PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jon Tate (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lincoln Hawk (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lincoln Hawk acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Tate
vs
Hawk

178 cm
27
193 lbs
12 - 6 - 0

180 cm
26
200 lbs
9 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very strong

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jon Tate!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Lincoln Hawk!
The judges for this bout are Hugh Johnson, Bruno Hogan and John Mangel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hawk keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Tate.
Tate misses with a looping left.
Hawk gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Tate counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Hawk's guard now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tate is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Tate 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.
Hawk looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Tate trying to control but Hawk is working from the bottom.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Tate is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Jon Tate.
Hawk gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Tate counters with a nice double leg into side control. Hawk won't be happy with that.
Hawk tries to bench press Tate off him but Tate keeps the position.
Hawk trying to remain calm as Tate controls from the top position.
Tate scoring with punches and elbows.
Hawk is looking to regain half guard here but Tate keeps moving and retains side control.
Tate working the head with strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tate wants to control but Hawk is keeping him busy.
Hawk is looking to regain half guard here but Tate keeps moving and retains side control.
Hawk is letting Tate control him for a moment.
Hawk is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Tate has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Hawk!
Hawk is desperately trying to improve his position but Tate has a good base and remains in mount.
Tate looking to control and managing it successfully.
Hawk is squirming around, avoiding Tate's attempts to control the action.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Tate sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Jon Tate wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Hawk doesn't succeed with the takedown
enabling Tate to counter with a crisp jab.
Jon Tate has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lincoln Hawk.
Hawk tests Tate's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Hawk gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Tate counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Hawk looks gassed!
Tate not doing much here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tate is trying to control the action in half guard but Hawk is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

We're going to have a standup here because Jon Tate wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Hawk with a lazy takedown attempt
and Tate counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Hawk fails with the takedown

and Tate counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Hawk wants to get back to full guard.
Still in half guard, Tate seems content to control.
Hawk is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Tate scores with a couple of nice shots.
Tate is trying to control. Hawk wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Tate stalling.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Jon Tate.

Hawk shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Tate moves into full guard.
Hawk stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Tate swivels though and keeps the full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Tate trying to keep a closed guard but Hawk is proving a slippery customer.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jon Tate dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Hawk misses with a left hand
and Tate counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Hawk slips a jab from Tate.
Hawk throws a poor cross that misses

and Tate counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Hawk can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Tate controls the pace.
Tate trying to control the position from guard on top but Hawk is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tate is stalling in the full guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Jon Tate just wasn't active enough.
Hawk shoots and misses
and Tate counters with a stiff right hand.
Lincoln Hawk seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A swing and a miss from Tate.
Hawk misses with a takedown
and Tate counters with a straight right hand.
Hawk is breathing heavily.
Tate scores with a sloppy right hand. Hawk should have avoided that one.
Tate darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Hawk misses with a takedown

and Tate counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Tate.
Jon Tate has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lincoln Hawk.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tate trying to control the position from guard on top but Hawk is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tate is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Tate has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

Hawk is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Tate defends well.
Tate trying to control the position from guard on top but Hawk is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Jon Tate just wasn't active enough.
Hawk tries for a takedown but Tate circles away easily

and Tate counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Tate is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tate wants to control from the top but Hawk keeps moving.
Hawk working a defensive guard but Tate passes into half guard.
Hawk is looking for a sweep. Tate is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Tate is controlling the pace.
Tate seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Hawk does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Tate content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Tate tries to pass the half guard into mount. Hawk knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Tate content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Jon Tate wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Tate gets the takedown into side control.
Tate trying to control the position but Hawk is working away.
Hawk tries to improve position but can't.
Hawk is letting Tate control him for a moment.
Hawk is trying to work for a sweep but Tate has mounted him!
Hawk is trying to escape the mount.
Tate avoids the attempt from Hawk to control.
Hawk is desperately trying to improve his position but Tate has a good base and remains in mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tate looking to control and managing it successfully.
Tate scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Tate controlling his opponent.
Tate tries to control but Hawk wriggling away.
Tate controlling from the full mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hawk is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Tate landing strikes from the mount and Hawk is in trouble!
Tate postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Hawk looks a forlorn figure.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jon Tate dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Hawk shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Tate cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Tate is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Hawk takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Tate bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Hawk's head backwards.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Tate.
Hawk is looking for a sweep.
Tate content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Hawk is looking to regain half guard here but Tate keeps moving and retains side control.
Hawk is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Hawk takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Tate trying to control the action but Hawk is working from the bottom.
Tate is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Hawk's shoulder. That is not cool.

That's one minute gone in the round.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Hawk prevents Tate from improving position.
Tate controlling the position.
Hawk tries to buck Tate off but Tate is having none of it.
Hawk is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Tate is staying tight to Hawk's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Hawk is trying to get back to half guard.
Tate staying calm.
Tate is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Hawk can do to turn this around?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tate trying to control the action but Hawk is working from the bottom.
The referee asks Tate politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Tate prefers to stall for the moment though.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Jon Tate.
Hawk doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Tate counters with a nice double leg into side control. Hawk won't be happy with that.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Tate working the body and head with strikes.
Tate wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hawk keeps working.
Hawk is letting Tate control him for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hawk tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Tate wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Tate is looking to take a break and control but Hawk is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Tate is staying tight to Hawk's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Tate wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hawk keeps working.
Jon Tate overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Jon Tate wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Hawk with a poor takedown
enabling Tate to counter with a crisp jab.
Jon Tate has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lincoln Hawk.

Tate closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Hawk to the mat! Hawk manages to get full guard.
Tate working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Tate working some strikes from top position.
Tate's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Hawk is trying to keep Tate in close.
Tate trying to control the position from guard on top but Hawk is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Jon Tate.
Tate scores with a jab.
Hawk shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Tate counters with a single leg into guard. Hawk didn't expect that.
Tate stopping the sweep attempt from Hawk.
Hawk keeping full guard, as Tate tries to pass.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Tate working some strikes from top position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jon Tate showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Tate has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Hugh Johnson scores the fight 30:25
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 30:25
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 30:25

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jon Tate!