PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Eric Sutter (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cassius Clay (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Sutter
vs
Clay

184 cm
22
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

172 cm
21
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight 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, Eric Sutter!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Cassius Clay!
The judges for this bout are Russell Pearce, Dean Styles and Jorge Garcia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Clay tries to bum rush Sutter with a series of wild strikes but Sutter uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Sutter tries to clinch but Clay moves out of range.
Sutter falls off balance throwing a combination
and Clay counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Sutter thinking.
Sutter tries to close the distance and clinch but Clay swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Sutter works over Clay's head and body with a nice combination.
Clay shoots in looking for a takedown. Sutter tries to sprawl out of it but Clay keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Sutter manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Sutter throws out a powerful jab.
Sutter connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Some wild striking there from Sutter.
Clay shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Clay shoots in for a takedown but Sutter shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Clay misses with a head kick.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Clay is defended easily by Sutter.
Eric Sutter has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cassius Clay.
Clay pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Sutter lands a jab to Clay's midsection.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sutter closes the distance and clinches.
Sutter lands a body punch.
Clay looks gassed!
Sutter lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Clay backwards.
Clay jumps guard but Sutter stands there with Clay around his waist. Clay gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Still in the clinch, Sutter scores with a nice short uppercut.
Clay with a knee to the head.
Sutter lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Sutter has Clay pressed against the cage.
Clay drops down looking for an ankle pick but Sutter pulls his leg out and moves away.
Clay circles away from the clinch attempt

and Clay counters with a nice double leg into side control. Sutter won't be happy with that.
Clay working away.
A bit of a lull in the action here.
Sutter can't do much from the bottom here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Clay postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Sutter tries to improve position but can't.
Clay working the ground and pound but Sutter is defending the strikes.
Sutter is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Clay has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Clay happy to just control the position for now.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Clay darts in trying to clinch

and Sutter counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Sutter makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sutter lands with a left to the head.
Sutter lands with a light punch inside.

Clay manages to break the clinch.

Sutter forces Clay back against the cage and clinches.
Clay misses with a short punch on the inside.
Sutter manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Sutter working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Come on Sutter - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Clay tries to pull guard but Sutter won't allow it.
Clay is looking to break free of the clinch but Sutter has double underhooks.
Sutter content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Sutter lands a body punch in the clinch.
Sutter has a couple of punches blocked by Clay.
Sutter stalling in the clinch but Clay improves position.
Sutter presses Clay against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.

Clay breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Clay pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Sutter throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Clay doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Clay takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Eric Sutter is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Clay is trying hard to land a takedown here. Sutter sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Sutter lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Sutter lands with a nice body punch.
Clay is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Sutter lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Clay should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.

Sutter moves into the clinch.
Sutter looking to stall.
Sutter is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Clay tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sutter misses with some punches.
Clay fails to pull guard.
Sutter managing to block the knees to the body from Clay.
Clay is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Sutter stalling against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eric Sutter dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Sutter misses with a series of wild punches.
Sutter tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Clay paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Sutter clinches.
Sutter cracks Clay with a nice body shot.
Clay jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Sutter walks away with a smile on his face. Clay gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Sutter shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Clay misses with a head kick.
Sutter misses with a wild combination.
Clay tries to close the distance and clinch but Sutter 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.
Clay swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Clay looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Sutter is fending him off so far but Clay persists. Nope, Sutter circles away and we're back to standing.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sutter smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Clay throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Sutter counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Sutter.
Sutter softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sutter lands a nice uppercut.
Sutter lands a left hand that snaps the head of Clay backwards.
Sutter lands an uppercut.
Sutter lands a body punch.
Clay tries a body shot but Sutter blocks it.
Sutter is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Sutter misses with the head strike.
Sutter makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Clay.
Sutter prevents the takedown attempt.
Eric Sutter has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cassius Clay.
Sutter lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Clay blocks an uppercut.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Sutter.

Clay pulls guard.
Clay looking for a sweep. Not yet Clay, not yet.
Sutter will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Sutter stays in close to Clay's body and controls the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Clay isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Sutter stacks Clay on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Sutter!
A lull in the action here as Sutter stalls from top position.
Sutter throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Clay works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Clay wants to control but Sutter is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sutter is looking for a kimura here.
Sutter blocks the strikes from Clay.
Sutter wants to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Clay swings for the body but Sutter moves out of range.

Clay looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Sutter!
Clay controlling from mount.
Sutter is in all sorts of trouble here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Clay tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Eric Sutter will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Clay gets a takedown into half guard.
Clay trying to control from Sutter's half guard. Sutter has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Clay wants to stand but Sutter has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Clay cracks Sutter with a solid left hand.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sutter looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Clay trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Sutter can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Clay controls the pace.
Clay scoring with punches to the head and body.
Sutter is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Clay wants to control from the top but Sutter keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Sutter wriggles free and stands up.
Clay fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Sutter avoids it really well and circles away.
Sutter lands a with a good body shot.
Sutter throws a series of punches but Clay moves out of range.
Sutter lands a nice looking body shot.
Clay moves in looking to clinch but Sutter pushes him off.
Clay scores with a leg kick.
Sutter closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Clay throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Sutter.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sutter misses with the combination.
Sutter stalks Clay and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Clay's face. Clay staggers backwards, shaken.
Clay takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Clay looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Sutter lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Clay circles away quickly and effectively.
Clay tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Clay shoots in and drives through. Sutter sprawls well.
Eric Sutter has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cassius Clay.
Clay is trying hard to land a takedown here. Sutter sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Sutter is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Clay fails with a takedown attempt.
Sutter throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Clay closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Sutter did well to prevent Clay getting side control.
Sutter is staying active underneath Clay, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Sutter is trying to get back to full guard.
Clay is taking a breather. Sutter says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Clay is keen to just control but Sutter is a slippery customer.
Cassius Clay has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Eric Sutter is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Clay is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cassius Clay comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Sutter 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 Russell Pearce scores the fight 29:28
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Eric Sutter!