PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jon Hawkins (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hans Gruber (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hawkins is coming into this fight with a significant injury, which will no doubt have an effect on his cardio. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Hawkins
vs
Gruber

196 cm
23
255 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

190 cm
23
260 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Jon Hawkins!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Hans Gruber!
The judges for this bout are Phil Schofield, Daniel Bishop and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gruber lands a jab to the nose.
Hawkins is breathing heavily.
Hawkins keeps the fight on the outside.
Gruber doesn't manage to clinch there - Hawkins circles away.
Gruber doesn't manage to clinch there - Hawkins circles away.
Gruber wants to clinch up but Hawkins keeps it at a distance.

Gruber rushes Hawkins and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Gruber is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Hawkins pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Gruber can't get the takedown.
Hawkins is trying to push Gruber away but Gruber has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Gruber works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gruber is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Gruber lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Hawkins looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Gruber seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gruber trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Gruber makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Gruber pushes down on Hawkins's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Gruber is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Hawkins taking some punishment here, with Gruber in his half guard.

Gruber seems to be looking for submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hawkins is looking for a sweep. Gruber is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Gruber not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Hawkins wants to control but Gruber is keeping busy.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Gruber decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Gruber misses the jab.
Gruber tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hawkins swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Hawkins checks a leg kick.
Sloppy strikes from Gruber. Those never looked like landing.
Gruber tries to clinch there but Hawkins circles away.
Gruber throws a predictable looking body shot
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
and Hawkins counters with a nice uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gruber tries to work over Hawkins's front leg with a kick but Hawkins checks it.

Gruber pushes Hawkins up against the cage in a clinch.

Gruber breaks from the clinch.
Gruber tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Hawkins manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Hawkins shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Gruber defends it nicely.
No joy there for Gruber, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Gruber looks to land a right hand but Hawkins moved out of range.
Gruber misses with a looping right.
Gruber lands a jab-cross combination.
Gruber misses with a two punch combination.
Gruber looks to land a left hand but Hawkins moved out of range nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hawkins is looking to clinch but Gruber is avoiding it.
Gruber staying out of range there.
Gruber tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Hawkins manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Hawkins avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Gruber misses with an uppercut.

Gruber closes the distance and clinches.
Gruber drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Jon Hawkins has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hans Gruber.
Hawkins is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Gruber to keep the fight standing.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gruber has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Hawkins avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Hawkins is trying to break the clinch but Gruber is controlling him.
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!

Gruber breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hans Gruber dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Gruber lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.

Gruber manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Hawkins on his heels. He'll look to pass Hawkins's guard now, I'm sure.
Hawkins on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Hawkins tries to get out of the position.
Gruber landing with the ground and pound.
Gruber is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Gruber trying to control the position from guard on top but Hawkins is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gruber showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Gruber trying to control the position from guard on top but Hawkins is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Hawkins trying to strike off his back.
Hawkins can't keep his opponent in guard - Gruber advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gruber looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Hawkins actively working from the bottom here.
Gruber working the head and body with strikes.
Gruber wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hawkins keeps working.

Hawkins looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gruber prevents Hawkins from improving his position.
Hans Gruber has got the better of the ground game so far.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Gruber connects with a nice short shot to Hawkins's temple.
Hawkins on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Gruber slips a nice elbow through Hawkins's hands, connecting with Hawkins's forehead.
Gruber scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Gruber tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Gruber looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Hawkins manages to get to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gruber trying to control but Hawkins is working from the bottom.
Gruber is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Hawkins looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Hawkins looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Gruber makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gruber stands up over Hawkins, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Gruber working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Hawkins utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Gruber postures up.

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

Hawkins working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Gruber doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Gruber manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Gruber postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gruber landing some decent shots from guard.
Gruber works over Hawkins with some ground and pound from guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hans Gruber showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Hawkins's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Gruber clinches with his opponent.

Gruber breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Hawkins with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Gruber to score with a decent uppercut.
Gruber connects with the punch.
Hawkins takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Gruber is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Gruber fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Hawkins, pushing him back against the cage.
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!
Gruber is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Hawkins pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Hawkins gets control of Gruber's arms and successfully pulls guard. Hawkins will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Gruber content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gruber landing with the ground and pound.

Gruber thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gruber throwing strikes from guard but Hawkins blocks nicely.
Hawkins trying to control the position.

Gruber drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Gruber jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Gruber postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

Hawkins looking for subs off his back but Gruber has passed one foot through into half guard.
Hawkins wants to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hawkins is looking for a sweep. Gruber is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Gruber has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Ground and pound from Gruber.
Hawkins is trying to stand back up but Gruber is controlling him
Hawkins on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Hawkins is refusing to be controlled, as Gruber sits in half guard.
Hawkins is looking to escape.
Gruber lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Hawkins is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Gruber throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gruber is nestled in close to Hawkins, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Gruber connects with a nice short shot to Hawkins's temple.
Hawkins is trying to control but can't.
Gruber working the head and body with strikes.
Hawkins is looking to escape.
Hawkins keeping control of the position.
Hawkins is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Gruber scores with a couple of nice shots.
Gruber wants to control but Hawkins is keeping him busy.
Gruber not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Gruber lands with a punch from half guard.
Gruber has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Hawkins wants to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hawkins trying to control here.
Gruber looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Hawkins with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Hawkins is trying to stand up here but Gruber is controlling him well.
Gruber scoring with strikes to the body and head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gruber with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Gruber winds up and cracks Hawkins with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gruber throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Hawkins is trying to stand back up but Gruber is controlling him
Jon Hawkins has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hans Gruber is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Hawkins looking for submissions off his back.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hans Gruber comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Gruber 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 Phil Schofield scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hans Gruber!