PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Stephen Hawking (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Steve Fontana (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hawking comes to the cage accompanied by Shady Lane. The crowd seem to be enjoying Fontana's choice of entrance music: Queensryche - Silent Lucidity. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Steve Fontana was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Hawking
vs
Fontana

168 cm
25
156 lbs
11 - 5 - 0

170 cm
24
157 lbs
11 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
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 11 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Stephen Hawking!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Steve Fontana!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Stewart Dunkirk and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hawking shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Fontana as he avoids it easily.
Fontana takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Fontana throws a hook but Hawking avoids it easily.
Nice sprawl there from Fontana as Hawking shoots in.
Hawking is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Fontana.
Hawking misses with a looping left.
Hawking waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Fontana.
A big right from Fontana misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fontana lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Fontana wants to slow Hawking down by chopping away at his legs.
Hawking misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Stephen Hawking seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Fontana throws a lazy uppercut
and Hawking counters with a series of strikes. Fontana will be more careful next time no doubt.
Fontana moves away from the strike by Hawking.
Hawking displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Fontana throws out the jab.
A big right from Fontana misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hawking tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Fontana was well out of range. Poor timing from Hawking.

Hawking scores with a takedown into Fontana's guard.
Hawking slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hawking misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Fontana is looking for a sweep.
Hawking wants to lay and pray for a moment but Fontana keeps working.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hawking is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Fontana is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Fontana pushes Hawking away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Hawking gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Hawking wants to control but Fontana is keeping him busy.
Hawking lands a nice forearm strike.
Hawking is staying tight to Fontana's torso, preventing him from escaping.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hawking trying to control the action but Fontana is working from the bottom.
Hawking tries to advance to mount but can't.
Fontana wants to get back to his feet but Hawking drags him back down.
Hawking in side control, just content to control the action for now.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hawking wants to control but Fontana is keeping him busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stephen Hawking dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

A head kick from Hawking lands but Fontana takes it in his stride.
The fighters circling - Hawking throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Hawking dives in and grabs Fontana's left leg, looking for a takedown. Fontana pushes down on Hawking's head and hops out.
Hawking throws a body kick that misses.
Hawking gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Fontana counters with a stiff right hand.
Fontana avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hawking takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Fontana stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Fontana wants it to stay on the feet.
Fontana blocks a head kick by Hawking.
Hawking throws a series of punches but Fontana avoids them all with ease.
Steve Fontana is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Fontana slips under a jab from Hawking.
Fontana staying out of range there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hawking connects with a solid leg kick.
Fontana keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Fontana swings widly with a right hand
and Hawking counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Fontana throws a shot to the body.
Hawking throws a jab but it's blocked by Fontana.
Hawking cracks Fontana with a good jab.
Hawking misses with a wild combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fontana throws a hook but Hawking avoids it easily.
Hawking rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Fontana counters with a nice uppercut.
Hawking misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Stephen Hawking. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Fontana scores with the left hand. Hawking knows he should have avoided that one.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fontana connects with the punch.
Hawking throws a head kick that half lands.
Hawking uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Fontana has time to react.
Hawking closes the distance and clinches up with Fontana, looking for a takedown. Hawking pushes Fontana against the cage but Fontana circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Fontana lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Stephen Hawking is winning the standup battle so far.
Fontana looks to land a combination but Hawking avoids it well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stephen Hawking dominated that second round.
That's time! Hawking's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. And we move into the final round!

Hawking misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Fontana.
Fontana tests Hawking's chin there with a solid looking shot.

Hawking manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Fontana on his heels. He'll look to pass Fontana's guard now, I'm sure.
Hawking wants to control from the top but Fontana keeps moving.
Hawking postures up.
Hawking trying to control the position from guard on top but Fontana is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Hawking trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Hawking wants to control from the top but Fontana keeps moving.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Stephen Hawking wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Fontana rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Hawking counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Fontana is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Fontana takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Fontana slips a straight right by Hawking.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hawking keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Fontana.
Hawking fails with the takedown.
Hawking closes this distance looking for a takedown but Fontana circles away.
Fontana might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Fontana lands an overhand right.
Hawking fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Stephen Hawking. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hawking misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Fontana.
Hawking tries to score a power double leg takedown but Fontana sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Hawking somewhat.
Fontana takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

That's four 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.

Hawking shoots in and gets a takedown into Fontana's guard.
Hawking throws a strike but Fontana rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Steve Fontana has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hawking manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Fontana manages to get himself to full guard.
Hawking advances position into side control!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hawking postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.

And that's the end of the fight!
Stephen Hawking showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Hawking 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 Tiny Johnson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 30:27
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 30:27

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