PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Melvin Manhoef (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Al Clergia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Manhoef
vs
Clergia

179 cm
25
151 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

180 cm
25
150 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Lethal high kicks
Heavy handed

Nordic Nutrition (160 Recovery $150)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Melvin Manhoef!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Al Clergia!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Blasius, Patrick Alders and Aafke Stam.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Manhoef takes the fight into the clinch.
Manhoef blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Clergia works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Manhoef scores with a shoulder strike.
Manhoef stalling the fight.
Manhoef scores with a shoulder strike.
Manhoef lands with a light punch inside.
Clergia looking to slow down the pace here.
Manhoef lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

Manhoef breaks from the clinch.
Clergia throws a poor cross that misses

and Manhoef counters by clinching up.
A shot in the inside from Manhoef.
Clergia misses with the head strike.
Manhoef just leaning against Clergia, taking a breather.
Manhoef gets through Clergia's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Clergia misses with a punch on the inside.

Manhoef breaks from the clinch.
Clergia loads up on a big right hand but Manhoef slips the punch.
Manhoef tries a head kick but it misses.

Manhoef moves into the clinch.
Manhoef lands with a short head shot on the inside.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Manhoef holding his opponent close, against the ropes.
Clergia is trying to break free.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Manhoef stalling.
Clergia misses with a punch to the body.
Manhoef lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Manhoef lands a shoulder strike.
Clergia misses with some punches.
Manhoef lands a shoulder strike.
Clergia tries to circle away but Manhoef has him pinned against the ropes.
Manhoef lands an uppercut.
Clergia trying to control the position but instead, Manhoef has worked for underhooks and has pushed Clergia into the ropes.
Manhoef blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Manhoef pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A low kick from Clergia misses

and Manhoef counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Clergia tries to work over Manhoef's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Manhoef prevents a body shot from Clergia.
Manhoef scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Clergia has a couple of punches blocked by Manhoef.

Manhoef breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Manhoef on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Manhoef swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Manhoef throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Clergia scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

It looks like Melvin Manhoef has been cut.
Clergia tests Manhoef's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Clergia throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Manhoef counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Manhoef.
Clergia throws a punch but it's blocked by Manhoef.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Clergia.
Manhoef takes a shot to the head.
Clergia tries to work over Manhoef's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Clergia's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
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!

Manhoef breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Clergia misses with a straight left.
Clergia throws a wild body kick that Manhoef sees coming a mile off.
Jab from Clergia.
Clergia misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Manhoef.
Manhoef blocks a head kick by Clergia.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Clergia fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Clergia scores with a nice head shot.
Al Clergia seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Manhoef tries to land a front kick but Clergia steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Melvin Manhoef will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Melvin Manhoef's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Manhoef has closed the distance and engaged Clergia in a clinch.
Manhoef blocks the elbow strike.
Manhoef has Clergia pushed against the ropes.
Nice body punch from Manhoef - that landed with a thud.

Manhoef's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Manhoef lands with a kick to the ribs.
Manhoef connects with a right hand. Clergia shakes it off.
Clergia throws a right hand that misses
and Manhoef finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.

Manhoef moves into the clinch.
Clergia can't find room to land a body shot as Manhoef controls the action.
Manhoef managing to block the knees to the body from Clergia.
Clergia struggles to land a body shot inside as Manhoef controls his hands.
Clergia can't find room to land a body shot as Manhoef controls the action.
Still in the clinch, Manhoef scores with a nice short uppercut.
Still in the clinch, Manhoef scores with a nice short uppercut.
Manhoef lands a hook that snaps the head of Clergia backwards.
Clergia is breathing heavily.
The referee is keeping an eye on Manhoef - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Clergia can't find room to land a body shot as Manhoef controls the action.
Manhoef is working Clergia over against the ropes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Manhoef works on Clergia's body with a couple of short punches.
Clergia wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Manhoef has him pressed against the ropes.
Clergia working hard to break the clinch.
Clergia takes a shot to the head.

Manhoef's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Manhoef goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Clergia misses with a right hand
and Manhoef counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Crunch! Manhoef slams his shin into Clergia's torso.

Manhoef drives through and clinches with Clergia against the ropes.
Clergia's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Manhoef is working Clergia over against the ropes.
Manhoef taking a breather.
Manhoef seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.
The crowd are getting pretty annoyed with Manhoef for his constant stalling in the clinch and are voicing their displeasure.
A battle for position here, against the ropes.
Manhoef scores with a nice hook to the head.

Manhoef manages to break the clinch.
Clergia misses with a hook

and Manhoef counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Clergia has a couple of punches blocked by Manhoef.
Manhoef working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Manhoef avoiding damage.
Clergia struggles to land a body shot inside as Manhoef controls his hands.

Manhoef breaks from the clinch.
Clergia pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Melvin Manhoef is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Clergia misses with a double jab
and Manhoef counters with a solid body kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Manhoef swings for the body but Clergia moves out of range.
Clergia looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Clergia misses with a hook
and Manhoef counters with a lovely shot to the body.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Manhoef cracks Clergia with a good jab.
Manhoef fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.

Manhoef fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Clergia, pushing him back against the ropes.
Manhoef lands a hook to the side of the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Melvin Manhoef dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Melvin Manhoef's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Manhoef takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Al Clergia has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Manhoef doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Clergia throws a right hand that misses
and Manhoef counters with a slapping leg kick.
Clergia has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Manhoef.
Manhoef keeps Clergia at a distance using the push kick.

Manhoef has Clergia up against the ropes in a clinch.
Manhoef avoiding damage.
Manhoef lands a hook to the side of the head.
Manhoef lands a body punch.
Manhoef stalls.
Clergia misses with a hook to the ribs.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Manhoef.
Manhoef prevents Clergia from breaking the clinch.
A short right from Manhoef.

Manhoef breaks the clinch.
Clergia misses with a double jab.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Manhoef throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.

Manhoef has Clergia up against the ropes in a clinch.
Melvin Manhoef is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Manhoef pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Manhoef throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Clergia.
Clergia misses with a lunging right hand

and Manhoef moves into the clinch.
Clergia wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Clergia misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Manhoef prevents a body shot from Clergia.
Clergia is looking to break free of the clinch but Manhoef has double underhooks.
Clergia tries to throw a body punch but Manhoef avoids it by throwing Clergia back against the cage.
Clergia lands a body punch.
Clergia misses with a body punch.
With the fighters clinched against the ropes, Manhoef creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Manhoef lands a nice uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Manhoef blocks a body shot from Clergia.
Clergia tries to throw a body punch but Manhoef avoids it by throwing Clergia back against the cage.
Clergia tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Manhoef avoids it.
Manhoef prevents a body shot from Clergia.
Manhoef blocks an uppercut.
Clergia misses with a punch on the inside.
A short right from Manhoef.
Clergia tries a body shot but Manhoef blocks it.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Clergia goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Clergia goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Clergia working aggressively here.
Clergia tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Manhoef working some nice short punches in the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Melvin Manhoef showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Manhoef has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Blasius scores the fight for Melvin Manhoef!
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight for Melvin Manhoef!
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight for Melvin Manhoef!

Melvin Manhoef wins by unanimous decision!