PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Darius White (ranked 5680 p4p, 0 weight class) and Erik Hook (ranked 4287 p4p, 355 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

White
vs
Hook

175 cm
23
150 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

171 cm
23
150 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Prefers standup

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Darius White!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Erik Hook!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Alan Glass and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hook swats away the attempt to clinch by White.
Hook ducks down and throws a hook to the body but White moves away.
White has his takedown stuffed
and Hook counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Hook catches White with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
White will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Hook misses with a right hand

and White counters by clinching up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hook is defending well against a takedown attempt.
White tries for a takedown. No joy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Darius White. That's going to take a lot out of him.

White breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Darius White seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
White gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Hook counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hook throws a combination but it was largely blocked by White.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from White is defended easily by Hook.
Hook paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
No joy there for Hook, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
White tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Hook defends well and White ends up having to push Hook into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Hook connects with a good right hand that stumbles White. White circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Hook looks to land a right hand but White moved out of range.
White fails with the takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
White misses with the combination.
Hook dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Hook throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and White holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

White breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Hook getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
White is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Hook.

White closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

White breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
White misses with a takedown attempt
and Hook counters with a nice uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
White closes the distance and clinches up with Hook, looking for a takedown. White pushes Hook against the cage but Hook circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
White moves in looking to clinch but Hook pushes him off.
Hook looks like he wants to counter punch here.
White jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Hook throws a hook but White avoids it easily.
Hook throws a good cross that connects.
White shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Hook pinned against the cage. Hook gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
White blocks a jab.
Hook lands a right hook to the body.

White has closed the distance and engaged Hook in a clinch.

White has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Hook is trying to keep an underhook but White manages to get the takedown into half guard.

Hook makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hook lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
White doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Hook counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Hook lands a nice shot to the body.
White closes the distance but Hook moves to the side
and Hook counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
White slips a jab from Hook.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from White.
White tries to clinch
and Hook counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
White fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Hook appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Erik Hook dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Hook looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Hook tries to break the clinch but White is controlling the position.
White is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Hook prevents the takedown attempt.
White tries to score a body lock takedown but Hook shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Darius White. That's going to take a lot out of him.
White prevents Hook from breaking the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hook stalling against the cage.

White escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's one minute gone in the round.
White tries to clinch up.
Hook sizes up White with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Hook bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps White's head backwards.
Hook lands with a good body shot.
White slips a straight right by Hook.
Hook lands an overhand right.
Hook has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Hook scores with a jab to the body.
A slow jab from Hook misses its intended target.
White looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Hook is fending him off so far but White persists. Nope, Hook circles away and we're back to standing.
Hook throws a counter combo.
No luck for White with that takedown attempt.
Hook connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed White momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
White misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Hook.
Hook loads up on a big right hand but White slips the punch.
Darius White is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
White steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Hook.
Hook throws a lazy right hand but White sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
As Hook tries to get set, White tries to push him back and clinch up but Hook manages to avoid the attempt.
Hook scores with a nice right hand.
Erik Hook seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
White keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Hook's efforts to push away.

White has picked Hook up - he's going for a ride! White dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
White is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Hook is trying to stand up here but White is controlling him well.
White winds up and cracks Hook with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
White missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Hook manages to escape and get back to his feet!
White is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
White tries to clinch but Hook moves out of range.
Hook is on the wrong end of a nice combination from White.
Hook digs a good hook to White's body.
Nice takedown defense from Hook. No joy for White on that attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
White doesn't succeed with the takedown
enabling Hook to counter with a crisp jab.
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!
Hook throws a right and a left that White avoids nicely.
Hook slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.

White looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Hook!
White working the strikes but Hook uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
White scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Hook can do anything to dispel that myth.
Hook is trying to stand.
Erik Hook has got the better of the ground game so far.
Hook wants to get back to full guard.
White lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

Hook is rocked!
White thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Erik Hook showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Hook throws a lazy right hand but White sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
White wants to clinch
and Hook counters with a left and a right that stings White.
White doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from White.

Hook gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
White landing some decent shots from guard.
White scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Hook is still in real trouble! Can White finish him?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hook is pulling down on White's head. It's preventing any offense from White, at least for the moment.
Hook seems to have recovered his senses.
White makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
White is looking to work some ground and pound but Hook has wrist control.
Hook wants to sweep here but White controlling him for the moment.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Hook is on top in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hook's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Hook pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. White is keeping the position for now.

White is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Hook presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
White is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Hook gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Hook tries to break the clinch but White is controlling the position.
White has a couple of punches blocked by Hook.
White keeps control of Hook as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

White has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Hook is trying to keep an underhook but White manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Hook is trying to defend against the ground and pound but White scores with a couple of nice shots.
Erik Hook is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Hook controlling the position well.
White seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
White throwing shots but Hook is blocking nicely.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hook is trying to maintain the position but White is very close to passing his half guard.
Hook blocking the ground and pound attempt from White.
White lands a big elbow from half guard. That looks like it's hurt Hook quite badly. Hook pulls White in close trying to recover. White postures up and lands two really hard shots that put Hook on queer street! The ref takes a look and decides to call an end to the fight! Possibly an early stoppage but Hook doesn't seem to be complaining too much.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Darius White!
Darius White spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.