PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Sonny Max (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mark Hickens (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sonny Max could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Mark Hickens's chin.

Max
vs
Hickens

172 cm
22
138 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

180 cm
22
140 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Sonny Max!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Mark Hickens!
The judges for this bout are John Mangel, Bruno Hogan and Hugh Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hickens misses with a wild combination.
Max throws a head kick that misses.
Hickens pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Hickens leaves Max with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Max uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Hickens.
Max wants to clinch.
Hickens stuffs the takedown.
Hickens keeps the fight on the outside.
Hickens is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Hickens misses with a two punch combination.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Hickens.
Mark Hickens seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Max misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hickens throws a quick inside leg kick.
Hickens looks gassed!
A big left from Hickens misses.
Max tries to score a power double leg takedown but Hickens sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Max somewhat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sonny Max. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A punch combination from Hickens misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hickens is looking to slow Max down with leg kicks.
Max tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
No joy there for Hickens, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Max fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Max tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Hickens is able to avoid easily.
Max tries to clinch but Hickens moves out of range.
Max throws a head kick that misses
and Hickens counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Hickens avoids a kick to the body.
Hickens misses with a jab, cross combination.
Hickens swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Hickens throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Max.
Max shoots in for a takedown but Hickens shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Max tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Hickens swivels and escapes.
Max tries to clinch up but Hickens circles away and keeps his distance.
Hickens pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Max is looking to score with low kicks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hickens misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Max.
Max throws a right and a left that Hickens avoids nicely.
Max tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hickens paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Nice sprawl there from Hickens as Max shoots in.
Hickens pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Max tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Max wants to clinch but Hickens slips to the side
and Hickens counters with a straight right hand.
Hickens throws a combination that misses
and Max counters with a series of strikes. Hickens will be more careful next time no doubt.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Max.
Max avoids a punch combination nicely.
Max fails with a takedown attempt.
Some wild striking there from Hickens.
Max throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hickens lands a right hook to the body.
Hickens misses with a head kick.
Hickens avoids a kick to the body.
Max misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Hickens misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Max misses with a series of wild punches.
Max shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Hickens defends it nicely.
Hickens throws a combination that misses
letting Max counter with a right hand.
Max shoots in looking for a takedown. Hickens tries to sprawl out of it but Max keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Hickens manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
A left lands for Hickens.
Hickens misses with a head kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Hickens keeps the fight on the outside.
Max fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Hickens avoids it really well and circles away.
Hickens throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Max lands with an uppercut that bounces Hickens off the cage and back into rage.
The fight stays on the outside here - Max looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Hickens moves out of range of the body kick.
Hickens misses with a jab, cross combination.
Max tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Max fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Max shoots in for a double leg but Hickens sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Hickens's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Hickens duly obliges.
Nice sprawl there from Hickens as Max shoots in.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Hickens dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Hickens scores with a one two! Max had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Sonny Max is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hickens throws a nice looking combination but Max bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Hickens scores with a nice head shot.
A right-left combo lands from Max.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Max.
Hickens lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Max closes this distance looking for a takedown but Hickens circles away.
Hickens misses with a double jab
and Max counters with a nice uppercut.
Nice sprawl there from Hickens as Max shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sonny Max. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Max shoots for a double leg takedown but Hickens sprawls well. He's pushed Max's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Max has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Max tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Hickens was well out of range. Poor timing from Max.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Hickens connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Max fails with an attempt to clinch.
Max misses with a series of wild punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hickens throws a one two combo.
Max is trying hard to land a takedown here. Hickens sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Hickens scores with a head kick.
Hickens swats away the attempt to clinch by Max.
Mark Hickens is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A slapping leg kick lands for Hickens.
Max wants to clinch up but Hickens keeps it at a distance.
Hickens lands with a kick to the temple. Max shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Max fails with an attempt to clinch.
Max tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hickens swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Max moves in looking to clinch but Hickens pushes him off.
Max wants to clinch up but Hickens keeps it at a distance.
Hickens throws out a leg kick but Max moves out of range and Hickens only half commits.
Hickens misses with a double jab
and Max counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Max fails with the takedown.
Hickens avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Hickens lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Max circles away quickly and effectively.
Hickens is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Max.
Max wants to clinch up but Hickens keeps it at a distance.
Hickens is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Max throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Max. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.
Max attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Hickens throws a body kick that misses.
Hickens has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Hickens tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Nice sprawl there from Hickens as Max shoots in.
Max dives in and grabs Hickens's left leg, looking for a takedown. Hickens pushes down on Max's head and hops out.
Hickens throws a series of strikes that have Max backpedaling.
Max fails with the takedown.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Hickens throws a series of punches but Max moves out of range.
Hickens avoids a punch combination nicely.
Hickens lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Max circles away quickly and effectively.
Hickens misses with a double jab
and Max counters with a left and a right that stings Hickens.
A combination from Max does no damage.
Max tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Max looks to land a combination but Hickens avoids it well.
Max tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Hickens throws a combination. Max tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Hickens tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Max misses with a takedown attempt - Hickens sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Hickens darts in and out, connecting with a jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Max tries to clinch up.
The fight stays on the outside here - Max looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A combination from Hickens does no damage.
Max pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Hickens scores with a kick to the midsection.
Max dives in and grabs Hickens's left leg, looking for a takedown. Hickens pushes down on Max's head and hops out.
Max throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Max tries to clinch but Hickens moves out of range.
Hickens throws a nice head kick!
Max misses with a head kick.
Max has a takedown stuffed.
Max avoids a punch combination nicely.
The fight stays on the outside here - Max looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Hickens showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Hickens ducks under a wild hook from Max.
Max shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Hickens but Hickens pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Hickens stuffs the takedown attempt from Max. Max gets slowly back to his feet.

Max moves into the clinch.
Hickens wants to get back to striking at distance but Max won't allow it.
Hickens has Max pressed against the cage, preventing Max from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Hickens has Max pressed against the cage, preventing Max from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Max is trying to force a seperation but Hickens has the dominant position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hickens has had enough of the clinch but Max keeps him there for the moment.
Hickens wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Max working hard to break the clinch.
Max wants to get back to striking at distance but Hickens won't allow it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hickens wants to break free but Max has control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hickens tries to break the clinch but Max is controlling the position.
Max is looking to break free of the clinch but Hickens has double underhooks.
Max has Hickens pressed against the cage, preventing Hickens from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Hickens has had enough of the clinch but Max keeps him there for the moment.
Max wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Max has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Hickens uses from the top position.
Max looking to control.
Hickens really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Max. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Hickens stops Max from standing up.
Hickens must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Max is trying to control the position but Hickens postures up.

Hickens stands up and waves to Max to follow him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Max shoots in but Hickens avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sonny Max. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The fighters circle momentarily. Hickens darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Max needs to keep his hands up - Hickens had a free shot at his head there.
No luck for Max with that takedown attempt.
Hickens throws a right hand that Max ducks under and follows up with a left that Max also avoids with ease.
Hickens will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Max is trying hard to land a takedown here. Hickens sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Hickens bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Max tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hickens paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Max attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hickens uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Max has time to react.
Max avoids a punch combination nicely.
Max is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Max is looking to clinch but Hickens is avoiding it.
Max fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Hickens slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Hickens circles away from the clinch attempt.
Hickens throws a combination that misses

and Max counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Max 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.
Hickens wants to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Max trying to control the action but Hickens is working from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sonny Max showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Hickens 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 John Mangel scores the fight 28:29
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 28:29
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mark Hickens!