PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Craig Hanks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Manfred von Richthofen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). von Richthofen has chosen Theme tune to islam as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Hanks
vs
von Richthofen

179 cm
34
175 lbs
28 - 15 - 1

174 cm
37
184 lbs
30 - 19 - 1

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Conviction
Fury Nutrition Inc.

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 28 - 15 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Craig Hanks!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 30 - 19 - 1, fighting out of London, Manfred von Richthofen!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, James Glass and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
von Richthofen blocks a jab.
von Richthofen tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hanks paws at him with a jab and circles away.

von Richthofen moves into range and clinches up with Hanks.
von Richthofen changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Hanks fights it off and pushes away nicely.
von Richthofen moves in looking to clinch but Hanks pushes him off.
Hanks has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Hanks throws a one two combo.
von Richthofen tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hanks paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A big left from von Richthofen misses.
A bone on bone clash there as von Richthofen blocks the leg kick.
Nice sprawl there from Hanks as von Richthofen shoots in.
Hanks looks to throw the jab but von Richthofen is out of range.
von Richthofen takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
von Richthofen moves out of range as Hanks throws a body kick.
Hanks lands a head kick!

von Richthofen has Hanks up against the cage in a clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hanks wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Hanks misses with some punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.

von Richthofen has picked Hanks up - he's going for a ride! von Richthofen dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
von Richthofen lands with a punch from half guard.
von Richthofen has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at GTI. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
Hanks is trying is best to control the position here.
von Richthofen missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Hanks trying to control but von Richthofen postures up.
Hanks is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Hanks moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Hanks is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

von Richthofen is controlling Hanks's trapped leg to prevent Hanks from advancing to side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
von Richthofen tries to roll over but Hanks keeps him under control.
Hanks slows the pace down in half guard.
Hanks is thwarting von Richthofen's attempts to control the position.
Hanks content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
von Richthofen tries to roll over but Hanks keeps him under control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
von Richthofen moves into full guard.
Hanks preventing the sweep.
von Richthofen working a defensive guard here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's four 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.
Hanks looks to land a combination but von Richthofen avoids it well.
Hanks throws an uppercut from half a mile away. von Richthofen sees it coming and avoids it easily.
von Richthofen throws a body shot but no joy.
von Richthofen shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Hanks sprawls well. Hanks wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. von Richthofen gets slowly back to his feet.
Craig Hanks has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Manfred von Richthofen.
von Richthofen fails in his attempt to clinch.
Craig Hanks is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
von Richthofen tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hanks paws at him with a jab and circles away.
von Richthofen throws a good cross that connects.

von Richthofen gets a clinch.
von Richthofen is looking to take this one to the mat.
Hanks tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Hanks working some nice short punches in the clinch.
von Richthofen can't find room to land a body shot as Hanks controls the action.
von Richthofen prevents a body shot from Hanks.
A short right from Hanks.
Hanks digs a right hand underneath von Richthofen's ribcage. von Richthofen let out a lung full of air as it connected.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Craig Hanks dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

von Richthofen wants to clinch.
von Richthofen is looking to clinch.
von Richthofen darts in trying to clinch
and Hanks counters with a lovely straight right hand!
von Richthofen is looking to clinch.
von Richthofen checks a leg kick.
von Richthofen tries to close the distance and clinch but Hanks swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
von Richthofen is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
von Richthofen is looking to clinch but Hanks is avoiding it.
von Richthofen takes a swing at Hanks's ribcage but misses.
von Richthofen fails with an attempt to clinch.

von Richthofen throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Hanks tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. von Richthofen is in Hanks's guard.
von Richthofen throws a big elbow that misses.
Hanks is controlling von Richthofen's posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
von Richthofen makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
von Richthofen wants to control from the top but Hanks keeps moving.
Hanks managing to control the position.
Hanks avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
von Richthofen won't allow Hanks to sweep him here.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Hanks is on top in guard.

The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
von Richthofen working a defensive guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
von Richthofen wants to sweep but no luck.
von Richthofen is trying to control the position but Hanks postures up.
von Richthofen has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
von Richthofen trying to control the position.
von Richthofen controlling the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Craig Hanks is winning the standup battle so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hanks thows a leg kick but von Richthofen checks it

and von Richthofen counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Hanks is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of von Richthofen's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take von Richthofen's back!
von Richthofen rolls, trying to escape but Hanks keeps control of the position.
von Richthofen trying to control but not successfully.
von Richthofen tries to escape the position.
Hanks is looking to control von Richthofen but von Richthofen is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Hanks controls the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hanks gets his hands free as von Richthofen looks to control.
Manfred von Richthofen has got the better of the ground game so far.
Hanks really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for von Richthofen.
Hanks trying to control momentarily.
von Richthofen is in bad spot here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hanks avoiding von Richthofen 's attempts to control his hands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Craig Hanks dominated that second round.
That's time! Hanks's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

A slow jab from Hanks misses its intended target.
The fight stays on the outside here - von Richthofen looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
von Richthofen wants to clinch but Hanks slips to the side
and Hanks counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Hanks lands a slapping body shot.
Hanks tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Hanks gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
von Richthofen is fighting to break Hanks's control of his arms but Hanks is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Hanks is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that von Richthofen can do to turn this around?
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
von Richthofen wants to control from the top but Hanks keeps moving.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as von Richthofen accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
von Richthofen postures up in Hanks's guard and throws a big left but Hanks blocks it.
Hanks wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Hanks not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Hanks is adopting a defensive guard.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Hanks lands with a shot to the body.
Hanks throws a leg kick but von Richthofen sees it coming and moves out of range.

von Richthofen shoots in and bounces Hanks off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Hanks lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Manfred von Richthofen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
von Richthofen pulls Hanks in close to prevent any damage.
von Richthofen being controlled here, momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
von Richthofen looking for a sweep. Not yet von Richthofen, not yet.
von Richthofen wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Hanks sitting in guard, not really doing much.
von Richthofen is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
von Richthofen wants to sweep here but Hanks controlling him for the moment.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Hanks throws a low kick, looking for von Richthofen's leg but von Richthofen calmly moves out of range.
von Richthofen cracks Hanks with a right hand to the side of the head.
Hanks slips under a jab from von Richthofen.
Hanks tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but von Richthofen was well out of range. Poor timing from Hanks.
Hanks fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. von Richthofen looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
von Richthofen shoots in looking for a takedown but Hanks manages to keep the fight standing, pushing von Richthofen's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
von Richthofen is looking to clinch.
A counter left hand to the body from Hanks misses its target.
Hanks on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Hanks lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Hanks looks for the body kick but von Richthofen saw that one coming.
Some bone on bone action there as von Richthofen checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Hanks misses with a straight right.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
von Richthofen avoids the body shot from Hanks.
Hanks explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Hanks ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Hanks pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.

And that's the end of the fight!
Craig Hanks showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Hanks, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Paul Tew scores the fight 30:27
Judge James Glass scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Craig Hanks!
Our winner, Craig Hanks, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.
The defeated Manfred von Richthofen had this to say: 'It's at times like this, one must reach deeply into his soul,challenge his heart, feel new courage, endure the fuck pain and say 'FUCK ISLAM AND MOHAMMED WAS A PEDOPHILE''.