PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Gray Hawkes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Garrick Head (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hawkes kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Not Gonna Die. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Hawkes
vs
Head

200 cm
26
235 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

157 cm
19
154 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

Decent wrestler
Decent boxing
Granite chin

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 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Gray Hawkes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Garrick Head!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, Richard Clark and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Head connects with a body shot.
A jab from Head does it's job there.
Head looks to land a left hand but Hawkes moved out of range nicely.
Head avoids the head kick by Hawkes.
Hawkes keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Head throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Head blocks a head kick by Hawkes.
Head ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.

Head closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Head taking a breather.
Hawkes misses with an elbow strike.
Head lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Stalling in the clinch from Head.
Hawkes has had enough of the clinch but Head keeps him there for the moment.
We've been hearing reports that Hawkes has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.

Hawkes gets control of Head's arms and successfully pulls guard. Hawkes will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hawkes wants to sweep here but Head controlling him for the moment.
Head wanted to stand there but Hawkes had control of the position.
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.
Head is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Hawkes is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Head lands with an overhand left.
Hawkes shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Head as he jumps to the side.
Head digs a good body shot into Hawkes's ribs.
Head throws a lazy right hand but Hawkes sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Hawkes slips under a jab.
Garrick Head is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Head works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Hawkes shoots and misses
and Head cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Head fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Head tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Hawkes was well out of range. Poor timing from Head.
Hawkes looks for a takedown but Head sprawls well.
Head's coach down at Nonstop Intensity was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Head's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gray Hawkes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Head fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Head lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Hawkes ducks under a wild hook from Head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Head lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Head waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Hawkes.
Head just misses with a punch to the body.
Head throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Hawkes closes this distance looking for a takedown but Head circles away.
Head is looking for the big counter here.
Head lands a nice hook to Hawkes's body. Hawkes takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Hawkes uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Head.
Donk. Head catches Hawkes right on the button with a cross.
Head scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
A looping hook to the body misses from Head. Hawkes does a little dance to reset his feet.
A jab from Head misses.
Hawkes throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Hawkes on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Hawkes moves to clinch but Head breaks away
and Head counters with a stiff right hand.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Head throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Hawkes on the side of the head.
Head lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Hawkes at a distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Head darts in and clinches Hawkes up against the cage.
Head working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

Head breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Head fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Hawkes on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Head tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Hawkes was well out of range. Poor timing from Head.
Hawkes fails with the takedown.
Hawkes is breathing heavily.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Head misses with a hook to the ribs.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Head struggles to land a body shot inside as Hawkes controls his hands.
Hawkes stalling in the clinch but Head improves position.
A nice left hand lands by Head.
A nice left hand lands by Head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Garrick Head dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Head connects with a crisp jab.
Hawkes fails in his attempt to clinch.
Head looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Hawkes misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Head scores with a crisp jab that stopped Hawkes in his tracks.
Hawkes avoids the body shot from Head.
Head looks to land a right hand but Hawkes moved out of range.
Hawkes shoots in for a double leg but Head sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Head throws a counter combo.
Gray Hawkes is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A head kick misses from Hawkes.
Head misses with a looping left.
Head looks to throw the jab but Hawkes is out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hawkes fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Head avoids it really well and circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gray Hawkes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Hawkes uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Head.
Head throws a series of punches but Hawkes avoids them all with ease.
Jab, jab by Head - just one landing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Head swings away with a body shot that misses
and Hawkes counters with a three punch combo that has Head backing up. Head nods at Hawkes to acknowledge the strikes.
Head misses with a hook. Hawkes ducked under it nicely.
It looked like Hawkes was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Head.
Head lands the left hand.
Hawkes throws a sloppy head kick and Head moves out of range easily.
Head misses the shot to the body.
Hawkes is looking to counter the offense by Head and move into the clinch.
Head takes a swing at Hawkes's ribcage but misses.
Head throws a shot to the body.
Hawkes takes one on the chin but keeps coming.

Head clinches with his opponent.
Hawkes blocks an uppercut.
Nice body punch from Head - that landed with a thud.
Head lands a left hand that snaps the head of Hawkes backwards.
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!
A head punch blocked on the inside by Hawkes.

Head pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Hawkes shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Head defends it nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Head lands with an uppercut that bounces Hawkes off the cage and back into range.
Head has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Head misses with a looping left.
Hawkes is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Head.
Hawkes looks for a takedown but Head sprawls well.
Hawkes gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Head counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Hawkes fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Hawkes staying out of range there.
Head scores with a sloppy right hand. Hawkes should have avoided that one.

Head takes the fight into the clinch.

Head breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Head cracks Hawkes with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Hawkes shoots in but Head avoids the takedown attempt easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Head connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.

Hawkes is rocked!
Hawkes looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Today's fight clock is brought to you by... OOOH that's a huge shot by Head! Hawkes is in big trouble here - the ref steps in to save him and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:17 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Garrick Head!
Garrick Head tried to hype himself up post fight but didn't word it too well and it ended up with him sounding like a bit of a tool.
Gray Hawkes spoke after the fight, saying 'Should have trained better.'.