It started off normal enough. Mitch Clarke and Alex White exchanged kicks almost like a turn-based role playing game. There was a clinch battle and some knees, then back to more front kicks by Clarke and leg kicks by White. The fight was a rinse and repeat of violence chess. For mostly two whole rounds, both fighters kept doing exactly the same thing. It was almost gentlemanly, if it wasn’t two guys beating each other for money in the Octagon.

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In the second round, Alex White latched onto Clarke during one of the clinch exchanges and just flipped out. He threw about 46 elbows in a row. That may be hyperbole, there was no counter, but he thew a ton of them from the same arm, over and over and over again. Clarke would fall from punches, get up with his face covered in blood, smile and keep on fighting. …But eventually fall and fall again. Finally, the referee stepped in and gave White the win.

Clarke hasn’t fought since Joe Duffy beat him in July of last year. After White took him out via TKO and an emotional post-fight speech, Clarke retired in the Octagon. Much respect to Clarke and best of luck in whatever he’s up to next. He displayed a ton of heart in this fight and managed to take a ton of damage and never quit.

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 9/9/2017.