11th April 2026
When Clarke last entered the cage, his night was brought to a short and very disappointing end but delivered another career defining performance in comeback fashion upon his homecoming.
The Team CIT fighter said he had to pick his moments against the Senegalese giant.
"After his first barrage, I stepped out and I was a bit dazed, and I just worked around a bit to try and buy time and get my vision back," said Clarke.
"And then he just kept pushing and pushing, and every time, even though I was struggling to crack that puzzle, he eventually had me up against the cage and he was rolling.
"So I was like, okay, cool now we are 50/50 and I covered up, took some punches, and when I saw my opportunity I took it."
Clarke admitted that he was close to defeat but stayed on his feet to not only win the fight but also the mental battle.
"Listen, having my back against the cage was never part of my plan, I'll be honest with you, it's the worst place to be," he added.
"But, as we're taught, the most dangerous person is the one with the cage behind them – I was stuck between having my head taken off and having to decide do I want to go down here or do I want to win this fight.
"So I think he maybe got a bit over-excited and gave me a gap, and I exposed it and took that opportunity."
