PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Jeong Hoon Chai (ranked 1160 p4p, 2925 weight class) and Morello Hawthorne (ranked 87 p4p, 200 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Chai
vs
Hawthorne

175 cm
25
145
11 - 6 - 0

159 cm
25
130
7 - 8 - 1

Good wrestling
World class MT
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Good low kicks
Good gas tank

30th Century Beer Store

NARCOS

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 11 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Jeong Hoon Chai!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 8 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Morello Hawthorne!
The judges for this bout are Francis DeMontford, Winston Howard and Summer Carpenter.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Chai dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Hawthorne. That did some damage!
Jeong Hoon Chai seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Chai misses with a wild body shot.

Hawthorne drives through and clinches with Chai against the cage.
Chai misses with some punches.
Chai tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Hawthorne blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Hawthorne gets control of Chai's arms and successfully pulls guard. Hawthorne will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Hawthorne is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Hawthorne keeping full guard, as Chai tries to pass.
Hawthorne is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hawthorne is trying to control the action in half guard but Chai is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chai trying to control from the bottom.
Hawthorne is looking to pass Chai's guard but actually Chai recovers to full guard.
Hawthorne trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Hawthorne trying to control the position from guard on top but Chai is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hawthorne seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Chai lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Chai trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Hawthorne throws his legs up looking for a submission but Chai uses it to pass to side control.
Hawthorne is trying to work for a sweep but Chai has mounted him!
Hawthorne can't escape the position.
Hawthorne tries to improve his position but instead Chai has taken his back!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hawthorne tries to break free.
I would not like to be Hawthorne right now.
Hawthorne trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
Hawthorne manages to reverse the position and now he's in Chai's guard. Nice work there by Hawthorne.
Hawthorne slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hawthorne postures up.
Hawthorne works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Chai is looking for a sweep. Hawthorne is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Chai won't allow Hawthorne to pass to mount.
Chai controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.

Hawthorne is looking for a kimura but Chai is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Hawthorne to get the leverage.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Jeong Hoon Chai will probably get the nod.
That's time! Chai's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Chai misses with a head kick.
Hawthorne tries to clinch up.
Hawthorne uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Chai.
Hawthorne avoids a low kick by using good footwork.

Hawthorne has managed to clinch.
Chai misses with a short punch on the inside.
Chai throws a head punch that misses.

Chai breaks from the clinch.
Hawthorne tries to close the distance and clinch but Chai swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sloppy strikes from Chai. Those never looked like landing.

Hawthorne rushes Chai and presses him up against the cage.
Hawthorne fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Hawthorne lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Chai backwards.
Hawthorne blocks an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chai misses with a body punch.
Hawthorne lands a right hand.
Chai lands a shoulder strike.
Hawthorne misses with a hook to the ribs.
Chai tries a body shot but Hawthorne blocks it.
Hawthorne misses with a punch to the body.
Hawthorne misses with a hook from the clinch.
Chai misses with a hook from the clinch.
Chai lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Hawthorne swings away with an uppercut that misses.

Chai pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Hawthorne doesn't manage to clinch there - Chai circles away.
Chai throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
And Hawthorne tries to counter it with a takedown but Chai pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Chai lands a lovely overhand right.
Hawthorne is looking to clinch but Chai is avoiding it.
As Hawthorne backs away, Chai returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Chai closes the distance and lands a one-two.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hawthorne wants to clinch up but Chai keeps it at a distance.

Hawthorne fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Chai to the ground. Hawthorne is now in Chai's guard.
Hawthorne wants to control from the top but Chai keeps moving.
Chai keeping full guard, as Hawthorne tries to pass.
Hawthorne advances position into side control!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Chai tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Hawthorne wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Hawthorne looking to control but instead Chai has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hawthorne trying to control the pace.

Hawthorne is looking for a kimura here.

Hawthorne is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Hawthorne is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Chai will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Hawthorne controls from within his opponent's guard.
Hawthorne stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Chai swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Chai managing to control the position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jeong Hoon Chai dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Hawthorne ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Chai is looking to land body kicks.
Chai misses with a low kick.
Chai throws a leg kick but Hawthorne moved away.
Hawthorne is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
We've been told by Chai's head coaches at Master Chai's Dojo that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Chai jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.

Hawthorne closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Chai quickly recovers to half guard.
Hawthorne wants to pass the guard but Chai is defending well.
Chai is looking to control Hawthorne's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Chai avoid being mounted?
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Chai is doing well to control the position and prevent Hawthorne from advancing to side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hawthorne wants to work for an arm triangle but Chai is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Hawthorne is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Chai sees it coming and defends easily.
Hawthorne trying to mount his opponent but Chai defends it.

Hawthorne is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Hawthorne is pressing down on Chai's thigh, looking to free his foot. Chai is holding on for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Chai is not content to let Hawthorne control the position.
Hawthorne is just content to waste time from the top position. Chai takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Hawthorne stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Chai swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Hawthorne wants to control from the top but Chai keeps moving.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chai throws a head kick but Hawthorne moves out of range.
Hawthorne wants to clinch.

Chai gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Hawthorne to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Morello Hawthorne has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hawthorne looking to pass the guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hawthorne won't allow Chai to sweep him here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hawthorne trying to control the position from guard on top but Chai is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Chai keeping full guard, as Hawthorne tries to pass.
Hawthorne controlling from the top position.
Jeong Hoon Chai is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Hawthorne stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Chai swivels though and keeps the full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Morello Hawthorne comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Chai has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Francis DeMontford scores the fight 29:28
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 29:28
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Jeong Hoon Chai!
During a confident post fight interview, Jeong Hoon Chai thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.