PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Brandon Baldwin (ranked 5062 p4p, 5277 weight class) and Thufir Hawat (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Baldwin
vs
Hawat

185 cm
37
178
33 - 28 - 1

185 cm
20
178
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

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 33 - 28 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Brandon Baldwin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Thufir Hawat!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Frank Antenori and Percy O'Donnell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Baldwin bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Hawat lands with a hook. Baldwin tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.

Baldwin gets a clinch.
Baldwin blocking some punches.
Hawat takes a shot to the head.
A nice left hand lands by Baldwin.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Baldwin lands a shot to the body.

Baldwin breaks from the clinch.

Baldwin gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Baldwin lands a left hand.
Hawat prevents a body shot from Baldwin.
Hawat blocks a body shot from Baldwin.

Baldwin breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Baldwin will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
The fighters circling - Baldwin throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Hawat was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.

Baldwin moves into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baldwin blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Baldwin misses with a body punch.
A short uppercut from Baldwin.

Baldwin's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Hawat connects with a solid leg kick.
A jab from Baldwin misses.
Hawat slips a straight right by Baldwin.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Hawat! But no joy.
Hawat is looking to slow Baldwin down with leg kicks.
Hawat cracks Baldwin with a right hand to the side of the head.
Baldwin throws a leg kick which misses Hawat's front leg but catches the back leg as Hawat tries to avoid it.
Baldwin avoids the head kick by Hawat.
Baldwin lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Hawat works over Baldwin's head and body with a nice combination.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hawat misses with a body kick.
Baldwin is looking for a counter combo.
Baldwin scores with a head kick. Hawat tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Baldwin slips under a jab from Hawat.
Hawat throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Baldwin gets a clinch.
A short left from Baldwin.
Baldwin misses with a short punch on the inside.

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

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Baldwin tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Hawat's elbow.
Hawat misses with a punch on the inside.

Baldwin breaks the clinch.
Baldwin swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Hawat thows a left - swing and a miss!
Hawat has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Baldwin finds it's way round the side to connect with Hawat's head.
Hawat looks to land a body kick but Baldwin moved away.
Baldwin lands a head kick!
Hawat throws out a loose jab but Baldwin uses good head movement to avoid it.
Jab, jab by Baldwin - just one landing.
Hawat misses with a few strikes there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baldwin motions for Hawat to come forward. Baldwin throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.

Baldwin has managed to clinch.
Baldwin lands with a light punch inside.
Baldwin lands a left hand that snaps the head of Hawat backwards.
Baldwin lands with a right to the head.
Baldwin lands with a short punch from the clinch.
The referee calls for Baldwin to work.

Hawat breaks the clinch.
Baldwin lands a nice shot to the body.
Hawat tries a head kick but it misses.
Baldwin with a nice calf kick.

Baldwin closes the distance and clinches.
Hawat just leaning against Baldwin, taking a breather.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Baldwin's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Baldwin swinging wildly here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Baldwin defending well as Hawat loads up on a big left hand.
Hawat walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Hawat has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Baldwin.
Baldwin scores with a three punch combo!
Baldwin throws a hook to the side of Hawat's head but Hawat sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Hawat takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Baldwin connects with a good right hand that stumbles Hawat. Hawat circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Hawat attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Baldwin misses with a hook.
Baldwin steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Hawat.
Hawat throws a body kick that misses
and Baldwin connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Baldwin connects with a single shot there.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Baldwin cracks Hawat with an open hand slap.
Hawat swings for the body but Baldwin moves out of range.
Sloppy strikes from Baldwin. Those never looked like landing.
Hawat was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
Hawat scores with a jab.
Hawat on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Baldwin. Baldwin obviously looking to wear him down.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Brandon Baldwin dominated that round.
That's time! Baldwin's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Baldwin misses with a few strikes there.
Baldwin scoring well with a low kick there.
Hawat throws a nice looking combination but Baldwin bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Baldwin swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Baldwin blocks the body kick.
Hawat throws a low kick, looking for Baldwin's leg but Baldwin calmly moves out of range.
An attempted straight right counter from Baldwin misses the target.
Baldwin sizes up Hawat with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Baldwin is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Hawat can do to turn this around?
Hawat connects with a good right hand that stumbles Baldwin. Baldwin circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Hawat throws a leg kick
and Baldwin counters with a head kick.
Baldwin lands with an overhand left.
Baldwin checks the leg kick.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Baldwin checks a leg kick.
Baldwin tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Baldwin has Hawat up against the cage in a clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hawat is trying to break the clinch but Baldwin is controlling him.
Baldwin digs a right hand underneath Hawat's ribcage. Hawat let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Baldwin makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A short uppercut from Baldwin.
Good body shot from Baldwin.
Baldwin scores with a nice hook to the head.
Brandon Baldwin has scored more points in the clinch so far.

Hawat pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Hawat ducks right into an uppercut from Baldwin.
Hawat looks to score with a jab to the body but Baldwin is just out of range.
Hawat throws an off balance right hand
and Hawat takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Hawat is rocked!
Hawat throws a solid leg kick but Baldwin takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Hawat.
Hawat swings and misses with a shot to the body
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Hawat looks to land a body kick but Baldwin moved away.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.

