PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Bill Hicks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Stephen Hawking (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hicks's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Bang Your Head. Hawking has chosen Shady Lane as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Hicks
vs
Hawking

174 cm
30
155 lbs
15 - 7 - 0

168 cm
24
156 lbs
10 - 4 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
Heavy handed

Bushido Clothing
Bushido Clothing

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 15 - 7 - 0, fighting out of London, Bill Hicks!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Stephen Hawking!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Colin Fotheringham and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hawking misses with a lunging right hand
and Hicks counters with a three punch combo that has Hawking backing up. Hawking nods at Hicks to acknowledge the strikes.
Hawking misses with an uppercut
and Hicks counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Hicks throws a jab when Hawking was well out of range.
Hicks misses with a double jab.
Hawking uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Hicks.
Hawking throws a lazy uppercut

and Hicks counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Hicks.
Hawking lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Hicks!
Hawking raining down hammerfists from mount.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hicks regains half guard.
Hawking is keen to just control but Hicks is a slippery customer.
Hicks wants to get back to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hicks slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Hawking passes Hicks's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Hicks tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Hawking has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Hawking landing strikes from the mount and Hicks is in trouble!
Hicks tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Hicks is working hard here to advance position.
Hawking tries to control but Hicks wriggling away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hicks working to try and regain half guard.
Hawking has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Hicks's face.
Hicks is in all sorts of trouble here.
Hawking trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Hawking postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Hicks looks a forlorn figure.
Hawking controlling from mount.
Hicks is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hawking tries to control but Hicks wriggling away.
Hicks is trying to escape the mount.
Hicks taking shots to the head.
Hicks is trying to escape the mount.
Hicks is squirming around, avoiding Hawking's attempts to control the action.

Hawking working for a guillotine from mount but Hicks is in no mood to give up.
Hicks is looking to improve his position but Hawking isn't that keen on the idea.
BOOM! Hawking connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Hawking putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hicks tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Hicks bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Hicks works over Hawking with some ground and pound from guard.
Hicks throwing strikes but missing.
Hicks trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Hicks in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Hawking is trying to keep Hicks in close.
Hicks is in close to Hawking's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Hawking manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Hicks manages to get himself to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hawking distracts Hicks with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hicks is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Hicks looking for a sweep. Not yet Hicks, not yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stephen Hawking dominated that 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.

Hicks tries for a takedown but Hawking sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Hawking moves into range and clinches up with Hicks.
Hicks goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Hawking lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Hicks blocks the elbow strike.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Hawking.
Hawking is trying to maintain a safe position but Hicks gets an underhook and turns Hawking into the cage.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Hawking takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Hawking scores with a shot to the side of Hicks's head.
Hicks is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Hawking pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Hawking tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Hicks avoids it.
Hicks has had enough of the clinch but Hawking keeps him there for the moment.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Hawking.

It looks like Bill Hicks has been cut.
Hicks swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Hawking taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Hawking lands an uppercut.

Hicks has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Hawking clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Hawking needs to remain patient if he's going to get out of this sticky situation.
Hicks lands with a nice looking elbow that stuns Hawking.
Hawking rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hawking works his way to full guard. Good work.
Hawking trying to control the position.
Hicks passes into half guard.
Hawking is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Hicks scores with a couple of nice shots.
Hawking wants to improve his position but Hicks is controlling well.
Hicks throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Hicks has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Hicks drops an elbow to the side of Hawking's head.
Hawking is trying to get back to full guard.
Hicks winds up and cracks Hawking with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hicks working Hawking over with strikes.
Hicks wants to free his trapped foot but Hawking is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Hawking is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Hicks's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Hicks's back!
Hawking struggling to keep hold of the position.
Hawking is trying to stick to Hicks's back but Hicks is turning into Hawking. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Hawking's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Hicks.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Hawking is on top in guard.
Hicks tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Hawking avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Hawking pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Hicks is keeping the position for now.
Hicks keeping moving, preventing Hawking from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hicks working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Hawking has passed into half guard!
Hicks slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Hicks looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Hawking pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Hicks is keeping the position for now.

Hicks working for a triangle but Hawking defends it easily.
Hawking sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Hicks's guard.
Hawking wants to control but Hicks is keeping him busy.
Hawking working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hicks regains full guard. Nicely done.
Stephen Hawking has got the better of the ground game so far.

Hicks is looking for a triangle but Hawking pushes his legs off easily.
Hawking sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Hicks's guard.
Hicks gets back to full guard.
Hawking slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Hicks is not content to let Hawking control the position.
Hicks is looking for a sweep.
Hicks is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Hawking off and has taken his back!
Hawking grimaces as he takes a shot to the body.
Hawking breaks Hicks's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Hawking pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Hicks is keeping the position for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Bill Hicks will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Bill Hicks's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Hicks is looking to slow Hawking down with leg kicks.
Hawking throws a lazy right hand but Hicks sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Hicks jabs Hawking to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Hicks fails with the takedown.
A looping hook to the body misses from Hawking. Hicks does a little dance to reset his feet.
Hicks shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Hawking counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Hawking, as that shot connected.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hicks throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Hawking.
Hawking looks to score with a jab to the body but Hicks is just out of range.
Stephen Hawking seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hawking chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hawking uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Hicks has time to react.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hawking throws a right hand that Hicks ducks under and follows up with a left that Hicks also avoids with ease.
Hawking tries to close the distance and clinch but Hicks swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Hawking closes the distance and clinches.
Hawking blocks a body shot from Hicks.
Hicks goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Hicks avoids the elbow strike from Hawking, against the cage.
Hicks tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A shot in the inside from Hawking.
Hicks tries to work over Hawking's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Hicks misses with a hook to the ribs.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Hawking.
Come on Hawking - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Hawking lands a damaging elbow.
Hicks tries a body shot but Hawking blocks it.
Hicks is trying to break the clinch but Hawking has him pressed against the cage.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Hicks gets through Hawking's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Hawking scores with a shot to the side of Hicks's head.

Hicks's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Hicks shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Hawking as he avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bill Hicks. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hicks misses with a looping right.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hicks defending well as Hawking loads up on a big left hand.
Hawking scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Hawking throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Hawking is looking to land body kicks.
Hicks misses with a hook.
Hawking lands with a shot to the body.
Hicks misses with a shot to the body
and Hawking counters with a nice low kick that buckles Hicks's knee momentarily.
Hawking misses with a looping left.
Hawking looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Hawking scores with a crisp jab that stopped Hicks in his tracks.
Hawking tries to close the distance and clinch but Hicks swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Hawking thuds a left hand into Hicks's body.
Hicks staying out of range there.
Bill Hicks is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hicks misses with a left hand
and Hawking counters with an outside leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hicks misses with a hook.
Hicks fails to land the takedown.
Hawking takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Hawking misses with a hook to the body

and Hicks counters with a takedown into side control.
Hawking gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Hicks thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Hawking's head.
Hawking regains full guard. Nicely done.
Hawking looking for a sweep. Not yet Hawking, not yet.
Hicks postures up.
Hicks won't allow Hawking to sweep him here.
Hawking manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hicks working to try and regain half guard.
Hawking controlling the position easily from mount.
Hicks is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Hawking connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Hicks tries to reverse the position but Hawking maintains control.
Hawking trying to control but Hicks is having none of it.
Hicks is wriggling around trying to escape.

And that's the end of the fight!
Stephen Hawking comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Hawking has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 James Ackerman scores the fight 28:29
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Stephen Hawking!