PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between White Rain (ranked 1436 p4p, 2089 weight class) and Morello Hawthorne (ranked 117 p4p, 163 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Rain
vs
Hawthorne

178 cm
36
139
24 - 17 - 0

159 cm
26
130
8 - 9 - 1

Good wrestling
World class MT
Very quick

Good wrestler
Good low kicks
Good gas tank

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 24 - 17 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, White Rain!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Morello Hawthorne!
The judges for this bout are Wagner Zegers, Albert Achterberg and Aafke Stam.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rain throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Hawthorne avoids a punch combination nicely.
Hawthorne tries to counter with a clinch but Rain shakes him off and moves away.
Rain comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Rain avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rain is looking to clinch.
Rain thumps Hawthorne with a low kick.
Rain tries a head kick but it misses.

Hawthorne gets in close and instigates a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hawthorne tries to pull guard but Rain holds him up against the cage and eventually Hawthorne drops back down to his feet.
Rain holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Hawthorne goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rain pressing his opponent against the cage.
Rain's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
The crowd are getting pretty annoyed with Rain for his constant stalling in the clinch and are voicing their displeasure.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Rain.
Hawthorne scores with a shot to the side of Rain's head.

Rain drags the fight down to the ground.
Rain seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.
Rain trying to keep a closed guard but Hawthorne is proving a slippery customer.
Rain will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Hawthorne trying to control but Rain is working from the bottom.
Hawthorne pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rain is keeping the position for now.
Hawthorne is pushing down on Rain's leg trying to pass to half guard. Rain is fighting to maintain full guard but Hawthorne has managed to sneak the leg through.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hawthorne looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Rain is trying to get back to full guard.

Hawthorne is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Rain trying to control but Hawthorne postures up.

Hawthorne is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Rain is just riding it out for now. Hawthorne eventually gives up the hold.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rain trying to control but Hawthorne postures up.
Hawthorne prevents Rain from improving his position.
Hawthorne seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Rain does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Rain tries to get to full guard but Hawthorne has control of the leg.
Hawthorne is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Rain reverses the position - he's now on top in Hawthorne's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rain's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Rain really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Hawthorne keeping moving, preventing Rain from controlling successfully.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rain postures up.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

White Rain dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Hawthorne forces Rain back against the cage and clinches.
Hawthorne tries to work over Rain's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Hawthorne manages to pull guard.
Hawthorne not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Hawthorne throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Rain is stalling in the full guard.
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.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Hawthorne is looking for a triangle but Rain pushes his legs off easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rain trying to control but Hawthorne is working from the bottom.
Rain looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Hawthorne trying to keep a closed guard but Rain is proving a slippery customer.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rain misses with a body shot.
Rain throws an overhand right that lands on Hawthorne's shoulder, as Hawthorne tries to avoid the shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Rain paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
The fighters circling - Rain throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Rain looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Rain misses with a body punch

and Hawthorne counters with a nice double leg into side control. Rain won't be happy with that.

Hawthorne wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Rain, who protects the arm well.
Rain gets back to half guard.
Hawthorne is pressing down on Rain's thigh, looking to free his foot. Rain is holding on for now.
Hawthorne wants to take a breather but Rain is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hawthorne wants to pass to mount but Rain is defending the position.
Hawthorne is trying to control the action in half guard but Rain is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Hawthorne is pressing down on Rain's thigh, looking to free his foot. Rain is holding on for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Rain makes his way to full guard, as Hawthorne worked for a kimura.
Rain looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Rain is on top in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hawthorne wants to sweep but no luck.
Hawthorne is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Rain engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Morello Hawthorne has got the better of the ground game so far.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Hawthorne trying to control the position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Morello Hawthorne 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! This is the final round!

Rain scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Rain scores with a nice head shot.
Rain throws a body punch but Hawthorne moves out of range.
Hawthorne changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.

Hawthorne looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Rain manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Hawthorne trying to control the position from guard on top but Rain is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hawthorne slips nicely into half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Rain is defending against the submission attempts here by Hawthorne.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hawthorne is looking to take a break and control but Rain is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rain trying to control from the bottom.
Hawthorne trying to control the action but Rain is working from the bottom.
Rain moves into full guard.
Hawthorne works a leg free and moves into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Hawthorne seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Rain does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Rain manages to get to full guard.
Rain is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Hawthorne is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Hawthorne trying to control the position from guard on top but Rain is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
White Rain seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hawthorne moves out of range as Rain strikes.
Rain stuffs the takedown.
Rain was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Rain throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Hawthorne walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Hawthorne tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Hawthorne wants to clinch up but Rain keeps it at a distance.
Rain is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.

Hawthorne moves into the clinch.
A short left from Hawthorne.
Hawthorne jumps guard but Rain turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Hawthorne lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Hawthorne can't find room to land a body shot as Rain controls the action.
Hawthorne presses Rain against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rain tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Hawthorne's elbow.
Hawthorne tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
White Rain has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Morello Hawthorne.
Hawthorne misses with a hook from the clinch.
A left hand lands to the body for Rain.
Hawthorne has a couple of punches blocked by Rain.
Hawthorne tries a body shot but Rain blocks it.
Hawthorne misses with a hook to the ribs.
Hawthorne throws a punch but it's blocked by Rain.
A bit of stalling here from Rain.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hawthorne tries to pull guard but Rain won't allow it.
Rain leaning his opponent against the cage.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Rain seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rain lands a right hand.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to White Rain.
I think Rain 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 Wagner Zegers scores the fight 29:28
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 29:28
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... White Rain!
White Rain decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.