PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Conrad Hawkins (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gareth Hughes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Hawkins
vs
Hughes

185 cm
24
151 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

178 cm
25
148 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Very confident

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Conrad Hawkins!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Gareth Hughes!
The judges for this bout are Francis DeMontford, Topper Green and Ben Watson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hawkins misses with an uppercut
and Hughes counters with a two punch combo.
Hughes misses with a takedown attempt - Hawkins sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Hughes shoots in looking for a takedown but Hawkins manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Hughes's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Hughes pushes Hawkins up against the cage in a clinch.

Hughes manages to pull guard.
Hawkins throwing strikes from guard but Hughes blocks nicely.

Hughes uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Hughes tries to score a power double leg takedown but Hawkins sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Hughes somewhat.
Conrad Hawkins has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gareth Hughes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hawkins throws a big shot that misses.

Hughes tries to keep at a distance but Hawkins has taken the fight into the clinch.
Hawkins is trying to force a seperation but Hughes has the dominant position.

Hughes breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Hawkins takes the fight into the clinch.

Hawkins gets control of Hughes's arms and successfully pulls guard. Hawkins will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Hawkins wants to get back to his feet but Hughes is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Hawkins pulls Hughes in close to his closed guard and prevents Hughes from doing any damage or advancing position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hughes passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Hawkins manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

Hawkins is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Hawkins working the head and body with strikes.
Hughes is trying to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hughes looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Hawkins wants to work for an arm triangle but Hughes is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hughes is looking for a sweep. Hawkins is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Hughes wants to control but Hawkins passes into side.
Hughes looks to move to half guard but instead Hawkins has passed into mount! Damn!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Hughes is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Hughes is trying to stand but he's just given Hawkins his back.
Hughes is trying to break free.

Hughes showing good submission defense here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hughes tries to roll but Hawkins sticks to his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Conrad Hawkins dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Hughes connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

Hughes closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Hughes tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Hawkins has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Hughes is trying to keep an underhook but Hawkins manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Hughes blocking the ground and pound attempt from Hawkins.
Hughes trying to hold on to Hawkins's head to control him but Hawkins postures up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hawkins 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.
Hughes trying to control here.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Nice strikes from Hawkins there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Hawkins is trying to work for a kimura but Hughes is defending well.
Hughes is looking for a sweep. Hawkins is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Hughes closes this distance looking for a takedown but Hawkins circles away.

Hawkins moves into the clinch.
Hawkins gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Hughes.
Hughes is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Hawkins gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Conrad Hawkins has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gareth Hughes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hawkins has Hughes pressed against the cage, preventing Hughes from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Hughes is pressed up against the cage. Hawkins has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Hughes down to the mat. Hughes avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Hawkins really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Hughes slips a jab from Hawkins.

Hughes has managed to clinch.
Hughes jumps guard but Hawkins stands there with Hughes around his waist. Hughes gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Hawkins drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Hughes gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Hawkins trying to land knees to the body.
Hughes is trying to pull guard but Hawkins has him pressed against the cage.
Hawkins is pressed up against the cage. Hughes has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Hawkins down to the mat. Hawkins avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Hawkins gets a takedown into half guard.
Hughes is breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hawkins passes into side control, despite Hughes's attempt to control the position.
Hawkins scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Hughes to see if he's OK.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hughes tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Hawkins wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Hughes is trying to control Hawkins's posture but Hawkins avoids it.
Conrad Hawkins overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Hawkins looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Conrad Hawkins dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Hawkins stuffs the takedown attempt from Hughes. Hughes gets slowly back to his feet.

Hawkins gets a clinch.
Hughes wants to take the fight to the mat but Hawkins manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Hawkins goes for a takedown attempt but Hughes pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Hughes shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Hawkins as he avoids it easily.
Conrad Hawkins has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gareth Hughes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Hawkins takes the fight into the clinch.
Hughes jumps guard but Hawkins turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

Hughes breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Hawkins tests Hughes's chin there with a solid looking shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes darts in looking for a takedown but Hawkins gets double underhooks and turns Hughes into the cage.
Hughes takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Hughes has Hawkins up against the cage in a clinch.
Hughes gets underhooks to prevent Hawkins's takedown attempt.
Hawkins is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Hughes can do to turn this around?
Hawkins is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Hughes can't get the takedown.
Hughes tries to work over Hawkins's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Conrad Hawkins has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Hughes throws an elbow but it misses.

Hughes drags the fight down to the ground.

Hawkins stands and steps away. Hughes gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Hawkins has managed to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hughes wants to get back to striking at distance but Hawkins won't allow it.

Hawkins has picked Hughes up - he's going for a ride! Hawkins dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Hawkins scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Hawkins not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Hawkins seems to be looking for submissions.
Hughes is looking to escape.
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!
Hughes pushes Hawkins off but Hawkins dives into side control.
Hughes wants to control but Hawkins postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hughes sneaks back into half guard.
Hughes tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Hawkins has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Hughes wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hughes tries to escape the position.
Hughes covers up after taking a massive shot to the side of the head.

Hawkins is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Hughes has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.

Hawkins has both hooks in and is working for a choke. Hughes is in real trouble here. Hawkins gets an arm under the chin and tightens the submission attempt... is this the end? Yes, Hughes is tapping out! Hawkins wins by rear naked choke!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:50 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Conrad Hawkins!