Baldwin gets a clinch.
Baldwin tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Hawat wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Baldwin pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Baldwin dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Hawat. That did some damage!
Nice shot by Baldwin.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hawat connects with a body shot that sends Baldwin's belly button to the back.
Hawat throws a leg kick but Baldwin moved away.
Baldwin misses with a head kick.
Baldwin misses with a wild combination.
Hawat just misses with a punch to the body.
A chopping leg kick lands by Hawat.
Hawat looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Hawat looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Baldwin's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Baldwin duly obliges.

Baldwin closes the distance and pushes Hawat back into the cage.
A body shot lands from Baldwin.

Baldwin breaks the clinch.
Baldwin avoids the head kick by Hawat.
Baldwin looks to land a left hand but Hawat moved out of range nicely.
A good leg kick by Hawat.
A low kick lands for Baldwin.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baldwin throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Hawat.
Baldwin lands a high kick!
Hawat takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Baldwin lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Hawat's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Hawat looks to land a body kick but Baldwin moved away.
Baldwin feints and then cracks Hawat's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Hawat down.
Hawat fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Hawat scores with the left hand. Baldwin knows he should have avoided that one.

Baldwin has closed the distance and engaged Hawat in a clinch.
Baldwin misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Still in the clinch, Baldwin scores with a nice short uppercut.
A right hook to the body lands for Baldwin.
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 short left from Baldwin.
Baldwin's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Hawat looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A bit of stalling here from Baldwin.

Baldwin breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Baldwin will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Baldwin will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Hawat throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
A nice leg kick from Hawat, right into the meat of the thigh.
Hawat slips a jab and a cross from Baldwin.
Baldwin misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Baldwin ducks under a wild hook from Hawat.
Hawat misses with a head kick.
Baldwin seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hawat fails to land with a series of punches.
Hawat takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Hawat tries to land a leg kick but Baldwin saw it coming and moves away.
Baldwin moves out of range as Hawat strikes.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Brandon Baldwin dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Baldwin throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Hawat on the side of the head.
Hawat misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
No joy there for Baldwin, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Hawat misses with a hook. Baldwin ducked under it nicely.
Hawat misses with a body shot.
Hawat connects with a high kick.
Baldwin tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Baldwin chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Hawat can pounce on him.
Hawat keeps Baldwin at a distance using the push kick.
Brandon Baldwin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hawat lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
A head kick misses from Hawat.
Baldwin uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Hawat.
A little feinted left hand from Baldwin on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Baldwin tries to clinch but Hawat is having none of it.
Sloppy strikes from Baldwin. Those never looked like landing.

Baldwin moves into the clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Baldwin lands a body shot in the clinch.
Hawat takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Good body shot from Baldwin.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baldwin works on Hawat's body with a couple of short punches.
Baldwin lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Hawat's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Baldwin throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Baldwin taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Baldwin lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Hawat backwards.
Baldwin working some nice short punches in the clinch.

Baldwin escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Baldwin dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Hawat misses with a body kick.
Hawat takes one to the chin there.
Hawat walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Sloppy strikes from Baldwin. Those never looked like landing.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Baldwin has closed the distance and engaged Hawat in a clinch.

Baldwin pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baldwin checks a leg kick nicely.
Baldwin looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Baldwin keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Hawat misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Baldwin scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Baldwin getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Baldwin.
Hawat stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Baldwin.
Baldwin walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Baldwin connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

Baldwin has closed the distance and engaged Hawat in a clinch.
Baldwin scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Hawat tries to break free but Baldwin pushes him back against the cage.
Hawat has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Baldwin lands a right hand that snaps the head of Hawat backwards.
Baldwin lands a right hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A bit of stalling here from Hawat.
Baldwin lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

Baldwin breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Baldwin moves into range and clinches up with Hawat.
Hawat is trying to break free.

Baldwin escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Baldwin throws a right and a left that both miss.
Hawat misses the jab.
Hawat showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Baldwin.
Baldwin lands a nice leg kick that just misses Hawat's sensitive parts.
Hawat tries a head kick but it misses.
Baldwin seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Baldwin cracks Hawat with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Hawat scoring well with a low kick there.
Brandon Baldwin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Baldwin takes a jab right on the kisser.
Hawat goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Baldwin lands with a thumping leg kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hawat throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Baldwin plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

Baldwin clinches up against the cage.
A left hand lands to the body for Baldwin.
Brandon Baldwin is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
A nice right hand lands inside from Baldwin.
Hawat is still on wobbly legs! Can Baldwin finish him?

Baldwin breaks from the clinch.
Baldwin closes the distance and lands a vicious right hand that drops Hawat! Baldwin dives in looking to finish! Hawat is still trying to defend himself but he's taking too many shots and the referee has no choice but to stop the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:41 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Brandon Baldwin!
During a confident post fight interview, Brandon Baldwin thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.