PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Damien Hawthorne (ranked 969 p4p, 1123 weight class) and Jan Sobieski (ranked 136 p4p, 158 weight class). Hawthorne comes into the arena with Schism by Tool blaring out of the sound system. Sobieski has chosen Karnivool - Lifelike as his entrance music. Both fighters will be looking to make this an exciting fight for the fans, I'm sure!

Hawthorne
vs
Sobieski

190 cm
27
218
10 - 8 - 0

199 cm
27
222
11 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Sydney Fight Gear (London Rebirth)
Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing

Fenrir Fightgear - Anno 2013
Threads of HARDCORE

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 10 - 8 - 0, fighting out of New York, Damien Hawthorne!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jan Sobieski!
The judges for this bout are Richard Clark, Donald Grub and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hawthorne just misses with a punch to the body.
Sobieski has a takedown stuffed.
Sobieski swings for the body but Hawthorne moves out of range.
Hawthorne swings for the body but Sobieski moves out of range.
Hawthorne checks a leg kick.
Hawthorne thows a left - swing and a miss!
Hawthorne ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Hawthorne digs a good hook to Sobieski's body.
Hawthorne stuns Sobieski with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Hawthorne slips under a jab from Sobieski.
Sobieski needs to keep his hands up - Hawthorne had a free shot at his head there.
Hawthorne lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Hawthorne connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Sobieski misses with a takedown attempt - Hawthorne sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Sobieski lands with a thumping leg kick.
Hawthorne clobbers Sobieski with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sobieski bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Hawthorne throws a lazy uppercut

and Sobieski counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Hawthorne kicks Sobieski off and gets back to his feet.
Hawthorne scores with a leg kick.
Hawthorne has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Hawthorne ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Sobieski misses with a low kick.
Hawthorne fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Sobieski on the side of the head.
Damien Hawthorne is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Hawthorne scores with a head kick. Sobieski tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sobieski misses with a body shot
and Hawthorne counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Hawthorne takes a kick to the side of the head.
A leg kick checked by Sobieski.
Good work by Hawthorne as he checks the leg kick.
Sobieski throws a right hand that misses
and Sobieski takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Sobieski ducks under a wild hook from Hawthorne.
Hawthorne darts in and out, connecting with a jab.

Sobieski drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Hawthorne has his hands on Sobieski's head, controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hawthorne keeping moving, preventing Sobieski from controlling successfully.
Sobieski stopping the sweep attempt from Hawthorne.

Sobieski thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Hawthorne is trying to keep Sobieski in close.
Sobieski postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hawthorne looking to control.
Sobieski pushes down on Hawthorne's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Hawthorne is trying to control but can't.
My spies in Hardpunch (13 Elite / 1000$ inform me that Sobieski has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
Sobieski not doing much here.
Hawthorne keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Sobieski is looking to take a break and control but Hawthorne is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Hawthorne is doing well to control the position and prevent Sobieski from advancing to side control.
Sobieski seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Hawthorne does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Hawthorne checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Hawthorne lands a nice leg kick that just misses Sobieski's sensitive parts.
Sobieski shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Sobieski connects with a leg kick.
A nice leg kick lands there from Sobieski.
Sobieski throws a series of punches but Hawthorne avoids them all with ease.
Sobieski connects with a leg kick.
Sobieski moves out of range as Hawthorne strikes.
Sobieski tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
A jab from Sobieski misses.
A telegraphed right hand from Hawthorne misses the target.
Hawthorne lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Hawthorne lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Sobieski has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Sobieski and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Hawthorne connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Sobieski shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Hawthorne pinned against the cage. Hawthorne gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Damien Hawthorne dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

