PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Clay Moore (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Steven Ayim (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ayim has chosen Damage as his entrance music. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Moore
vs
Ayim

189 cm
25
210 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

188 cm
25
195 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid Muay Thai
KO power

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Clay Moore!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Steven Ayim!
The judges for this bout are Peter Branson, Daniel Franklin and Winston Alpacca.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Moore fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Ayim, pushing him back against the cage.
Ayim letting Moore take a breather here.
Moore swings wildly with an uppercut but Ayim uses good head movement to avoid it.
Ayim trying to stall but Moore improves his position.
Moore lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Moore misses with a punch on the inside.
Ayim throws a punch but it's blocked by Moore.
Ayim looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Moore tries to work over Ayim's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Ayim is trying to maintain a safe position but Moore gets an underhook and turns Ayim into the cage.
Moore swings wildly with an uppercut but Ayim uses good head movement to avoid it.
Moore goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Moore misses with some punches.
A nice left hand lands by Moore.
Moore lands an uppercut.
Ayim is trying to push Moore away but Moore has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Moore swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Moore lands with a right to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ayim goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Ayim is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Ayim slowing the pace effectively.
The crowd are getting on Ayim's back here. They're not happy about his lack of aggression in the clinch.

Ayim pulls guard successfully.
Moore wants to get up but he can't break Ayim's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Ayim pulls Moore in to control the position.
Ayim is trying to keep Moore in close.
Ayim has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Moore tries to stand but Ayim is controlling from the bottom.
Moore knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Ayim on the ground.
Moore trying to control but Ayim is working from the bottom.
Moore wanted to stand there but Ayim had control of the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ayim looking for a sweep. Not yet Ayim, not yet.
Ayim keeping full guard, as Moore tries to pass.
Moore is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Ayim clinches up against the cage.
A hook to the body from Moore.
Moore prevents a body shot from Ayim.
Moore dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Moore swings wildly with an uppercut but Ayim uses good head movement to avoid it.
Moore tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ayim misses with a punch on the inside.
A bit of stalling here from Moore.
Ayim wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Moore swings wildly with an uppercut but Ayim uses good head movement to avoid it.
Ayim blocking some punches.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Ayim.
Moore keeps control of Ayim as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Moore pushes Ayim back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Moore throws a punch but it's blocked by Ayim.
Moore working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Ayim has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Moore.
Moore misses with a hook from the clinch.
Moore looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Moore swings wildly with an uppercut but Ayim uses good head movement to avoid it.
Ayim is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Moore is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Moore throws a head punch that misses.
Ayim content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Ayim misses with some punches.
A short right from Moore on the inside.
A short right from Moore.
A head punch on the inside from Moore fails to land.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Moore.
Moore lands a hook to the side of the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ayim misses with a hook to the ribs.
Moore swings wildly with an uppercut but Ayim uses good head movement to avoid it.
Moore makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ayim looking to stall.
Moore lands a hook that snaps the head of Ayim backwards.
Moore throws a punch but it's blocked by Ayim.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Clay Moore dominated that round.
That's time! Moore's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Ayim throws a right hand that misses
and Ayim takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Moore gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Clay Moore has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Moore.
Moore is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Ayim can do to turn this around?
Moore has a couple of punches blocked by Ayim.
Ayim is looking to control Moore's arms but Moore gets an underhook and turns him. Now Ayim has his back to the cage.
Ayim is stalling here.

Ayim pulls Moore into guard.

Ayim has his foot on Moore's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Moore works his way back into a safe position though.
Moore would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Ayim throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Moore tries to free his leg and advance position but Ayim is retaining full guard.
Ayim is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Moore has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Ayim is proving hard to escape from.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ayim looking for a sweep. Not yet Ayim, not yet.
Moore postures up.

Moore got a little sloppy there for a moment and Ayim has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Moore has managed to get both his arms back between Ayim's legs - danger averted.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Ayim has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Moore can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Moore wants to control from the top but Ayim keeps moving.
Moore has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Ayim is proving hard to escape from.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ayim keeping full guard, as Moore tries to pass.

Ayim is looking for a triangle but Moore pushes his legs off easily.
Moore wants to stand but Ayim is controlling his posture from full guard.
Ayim is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Ayim seems to be working for a kimura but Moore defends the submission attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ayim seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Moore does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Ayim is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Moore is just riding it out for now. Ayim eventually gives up the hold.
Moore avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Ayim.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Ayim throwing shots but Moore is blocking nicely.

Ayim is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ayim is trying to control the action in half guard but Moore is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Moore on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Moore tries to get out of the position.
Ayim throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Moore has hold of Ayim's hands but Ayim slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Ayim seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Moore does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steven Ayim showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Moore scores with a jab. Ayim acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Ayim throws out a loose jab but Moore uses good head movement to avoid it.

Moore has Ayim up against the cage in a clinch.

Ayim ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Ayim no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Moore wants to stand but Ayim has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Moore trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Ayim looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Moore tries to stand but Ayim is controlling from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Moore being controlled here momentarily.
Ayim not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Moore wants to stand but Ayim has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Moore trying to control but Ayim is working from the bottom.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Clay Moore is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Ayim closes the distance and clinches.

Ayim pulls guard effortlessly.
Ayim is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Moore wants to get up but he can't break Ayim's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Ayim is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Moore is refusing to be controlled, as Ayim sits in half guard.

Ayim is looking for a kimura but Moore is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Ayim to get the leverage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ayim passes the guard and advances to mount!
Moore wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Ayim is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Moore can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Moore is trying desperately to improve position.
Ayim throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ayim punching from mount but Moore doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Ayim unloads with some shots from mount but Moore bucks and avoids them well.

Ayim quickly switches position and commits to an armbar! It's a big risk for Ayim but it's paid off an Moore is forced to tap! Nice work by Ayim.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:35 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Steven Ayim!
An out of breath Steven Ayim thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.