PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Salazar Mendez (ranked 4150 p4p, 4231 weight class) and Jacob Hawes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Mendez
vs
Hawes

176 cm
23
155
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
21
155
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Intelligent

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Salazar Mendez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jacob Hawes!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Chris Downing and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mendez misses with the body kick
and Hawes counters with a left and a right that stings Mendez.
Hawes tries to score a power double leg takedown but Mendez sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Hawes somewhat.
Mendez scores with a kick to the midsection.
Mendez tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Hawes defends well and Mendez ends up having to push Hawes into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Mendez is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Hawes is keeping busy.
Mendez is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mendez tries to break the clinch but Hawes is controlling the position.

Hawes breaks the clinch.
Mendez misses with an uppercut.
Hawes shoots for a double leg takedown but Mendez sprawls well. He's pushed Hawes's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Mendez tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hawes swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendez falls off balance throwing a combination
and Hawes counters with a two punch combo.
Hawes tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Mendez swivels and escapes.
Salazar Mendez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jacob Hawes.
Hawes is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Mendez throws a series of punches but Hawes avoids them all with ease.
Hawes tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Nice sprawl there from Mendez as Hawes shoots in.
Mendez scores with a head kick.
Mendez goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Hawes shoots in for a double leg but Mendez sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Mendez falls off balance throwing a combination

and Hawes counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Hawes breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Hawes closes this distance looking for a takedown but Mendez circles away.

Mendez gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Mendez keeps control of Hawes as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hawes wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Hawes is trying to break free.

Mendez escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Mendez tries to close the distance and clinch but Hawes swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Mendez throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Hawes looks winded!
Mendez tries to clinch but Hawes is having none of it.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Mendez!
Mendez throws a right and a left that Hawes avoids nicely.
Hawes walks forward, straight into a front kick from Mendez.

Hawes forces Mendez back against the cage and clinches.

Mendez has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Hawes uses from the top position.
Mendez wants to stand and escape but Hawes is having none of it.
Hawes's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendez looking for a sweep. Not yet Mendez, not yet.
Hawes is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Mendez tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Mendez knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Hawes on the ground.
Hawes seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Hawes throws a big right hand that misses.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

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.
Mendez stuffs the takedown attempt from Hawes. Hawes gets slowly back to his feet.
Sloppy strikes from Mendez. Those never looked like landing.
Mendez fails with an attempt to clinch.
No luck for Hawes with that takedown attempt.
Mendez with a lazy takedown attempt
and Hawes connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Mendez explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.

Mendez gets a clinch.
Stalling in the clinch from Hawes.
Hawes drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Mendez can't get the takedown.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Salazar Mendez 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.

Mendez throws a right and a left that Hawes avoids nicely.

Hawes moves into range and clinches up with Mendez.
Hawes prevents the takedown attempt.
Mendez tries to circle away but Hawes has him pinned against the cage.
Hawes is trying to break the clinch but Mendez is controlling him.
Hawes wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Mendez is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Hawes can do to turn this around?
Mendez is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Hawes to keep the fight standing.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
A right handed body shot lands from Hawes.
Hawes wants to take the fight to the mat but Mendez manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A shot in the inside from Hawes.
Mendez wants to break the clinch but can't.
Hawes keeps control of Mendez as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Mendez is pressed up against the cage. Hawes has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Mendez down to the mat. Mendez avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendez falls off balance throwing a combination

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

Hawes jumps guard.
Hawes has a closed guard, preventing Mendez from standing up.
Mendez has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Mendez preventing the sweep.

Mendez gets to his feet. Hawes looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Salazar Mendez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hawes has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Hawes changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Mendez tries to avoid it but Hawes manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Mendez to the ground. Mendez escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Salazar Mendez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jacob Hawes.
Mendez fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Hawes on the side of the head.
Hawes shoots in looking for a takedown. Mendez tries to sprawl out of it but Hawes keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Mendez manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hawes fails with a takedown attempt.
Mendez cracks Hawes with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Mendez tries to bum rush Hawes with a series of wild strikes but Hawes uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Hawes looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Hawes rushes Mendez and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Hawes has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Mendez uses from the top position.
Mendez sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Hawes is trying to keep Mendez in close.
Hawes tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hawes is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Mendez trying to control the position from guard on top but Hawes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mendez slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Mendez gets to his feet - Hawes follows without any prompting.
Mendez rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Hawes moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Mendez swinging wildly here.

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.
Mendez with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Hawes to score with a decent uppercut.
Mendez wants to clinch but Hawes slips to the side
and Hawes counters with a three punch combo that has Mendez backing up. Mendez nods at Hawes to acknowledge the strikes.

Hawes gets a clinch.
Mendez is trying to break the clinch but Hawes has him pressed against the cage.
With the fighters up against the cage, Hawes throws an elbow but misses.
Hawes is looking to break free of the clinch but Mendez has double underhooks.
Mendez is working for takedown but Hawes is calmly controlling the position for now.
Mendez is trying to pull guard but Hawes turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Hawes keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Mendez's efforts to push away.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mendez is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Mendez looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Jacob Hawes will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

No joy there for Mendez, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Hawes fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Nice takedown defense from Hawes. No joy for Mendez on that attempt.
Sloppy strikes from Mendez. Those never looked like landing.

Hawes gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Hawes manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Hawes keeping moving, preventing Mendez from controlling successfully.

Hawes pushes Mendez off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Hawes throws out a leg kick but Mendez moves out of range and Hawes only half commits.
Mendez went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Hawes circles away from the clinch attempt.
Hawes misses with a body kick.
Mendez will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Mendez fails to land with a series of punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendez lands a head kick. Hawes smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Mendez leaves Hawes with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Mendez throws a body kick, spinning off balance

so Hawes counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Mendez preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Hawes content to stall in guard here.
Hawes wants to pass the guard but Mendez is keeping the position.
Mendez can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Hawes controls the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hawes stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Mendez swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Hawes is stalling in the full guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Hawes accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Hawes circles away from the clinch attempt.
Hawes changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.

Hawes gets a clinch.

Hawes jumps guard and drags Mendez to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hawes controls Mendez momentarily but Mendez frees himself.
Hawes looking for a sweep. Not yet Hawes, not yet.
Mendez trying to control the position from guard on top but Hawes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hawes has a closed guard, preventing Mendez from standing up.

Hawes looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Mendez passes into half guard.
Hawes trying to control but Mendez postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Mendez not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Mendez stands up and beckons Hawes to join him on the feet.
Hawes fails with the takedown.
Mendez seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Mendez misses with the combination.
Mendez shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Hawes eats them both and turns towards Mendez to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mendez rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Hawes moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Mendez jumps guard but Hawes stands there with Mendez around his waist. Mendez gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jacob Hawes comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Hawes has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 29:29
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 28:29

The fight is ruled a draw!