A momentary lapse in concentration from Hawthorne enables Sobieski to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Hawthorne manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Sobieski wants to pass the guard but Hawthorne is keeping the position.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Hawthorne holds on and takes a little breather.
Hawthorne is trying to keep Sobieski in close.
Sobieski wants to control from the top but Hawthorne keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sobieski throwing strikes from guard but Hawthorne blocks nicely.
Sobieski works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Hawthorne trying to hold on to Sobieski's head to control him but Sobieski postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sobieski is trying to control the action in half guard but Hawthorne is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Hawthorne keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Jan Sobieski has got the better of the ground game so far.
Sobieski sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Sobieski throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Hawthorne tries to roll over but Sobieski keeps him under control.
Hawthorne wants to control but Sobieski is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Sobieski is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Sobieski looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Hawthorne with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Sobieski sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Hawthorne defending well though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sobieski is looking to take a break and control but Hawthorne is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Hawthorne avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Sobieski.
Sobieski works his way into side control.
Sobieski controlling the position from side mount.
Sobieski trying to control the action but Hawthorne is working from the bottom.
Sobieski is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Hawthorne will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Sobieski misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sobieski tries to move into full mount but can't pass Hawthorne's legs.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sobieski trying to control the action but Hawthorne is working from the bottom.
Hawthorne is looking for a sweep.
Sobieski is chipping away with strikes.
Hawthorne tries to buck Sobieski off but Sobieski is having none of it.
Hawthorne takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Hawthorne is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Sobieski has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Hawthorne is positioning himself well to prevent Sobieski advancing to mount.
Sobieski missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sobieski missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Sobieski keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Sobieski takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Hawthorne is refusing to be controlled, as Sobieski sits in half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Sobieski lands a nice short elbow.
Sobieski performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Sobieski looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Hawthorne slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jan Sobieski showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Sobieski takes one to the side of the head.
Hawthorne takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Hawthorne uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Sobieski.
Hawthorne swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
A head kick misses from Sobieski.
Hawthorne throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

Sobieski closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Hawthorne pushes Sobieski off and gets back to his feet.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sobieski tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Hawthorne was well out of range. Poor timing from Sobieski.
Good exchange - Hawthorne coming out on top.
Sobieski is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Hawthorne rather than just go for the knockout.

Sobieski clinches.
Sobieski manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

Hawthorne breaks the clinch.
Sobieski throws a shot from downtown. Hawthorne moves away and avoids it.

Sobieski shoots in and gets a takedown into Hawthorne's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sobieski is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Hawthorne working a defensive guard here.
Hawthorne trying to control the position here.
Sobieski advances position into side control!
Hawthorne trying to remain calm as Sobieski controls from the top position.
Hawthorne knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Sobieski on the ground.
Sobieski cracks Hawthorne with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Sobieski scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Hawthorne to see if he's OK.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sobieski tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Hawthorne wants to control but Sobieski postures up.
Sobieski working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Sobieski in side control, throwing shots but Hawthorne defends.
Sobieski controlling from side mount.
Sobieski lands a few punches from side control.
An elbow from Sobieski crashes against the mat.
Sobieski is looking to take a break and control but Hawthorne is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sobieski cracks Hawthorne with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Hawthorne is being controlled here.
Sobieski landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Sobieski throws an elbow but Hawthorne slips to the side and avoids it well.
Sobieski postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Hawthorne is looking to reverse the position.
Sobieski looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Hawthorne is avoiding damage well.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Hawthorne on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Hawthorne tries to get out of the position.
Sobieski trying to control the action but Hawthorne is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sobieski working away.
Sobieski tries to advance to mount but can't.
Hawthorne on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Hawthorne is not content to let Sobieski control the position.

Sobieski thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jan Sobieski comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Sobieski has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 28:29
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 28:29
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jan Sobieski!
Jan Sobieski gave a mention to Threads of HARDCORE in his post fight interview. That will please them (and hopefully generate some sales).
The defeated Damien Hawthorne had this to say: 'Starting today I am announcing my retirement, it's been a journey but it appears this wasn't meant to be. -wipes a tear from his eye-'.