PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Dominic Christian (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Corey Hawkins (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.

Christian
vs
Hawkins

169 cm
22
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

165 cm
25
152 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Tends to cut

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 New York, Dominic Christian!
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, Corey Hawkins!
The judges for this bout are David Schapiro, Columbo Gatti and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Christian scores a takedown into full mount!
Hawkins is in all sorts of trouble here.
Hawkins sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.

Hawkins looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Hawkins is trying to control but can't.
Hawkins is trying to get back to full guard.
Christian throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Christian is looking to take a break and control but Hawkins is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Christian is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Hawkins sees it coming and defends easily.

Christian is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Christian wants to free his trapped foot but Hawkins is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Hawkins regains full guard. Nicely done.
Hawkins is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Hawkins lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Christian!
Hawkins trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Christian is bucking up trying to escape but Hawkins cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Christian is in a horrible position here. Hawkins smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hawkins looking to control and managing it successfully.
Hawkins with good strikes from the mount here!
Hawkins looking to finish Christian with some ground and pound. This is bad for Christian!
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!
Christian wants to hold on but Hawkins pushes him away.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Christian wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hawkins lands a big elbow.
Christian is in all sorts of trouble here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Christian is breathing heavily.
Hawkins lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Christian hang on?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hawkins with shots to the head and body - Christian looks very uncomfortable down there.
Christian taking shots to the head.
Hawkins connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

Christian is rocked!

Hawkins is working for a guillotine from mount but Christian frees his head quite easily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hawkins dominating with strikes here.
Oh Christian is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Hawkins with the ground and pound from mount.
Christian seems to have got his legs back now.
Hawkins pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Hawkins has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Hawkins tries to control but Christian wriggling away.
Hawkins scores with a couple of good head shots there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hawkins is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Christian is surviving well by controlling Hawkins's body position as best he can.
Christian in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Hawkins sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Hawkins landing strikes from the mount.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Hawkins cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Christian tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Hawkins punishing his opponent with strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Corey Hawkins dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Hawkins tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Christian paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Christian moves into the clinch.
Hawkins is trying to break the clinch but Christian has him pressed against the cage.
Hawkins trying to control the position but instead, Christian has worked for underhooks and has pushed Hawkins into the cage.
Hawkins blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Hawkins is trying to break the clinch but Christian is controlling him.
Hawkins wants to break the clinch but can't.
A bit of stalling here from Christian.

Christian has clasped his hands together around Hawkins's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Hawkins sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Hawkins preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Hawkins tries to get to full guard but Christian has control of the leg.
Christian is trying to control. Hawkins wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hawkins is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Christian pulls his head out easily.
Hawkins wants to control but Christian is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Hawkins works his way to full guard. Good work.
Hawkins looking to hit a scissor sweep but Christian is one step ahead there.
Christian is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Hawkins looking to hit a scissor sweep but Christian is one step ahead there.
Hawkins trying to keep a closed guard but Christian is proving a slippery customer.

Christian thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Christian has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hawkins manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Hawkins fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Hawkins working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Christian working to try and regain half guard.
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!
Hawkins looking to control but Christian is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Hawkins cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee warns Christian that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Hawkins can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Christian is looking to escape.

Hawkins working for a submission here. He's tucked his head under his opponent's arm, looking for an arm triangle. He's hopped off into side control, looking to tighten the submission... is it going to work? He's given up a good position looking for it. Christian looks OK. Oh, I spoke too soon, he's out! That must have been tighter than I thought! Excellent work there by Hawkins! Submission of the night perhaps?

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:35 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Corey Hawkins!