 weight class) and Clay Hayden (ranked 203 p4p, 333 weight class). Sekera comes to the cage accompanied by Bleed it out. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Sekera
vs
Hayden

180 cm
25
162
7 - 3 - 0

174 cm
31
159
7 - 7 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Good gas tank

KOMBAT KLOTHING

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Pavel Sekera!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 7 - 0, fighting out of London, Clay Hayden!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Konstantin Menshow and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hayden fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Sekera.
Sekera tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Sekera moves into range and clinches up with Hayden.

Hayden lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Sekera wants to stand back up but Hayden manages to pass into side control.
Sekera avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Hayden.

Hayden thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Sekera tries to escape but Hayden is in control.
Hayden is working Sekera over with some ground and pound from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hayden thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Hayden cracks Sekera with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Hayden has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Hayden wants to control but Sekera is keeping him busy.
Sekera is trying to get back to his feet.
Sekera's coaches at The Jungle Room have been working on his defensive grappling in preparation for this fight so let's see if he can get out of this tricky position.
Hayden working the head with strikes.
Sekera is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Hayden asserts his dominance and retains side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hayden lands a nice forearm strike.
Hayden working the head and body with strikes.
Hayden is looking to take a break and control but Sekera is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Sekera managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Hayden.
Hayden looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sloppy strikes there by Hayden.
Hayden prevents Sekera from escaping the position.

Sekera explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Sloppy strikes from Sekera. Those never looked like landing.
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!
Sekera tries to clinch up but Hayden circles away and keeps his distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A right-left combo lands from Sekera.
Sekera is looking to clinch.
Sekera tries to clinch but Hayden moves out of range.
Sekera throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

Sekera gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Sekera is defending well against a takedown attempt.
The referee calls for Hayden to work.

Sekera breaks from the clinch.
Sekera swinging wildly here.
Hayden thinks about the counter body kick.
Sekera shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Hayden eats them both and turns towards Sekera to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hayden lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Sekera works over Hayden's head and body with a nice combination.
Pavel Sekera is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
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!
Sekera sizes up Hayden with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Sekera tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Hayden manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Hayden connects with a high kick.
Hayden connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Hayden walks into a left hand.
Hayden throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Hayden avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Hayden appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Sekera is looking to clinch.
It seemed like Hayden was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Hayden.
Hayden shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Sekera as he jumps to the side.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Clay Hayden will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Sekera tries to clinch
and Hayden counters with a nice leg kick.
Sekera tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hayden paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Sekera misses with the combination.
That kick from Hayden tenderised Sekera's leg. Sekera is trying to keep his angry face on.
Sekera tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hayden paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Hayden swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Sekera cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Sekera tries to close the distance and clinch but Hayden swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Sekera gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Hayden is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Hayden forces his way into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hayden works his way into side control.
Sekera is trying to buck Hayden off.
Hayden content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Hayden wants to control but Sekera is keeping him busy.
Sekera wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Sekera is not content to let Hayden control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Hayden prevents Sekera from escaping the position.

Hayden is trying to get an arm triangle but Sekera is defending well.
Sekera pushes Hayden away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Hayden gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Hayden wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sekera keeps working.
Sekera is pushing Hayden's head away, looking to escape. Hayden manages to hold on to the position though.
Hayden postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sekera takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Sekera taking punishment in the form of punches.

Hayden is trying to get an arm triangle but Sekera is defending well.
Hayden throws an elbow but Sekera slips to the side and avoids it well.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Hayden working the head and body with strikes.
Hayden prevents Sekera from escaping the position.
Hayden has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Sekera avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Hayden.
Hayden remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sekera is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Hayden is controlling him well.
Sekera is working to avoid the ground and pound but Hayden connects with a decent elbow.
Hayden wants to control but Sekera is keeping him busy.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Hayden scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Sekera to see if he's OK.
Hayden trying to control the position but Sekera is working away.
Sekera is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Clay Hayden showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Sekera throws a knee to the head but misses.
Sekera gets underhooks to prevent Hayden's takedown attempt.
Sekera being controlled against the cage.
Hayden tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Hayden prevents Sekera from breaking the clinch.

Sekera's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Pavel Sekera is winning the standup battle so far.
Sekera blocks a head kick by Hayden.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sekera thows a leg kick but Hayden checks it

and Hayden counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Sekera kicks Hayden off and gets to his feet.
Hayden connects with a right hand. Sekera shakes it off.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Sekera moves into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hayden manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Hayden is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Sekera gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Sekera wants to break free but Hayden has control.
Hayden letting Sekera take a breather here.
Hayden has Sekera pushed against the cage.
Sekera lands with a right to the head.
Hayden is trying to maintain a safe position but Sekera gets an underhook and turns Hayden into the cage.
Sekera just leaning against Hayden, taking a breather.
Stalling in the clinch from Hayden.
Hayden is trying to pull guard but Sekera turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Pavel Sekera has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Clay Hayden.
Hayden holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Hayden looking to slow down the pace here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sekera is trying to break the clinch but Hayden is controlling him.
Hayden drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Sekera gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Sekera's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Sekera keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Sekera throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Sekera scores with a body shot.
Sekera fails with an attempt to clinch.
Sekera tries to clinch up but Hayden circles away and keeps his distance.
Hayden blocks a head kick by Sekera.
Hayden feints a counter leg kick.
Sekera is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sekera sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Sekera just misses with a punch to the body.
Sekera getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Hayden connects with a leg kick.
Hayden throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Hayden tries to land a front kick but Sekera steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.

Sekera gets a clinch.
Sekera tries to break free but Hayden pushes him back against the cage.

Sekera manages to break the clinch.
Sekera stuffs the takedown attempt from Hayden. Hayden gets slowly back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A good leg kick by Hayden.
Sekera tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hayden paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Hayden is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Sekera with a body shot.
Hayden blocks a head kick by Sekera.
Sekera goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Hayden shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Sekera as he avoids it easily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sekera throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Hayden makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Sekera darts in trying to clinch

and Hayden counters with a nice double leg into side control. Sekera won't be happy with that.

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 Pavel Sekera.
I think Hayden has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Illya Tyunina scores the fight 29:28
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 29:29
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 28:29

The fight is ruled a draw!