PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between TJ Hawkins (ranked 7857 p4p, 638 weight class) and Murray Sterling James (ranked 25337 p4p, 690 weight class). The key to victory for TJ Hawkins has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Hawkins
vs
Sterling James

188 cm
18
192 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

190 cm
18
190 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Enjoys gardening

FRESH Inc. (10%)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, TJ Hawkins!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Murray Sterling James!
The judges for this bout are Eliza Hachem, John Mangel and Steve Erwin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sterling James will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Sterling James is looking to clinch.
Hawkins scoring well with a low kick there.
Sterling James takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Hawkins slaps away a takedown attempt from Sterling James, before circling back to the center of the mat.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Sterling James.
Hawkins looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
TJ Hawkins has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Murray Sterling James.

Sterling James darts in and clinches Hawkins up against the cage.
I was talking to Hawkins's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sterling James has Hawkins pressed against the cage, preventing Hawkins from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Hawkins missing with knees to the body.
Hawkins has Sterling James pressed against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A short left from Hawkins.
Sterling James is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Hawkins is leaning against Sterling James and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Hawkins lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Sterling James or not.

Sterling James breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Hawkins takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.

Hawkins clinches with his opponent.
Sterling James is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Hawkins pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Hawkins breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Hawkins keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.

Hawkins rushes Sterling James and presses him up against the cage.
Sterling James is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hawkins misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Sterling James.

Sterling James tightens his grip and picks Hawkins up, before dumping him to the ground. Hawkins manages to land in guard.
Hawkins is wriggling around but Sterling James manages to pass to half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Hawkins punching from the bottom.
Hawkins is trying to control but can't.
Sterling James passes into side control, despite Hawkins's attempt to control the position.
Sterling James in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Hawkins tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Sterling James wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Sterling James creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Sloppy strikes there by Sterling James.
Sterling James controls the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hawkins trying to control but Sterling James flips him over like a cheap hooker and has his back!
Hawkins prevents Sterling James from getting a body triangle.
I would not like to be Hawkins right now.

Hawkins is looking to escape but he's done so without protecting himself and Sterling James manages to counter with a nice rear naked choke! Hawkins is in trouble and he's forced to tap!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Murray Sterling James!