PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Clay Phillips (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thomas Kleijn (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.

Phillips
vs
Kleijn

188 cm
25
192 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

186 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
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 Tokyo, Clay Phillips!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Thomas Kleijn!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Sosuke Kotani and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kleijn tries to clinch there but Phillips circles away.
Kleijn has a takedown stuffed.
Phillips tries to clinch up but Kleijn circles away and keeps his distance.
Phillips wants to clinch

and Kleijn moves into the clinch.
Phillips using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Kleijn has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Phillips taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Phillips misses with a knee strike.
Phillips landing knees to the head.
Phillips keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Kleijn's efforts to push away.
Phillips leaning his opponent against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Phillips with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Phillips holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Phillips tries a knee to the head but Kleijn blocks it.
Phillips throws a knee to the head but misses.
The referee calls for Phillips to work.
Phillips is pressed up against the cage. Kleijn has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Phillips down to the mat. Phillips avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
No luck for Kleijn with that takedown attempt.
Clay Phillips has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Thomas Kleijn.
Kleijn circles away from the clinch attempt
and Kleijn counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Phillips wants to clinch
and Kleijn counters with a three punch combo that has Phillips backing up. Phillips nods at Kleijn to acknowledge the strikes.
Phillips tries to clinch but Kleijn is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kleijn tries to score a power double leg takedown but Phillips sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Kleijn somewhat.
Phillips throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Kleijn's head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kleijn shoots for a takedown but Phillips saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Kleijn tries to clinch there but Phillips circles away.

Phillips closes the distance and pushes Kleijn back into the cage.
Phillips landing knees to the head.
Phillips is breathing heavily.
Phillips stalling against the cage.
Kleijn is trying to stall.
Phillips manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

Kleijn has clasped his hands together around Phillips's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kleijn tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Kleijn has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Phillips trying his best to control but Kleijn has mounted him.
Kleijn is landing with some decent strikes but Phillips is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Kleijn avoids the attempt from Phillips to control.
Phillips has given up his back here.
Kleijn gets his hooks in and is throwing strikes.
Kleijn controlling the position well here. Phillips rolled but Kleijn kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Phillips is in bad spot here.
Kleijn is throwing punches to the body, looking to soften Phillips up.
Phillips is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
Let's hope that Kleijn has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Kleijn is not going to allow Phillips to sit and survive in this position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thomas Kleijn dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Kleijn tries to clinch there but Phillips circles away.
Kleijn avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Phillips - that will leave a mark!
Phillips darts in trying to clinch

and Kleijn counters with a head kick that drops Phillips to the mat! Phillips scrambles across the canvas and gets back to his feet, still wobbly!
Nice takedown defense from Phillips. No joy for Kleijn on that attempt.
Horrible takedown by Kleijn or perhaps it was just good defense by Phillips which made him look bad.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Kleijn wants to clinch up but Phillips keeps it at a distance.
Clay Phillips seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kleijn shoots in but no luck this time.
Clay Phillips has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Thomas Kleijn.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Kleijn gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Kleijn wants to break the clinch but can't.
Kleijn jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Phillips walks away with a smile on his face. Kleijn gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Clay Phillips is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kleijn pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Phillips tries to close the distance and clinch but Kleijn swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Kleijn drives through with a takedown into guard.
Phillips 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.
Kleijn slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Phillips is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Phillips keeping moving, preventing Kleijn from controlling successfully.
Kleijn pushing down on Phillips's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kleijn stands up from half guard.
Kleijn closes this distance looking for a takedown but Phillips circles away.
Phillips defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Kleijn.
Kleijn throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Kleijn shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Phillips sprawls well. Phillips wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Kleijn gets slowly back to his feet.
Kleijn fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Phillips tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Kleijn paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Phillips slaps away a takedown attempt from Kleijn, before circling back to the center of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kleijn throws a one two combo.
Thomas Kleijn seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Kleijn takes a kick to the side of the head.
Kleijn shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Phillips as he avoids it easily.

Kleijn looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Phillips!
Phillips knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Kleijn on the ground.
Phillips is trying to reverse the position but instead Kleijn has taken his back - oops!
Phillips controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.
Kleijn really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Phillips.
Phillips is keeping busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kleijn lands strikes to the head.
Phillips looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.
Phillips tries to roll but Kleijn sticks to his back.

Kleijn is working for the choke. He's slipped one arm under the chin. Phillips has to defend the other arm for all he's worth... but Kleijn has managed to get that arm free too and he's tightening the choke! Phillips taps out and looks absolutely disgusted with himself. Kleijn doesn't care though - he's delighted!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Thomas Kleijn!