PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Tom Clay (ranked 4471 p4p, 4473 weight class) and Khabib Gaethje (ranked 0 p4p, 369 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.

Clay
vs
Gaethje

176 cm
25
135
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
25
145
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Voodoo Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Tom Clay!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Khabib Gaethje!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Timothy Bukovac and Percy O'Donnell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gaethje lands a head kick!
Clay shoots in for a takedown but Gaethje shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Clay has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Clay there as he acknowledges the shot.
Gaethje tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Gaethje avoids the head kick by Clay.
Clay takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Clay blocks a head kick by Gaethje.
Gaethje checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Clay is defended easily by Gaethje.
Gaethje throws a sloppy head kick and Clay moves out of range easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gaethje lands a high kick!
Clay throws a head kick but Gaethje moves out of range.
Clay tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Gaethje counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

A momentary lapse in concentration from Gaethje enables Clay to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Gaethje manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gaethje is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gaethje keeping moving, preventing Clay from controlling successfully.

Clay avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Gaethje looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Clay wants to control from the top but Gaethje keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Clay trying to stand up but can't free himself from Gaethje's guard.
Gaethje controls Clay momentarily but Clay frees himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Gaethje is looking for a triangle but Clay pushes his legs off easily.
Gaethje looking for a sweep. Not yet Gaethje, not yet.
Clay trying to control the position from guard on top but Gaethje is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Gaethje is on top in guard.

Clay striking off his back but it's not causing Gaethje any problems.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Clay tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Gaethje tries to free his leg and advance position but Clay is retaining full guard.
Gaethje postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Gaethje not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Gaethje trying to control the position from guard on top but Clay is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gaethje content to stall in guard here.
Clay is trying to control the position but Gaethje postures up.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Clay takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Khabib Gaethje is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Gaethje scores with the left hand. Clay knows he should have avoided that one.
Clay shoots in and drives through. Gaethje sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tom Clay. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Clay blocks a head kick by Gaethje.
As Gaethje looks to move away, Clay throws a big counter combo but Gaethje just gets out of the way.
Clay fails with an attempt to clinch.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Gaethje! But no joy.
Gaethje throws a sloppy head kick and Clay moves out of range easily.
Gaethje throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Gaethje cracks Clay with a good jab.
Gaethje scores with a jab. Clay acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Clay falls off balance throwing a combination
and Gaethje counters with a three punch combo that has Clay backing up. Clay nods at Gaethje to acknowledge the strikes.

Clay scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Gaethje pushes Clay off and gets back to his feet.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Khabib Gaethje dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Clay really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Gaethje throws a sloppy head kick and Clay moves out of range easily.
Gaethje throws a sloppy head kick
and Clay counters with a series of strikes. Gaethje will be more careful next time no doubt.
Gaethje has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Nice defenses there by Clay.
Clay shoots and misses
and Gaethje counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Clay shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Gaethje tries a head kick but it misses.
Gaethje throws a series of punches but Clay moves out of range.
Clay slips under a jab.
Clay fails with a takedown attempt.
Gaethje moves into range and connects with a jab.
Tom Clay is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gaethje throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gaethje tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Gaethje fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Clay on the side of the head.
Clay misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Gaethje is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Gaethje misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Nice takedown defense from Gaethje. No joy for Clay on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tom Clay. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gaethje lands a really nice looking cross but Clay seems unphased.
Gaethje might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.

Clay shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Gaethje makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gaethje pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Clay shoots in for a takedown but Gaethje shows good takedown defense.
Clay tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Gaethje was well out of range. Poor timing from Clay.
Khabib Gaethje seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes from Gaethje. Those never looked like landing.
Clay shoots in looking for a takedown but Gaethje manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Clay's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Gaethje throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Gaethje pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Gaethje throws a hook but Clay blocks it.
Gaethje scores with a head kick.
Clay shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Gaethje as he avoids it easily.
Gaethje works over Clay's head and body with a nice combination.
Clay tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Gaethje manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Gaethje shapes to counter with a head kick.
Clay takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Gaethje scores with a sloppy right hand. Clay should have avoided that one.
Gaethje avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Gaethje is looking for the big counter here.
Gaethje throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Khabib Gaethje seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gaethje scores with a jab to the jaw.
Gaethje throws a head kick but Clay moves out of range.
Gaethje keeps the fight on the outside.
Gaethje has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Clay blocks a head kick by Gaethje.
Clay throwing a counter right hand but Gaethje manages to avoid it.
Gaethje stuffs the takedown attempt from Clay. Clay gets slowly back to his feet.
Gaethje jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Clay tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Clay bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Clay working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Clay working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gaethje is looking to regain half guard here but Clay keeps moving and retains side control.
Gaethje can't do much from the bottom here.
Gaethje is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Clay is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Clay tries to pass to full mount but Gaethje defends it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Khabib Gaethje 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 each other down, ready to get back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Gaethje lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Clay circles away quickly and effectively.
It looked like Clay was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Gaethje misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Gaethje leaves Clay with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
A head kick by Gaethje misses
and Clay counters with a thumping low kick.
Clay gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Gaethje scores with a head kick.
Clay misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Gaethje swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Clay shoots in for a double leg but Gaethje sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tom Clay. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Clay throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Gaethje's waist but Gaethje gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Clay off to one side.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Clay tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Gaethje counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Decent striking displayed by Gaethje there.
Gaethje misses with a head kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gaethje pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Gaethje lands a head kick!
Gaethje connects with a high kick.
Danga de danga de dang - Clay scores with a four punch combination!
Gaethje lands a jab to the head.
Gaethje throws a series of punches but Clay moves out of range.

Gaethje gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Clay to score an easy takedown into full guard.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Gaethje manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gaethje presses Clay against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gaethje jumps guard and drags Clay to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Clay wants to control from the top but Gaethje keeps moving.
Clay is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Clay connects with a couple of short punches.

Gaethje looking to try and escape his hips here, looking for a submission. It looks like he's going for a triangle but Clay is defending well. Gaethje quickly switches to an armbar and extends the arm! Clay has no choice but to tap, to a very quick submission! Wow, that was lightning fast! Gaethje celebrates on the cage, with the crowd.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Khabib Gaethje!