PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Nao Sakumichi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jonathan Hawkins (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Sakumichi
vs
Hawkins

179 cm
25
145 lbs
11 - 5 - 0

165 cm
28
142 lbs
10 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Very quick

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Vandal Fight Boutique (prices $8 - $30)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the bantamweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Nao Sakumichi!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jonathan Hawkins!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hawkins misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Sakumichi.
Hawkins slaps away a takedown attempt from Sakumichi, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Sakumichi misses with a hook. Hawkins ducked under it nicely.
Hawkins throws a shot from downtown. Sakumichi moves away and avoids it.
No luck for Sakumichi with that takedown attempt.
Hawkins connects with a body shot.

Sakumichi shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Sakumichi wants to pass the guard but Hawkins is defending well.
Hawkins is trying to maintain the position but Sakumichi is very close to passing his half guard.
Sakumichi working Hawkins over with strikes.
Sakumichi prevents Hawkins from improving his position.
Sakumichi moves into full mount! Hawkins won't be happy about that!
Hawkins is looking to get to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakumichi with good strikes from the mount here!
Sakumichi cracks Hawkins with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Sakumichi landing strikes from the mount and Hawkins is in trouble!
Sakumichi landing strikes from the mount and Hawkins is in trouble!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hawkins is working to get back to half guard.
Sakumichi landing punches.
Hawkins sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Sakumichi not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Hawkins is looking to improve his position.
Sakumichi working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Hawkins's thigh. Hawkins counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Sakumichi won't allow Hawkins to sweep him here.
Sakumichi throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Hawkins manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Sakumichi manages to get himself to full guard.
Hawkins throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Sakumichi works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hawkins is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Sakumichi 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.
Sakumichi can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Hawkins controls the pace.
Sakumichi keeping full guard, as Hawkins tries to pass.
Sakumichi is controlling Hawkins's posture.
Sakumichi wants to sweep but no luck.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Hawkins misses with a hook.
Hawkins shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Sakumichi gets a takedown into half guard.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Sakumichi lands a nice short elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakumichi uses his free foot to push down on Hawkins's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Hawkins.
Hawkins working to try and regain half guard.
Sakumichi working the ground and pound effectively.
Hawkins slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Sakumichi not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Hawkins is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Sakumichi's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Sakumichi's back!
Sakumichi wants to control his opponent's hands but Hawkins gets his hands free.
Hawkins is looking to control Sakumichi but Sakumichi is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Sakumichi breaks Hawkins's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Sakumichi will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Sakumichi throws a big right hand that misses.
Sakumichi trying to control but Hawkins is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hawkins looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sakumichi is one step ahead there.
Hawkins bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Sakumichi's guard.
Sakumichi being controlled here, momentarily.
Hawkins won't allow Sakumichi to sweep him here.
Hawkins trying to control but Sakumichi is working from the bottom.
Sakumichi wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Hawkins content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Hawkins pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sakumichi is keeping the position for now.
Sakumichi is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Sakumichi 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.
Hawkins looking to pass the guard.
Sakumichi wants to sweep here but Hawkins controlling him for the moment.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Nice shot by Hawkins.
Nice sprawl there from Hawkins as Sakumichi shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nao Sakumichi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A looping hook to the body misses from Hawkins. Sakumichi does a little dance to reset his feet.
Sakumichi is trying hard to land a takedown here. Hawkins sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Sakumichi waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Hawkins.

Sakumichi shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Sakumichi trying to pass the guard but Hawkins defending well.
Hawkins is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Sakumichi's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Sakumichi's back!

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Sakumichi turns into Hawkins and is now in his guard.
Sakumichi postures up.
Sakumichi stopping the sweep attempt from Hawkins.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hawkins preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Hawkins managing to control the position.
Hawkins wants to sweep but no luck.
Sakumichi has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Sakumichi wants to control from the top but Hawkins keeps moving.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Hawkins wants to sweep here but Sakumichi controlling him for the moment.
Sakumichi wants to control from the top but Hawkins keeps moving.
Sakumichi working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Hawkins's head.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Sakumichi looking to pass the guard.
Sakumichi trying to control but Hawkins is working from the bottom.
Sakumichi with a flurry of punches that miss.
Sakumichi is pushing down on Hawkins's leg trying to pass to half guard. Hawkins is fighting to maintain full guard but Sakumichi has managed to sneak the leg through.
Sakumichi knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Hawkins on the ground.
Hawkins wants to control but Sakumichi is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Hawkins manages to get to full guard.
Sakumichi throwing strikes from guard but Hawkins blocks nicely.
Sakumichi is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Hawkins lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Sakumichi!
Sakumichi wants to hold on but Hawkins pushes him away.
Hawkins is in the full mount, landing strikes.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Hawkins tries to control but Sakumichi wriggling away.
Hawkins fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hawkins lands with some strikes.
Sakumichi tries to lock up and control but Hawkins gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Hawkins trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Hawkins raining down shots from the mount!
Sakumichi is looking to get to half guard.
Hawkins throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Hawkins working away from the top, dropping strikes.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Hawkins working Sakumichi over with strikes here.

Sakumichi is rocked!
Sakumichi is trying to escape the mount.
Oh Sakumichi is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Sakumichi holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Hawkins tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Sakumichi seems to have got his legs back now.
Hawkins with the ground and pound from mount.
Hawkins pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Sakumichi is squirming around, avoiding Hawkins's attempts to control the action.
Hawkins looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Hawkins drops a big elbow. That's hurt Sakumichi! More shots from Hawkins and the ref steps in! The fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 9:57 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Jonathan Hawkins!
Jonathan Hawkins is the new bantamweight champion!
Jonathan Hawkins thanked the fans post fight for their support.