PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Curtis Clay (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mieszko Szczygiel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Clay kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Atari Teenage Riot - Revolution Action . Mieszko Szczygiel has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Clay
vs
Szczygiel

185 cm
21
200 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

175 cm
25
185 lbs
5 - 5 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Basic striking
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent knees
Granite chin

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 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Curtis Clay!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Mieszko Szczygiel!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Sosuke Kotani and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Szczygiel on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Szczygiel takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Clay stuffs the takedown.
Clay swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Szczygiel takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Szczygiel tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Clay manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Szczygiel tries to clinch there but Clay circles away.

Szczygiel moves into range and clinches up with Clay.
Clay can't break the clinch.
Clay is trying to stall.
Szczygiel trying to stall but Clay improves his position.
Clay slows down the pace here.
Clay prevents a takedown attempt there.
Szczygiel throws a knee to the head but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Szczygiel using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Clay has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Szczygiel throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Clay blocks it with crossed arms.
Szczygiel tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Szczygiel throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Clay blocks it with crossed arms.
Szczygiel looking to slow down the pace here.
Clay is trying to break free.
Szczygiel tries a knee to the head but Clay blocks it.

Szczygiel works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Szczygiel won't allow Clay to sweep him here.
Szczygiel loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Szczygiel is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Clay throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Clay has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Szczygiel has passed into side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Clay is trying to get back to half guard.
Szczygiel wants to control but Clay is keeping him busy.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Szczygiel looking to control but instead Clay has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Clay is refusing to be controlled, as Szczygiel sits in half guard.
Szczygiel has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Clay avoids a series of strikes thrown by Szczygiel.
Clay is looking to improve his position but Szczygiel isn't that keen on the idea.
Szczygiel can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Clay is looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Szczygiel swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Clay is now in Szczygiel's guard. A big mistake from Szczygiel there, giving up the dominant position!
Clay wants to control from the top but Szczygiel keeps moving.
Clay throws a big right hand that misses.
Szczygiel working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Clay.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Clay throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Szczygiel bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Clay's guard.
Szczygiel wants to control from the top but Clay keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Mieszko Szczygiel will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Clay ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Szczygiel moves away.
Szczygiel closes the distance but Clay moves to the side

and Clay counters with a nice double leg into side control. Szczygiel won't be happy with that.
Clay wants to control but Szczygiel is keeping him busy.

Clay tries for a kimura but Szczygiel is defending well.
Clay in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Clay postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Szczygiel prevents Clay from improving position.
Szczygiel gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Clay moves nicely into side control.
Curtis Clay overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Szczygiel tries to bench press Clay off him but Clay keeps the position.
Szczygiel tries to control but Clay manages to take his back.

Szczygiel defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.

Clay is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Szczygiel knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Szczygiel for a finish.
Szczygiel covers up after that shot from Clay.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Clay has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Clay struggling to land strikes to the head as Szczygiel covers up.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Clay doesn't have the hooks in and Szczygiel manages to turn into his guard.

Clay has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Szczygiel can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Szczygiel is stalling in the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Clay is looking to sweep but instead, Szczygiel has passed into half guard.
Szczygiel is looking to take a break and control but Clay is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Clay moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Szczygiel wants to control from the top but Clay keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Szczygiel preventing the sweep.

Szczygiel stands up over his opponent, looking to dive in with a big punch. Here he comes, superman style! Oh, the punch misses and Clay has got him in a triangle choke for good measure! Oh no! Szczygiel manages to get his head free but now Clay has transitioned to an armbar! Szczygiel grimaces and is forced to tap! Beautiful Jiu Jitsu from Clay! I'd be surprised if that didn't end up as submission of the night!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:39 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Curtis Clay!
After winning the bout, Curtis Clay thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.