PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Sean Sherk (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Johnny hawk (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sherk's entrance music is Earshot. A fine choice. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Sherk
vs
hawk

171 cm
22
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

150 cm
20
153 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

Attliction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sean Sherk!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Johnny hawk!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Wesley Smith and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
hawk fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Sherk drives through with a takedown into guard.
Sherk controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
hawk trying to control the position.
Sherk is stalling in the full guard.
Sherk's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
hawk trying to keep a closed guard but Sherk is proving a slippery customer.

hawk throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

hawk escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Sherk gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

hawk is looking for a triangle but Sherk pushes his legs off easily.
Sherk sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sherk stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. hawk swivels though and keeps the full guard.

hawk throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

hawk is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Sherk will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
hawk looks gassed!
Sherk looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Sherk seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down hawk for as long as he can get away with.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Sean Sherk just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.

Sherk shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Sherk slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Sherk stopping the sweep attempt from hawk.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Sherk controls from within his opponent's guard.
Sherk has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
hawk is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sherk stays in close to hawk's body and controls the position.

hawk working for a triangle but Sherk defends it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sherk sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Sherk pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. hawk is keeping the position for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
hawk being controlled here, momentarily.
hawk keeping full guard, as Sherk tries to pass.
Sherk controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
hawk keeping full guard, as Sherk tries to pass.
hawk keeping moving, preventing Sherk from controlling successfully.

hawk working for a triangle but Sherk defends it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
hawk keeping full guard, as Sherk tries to pass.
hawk lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Sherk!
Sherk tries to reverse the position but hawk maintains control.

hawk is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Sherk is surviving well by controlling hawk's body position as best he can.
Sherk tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Sherk is squirming around, avoiding hawk's attempts to control the action.

hawk is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Sherk is surviving well by controlling hawk's body position as best he can.
hawk tries to control but Sherk wriggling away.
Sherk tries to lock up and control but hawk gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sean Sherk dominated that round.
That's time! Sherk's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

hawk fails with a takedown attempt.
Sherk shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and hawk counters with a takedown into side control.
hawk is looking to take a break and control but Sherk is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

hawk goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Sherk rolls with the submission and now he's on top in hawk's guard! Nice work there by Sherk!
hawk can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Sherk controls the pace.

hawk working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Sherk doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Sherk manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
hawk can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Sherk controls the pace.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sherk looking to pass the guard.
hawk looking for a sweep. Not yet hawk, not yet.

hawk working for a triangle but Sherk defends it easily.
Sherk showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
hawk is trying to control the position but Sherk postures up.
hawk 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.
Sherk sitting in guard here, content to control.

hawk looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Sherk forces his way into half guard.

hawk actively working from the bottom here.
Sherk keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
hawk regains full guard. Nicely done.
hawk looking to control.

hawk throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

hawk looking for a guillotine here but Sherk defends easily.
hawk is trying to control the position but Sherk postures up.
Sherk 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.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - hawk has eaten all the pies!
hawk is pulling down on Sherk's head to control his posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sherk controls from within his opponent's guard.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Sean Sherk just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
hawk shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Sherk but Sherk pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Sherk shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Sherk sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
hawk tries to hold on but Sherk pushes him away.
Sherk content just to control the position here.
hawk is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Sherk looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
hawk really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Sherk controlling the position easily from mount.
hawk is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
hawk regains half guard.
hawk is trying to maintain the position but Sherk is very close to passing his half guard.
Sherk takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
The fighters are battling for position here. hawk manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
hawk working a defensive guard here.
Sherk controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Sherk has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Sherk trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Johnny hawk will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Sherk looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Sherk content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Sherk wants to take a breather but hawk is having none of it.

hawk looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Sherk keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
hawk trying to control but Sherk postures up.
hawk wants to get back to full guard.
Sherk is taking a breather. hawk says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Sean Sherk just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
No luck for hawk with that takedown attempt.

Sherk feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
hawk trying to control the position.
Sean Sherk overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
hawk might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Sherk kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Sherk looking to pass the guard.
Sherk postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
hawk manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
hawk can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Sherk is looking to escape.
hawk takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

hawk looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Sherk tries to hold on but hawk pushes him away.
Sherk is wriggling around trying to escape.

hawk goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Sherk turns into him and now he's in hawk's guard.
Sherk slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

hawk has his foot on Sherk's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Sherk works his way back into a safe position though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

hawk throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
hawk looking to control.
hawk looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Sherk is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Sherk stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. hawk swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Sherk looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
hawk lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Sherk!
Sherk is desperately trying to improve his position but hawk has a good base and remains in mount.
Sherk wants to hold on but hawk pushes him away.
hawk fails to advance to Sherk's back.
Sherk keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

hawk is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Sherk can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Sherk is wriggling around trying to escape.
hawk can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Sherk is looking to escape.

Sherk defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from hawk.

hawk working for a guillotine from mount but Sherk is in no mood to give up.
hawk wants to take his opponent's back but he's not managed it.
hawk looking to control but Sherk is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Sherk tries to get back to half guard but can't.

hawk looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Sherk tries to reverse the position but hawk maintains control.

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.
hawk can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Sherk is looking to escape.
hawk is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

hawk looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
hawk moves to the back.

hawk working from the back looking to end the fight with a rear naked choke. Sherk is doing well to defend. hawk seems to have got his hand under the chin though and he's sunk the choke in! Sherk is forced to tap and this one is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:48 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Johnny hawk!