PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Spider Monkey (ranked 195 p4p, 539 weight class) and Ethan Hawk (ranked 28 p4p, 78 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Monkey
vs
Hawk

187 cm
31
170
20 - 12 - 1

181 cm
34
174
28 - 14 - 2

BJJ Red Belt
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Heavy handed

30th Century Beer Store
Bondi MMA 🏝️

Conviction

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 20 - 12 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Spider Monkey!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 28 - 14 - 2, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ethan Hawk!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Hawk.
Hawk blocks an uppercut.
Hawk misses with the head strike.

Monkey pulls guard successfully.
Hawk preventing the sweep.
Hawk looking to pass the guard.
Hawk stopping the sweep attempt from Monkey.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Monkey holds on and takes a little breather.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Monkey lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Monkey prevents Hawk from getting back to his feet.
Hawk is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Monkey controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Hawk has his foot on Monkey's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Monkey works his way back into a safe position though.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's two 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.
Monkey lands an overhand right.
A good leg kick by Monkey.
Good shot there by Monkey.
Hawk gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Monkey.

Hawk has closed the distance and engaged Monkey in a clinch.
Hawk lands a right hand.
I was talking to Monkey's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Monkey lands a body shot in the clinch.
Hawk can't find room to land a body shot as Monkey controls the action.
Monkey lands a shoulder strike.
Hawk lands an uppercut.
Monkey looking to slow down the pace here.
A short uppercut from Monkey.
Nice body punch from Monkey.
A body shot lands from Monkey.
Hawk misses with a hook from the clinch.
Monkey lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Hawk lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Monkey scores with a shot to the side of Hawk's head.
Hawk swings wildly with an uppercut but Monkey uses good head movement to avoid it.
Hawk stalling in the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hawk misses with a short punch on the inside.
The referee calls for Monkey to work.
Monkey misses with a body punch.
Monkey effectively controlling the action here.
Hawk lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Monkey misses with a shot to the kidneys.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Monkey.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Hawk creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Monkey goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Monkey misses with a short punch on the inside.
Monkey softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Monkey fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Monkey tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Hawk's elbow.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Hawk lands an uppercut.
Monkey blocking some punches.
Hawk takes a shot to the head.
Monkey tries to work over Hawk's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Hawk swings wildly with an uppercut but Monkey uses good head movement to avoid it.
Hawk blocks a body shot from Monkey.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hawk throws a punch but it's blocked by Monkey.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Monkey misses with a punch to the body.
Hawk just leaning against Monkey, taking a breather.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Hawk.
Monkey lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Monkey lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Hawk is looking to control Monkey's arms but Monkey gets an underhook and turns him. Now Hawk has his back to the cage.
Monkey lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Hawk backwards.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Hawk.
Still in the clinch, Hawk scores with a nice short uppercut.
Monkey scores with a shoulder strike.
Monkey swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Hawk letting Monkey take a breather here.
Hawk is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
A short left from Hawk.
Monkey prevents a body shot from Hawk.
Hawk slows down the pace here.
Monkey pushes Hawk back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Spider Monkey 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.

Monkey pivots, looking for a leg kick but Hawk is out of range and Monkey settles back down.
Hawk moves out of range of the body kick.
Hawk doesn't manage to clinch there - Monkey circles away.
A bone on bone clash there as Monkey blocks the leg kick.
That kick from Monkey tenderised Hawk's leg. Hawk is trying to keep his angry face on.
Monkey is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Hawk can do to turn this around?
Hawk tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Monkey manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Monkey jinks towards his opponent looking like he wants to counter with a mid kick but doesn't commit.
Hawk misses with a leg kick.
Hawk tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Monkey manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Hawk wants to clinch.
Hawk tries to close the distance and clinch up but Monkey swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Hawk misses with a few strikes there.
Monkey wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Monkey lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Monkey darts in and clinches Hawk up against the cage.
Hawk slowing the pace effectively.
Hawk has a couple of punches blocked by Monkey.
Hawk stalling.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Hawk.
A nice left hand lands by Monkey.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Monkey throws a punch but it's blocked by Hawk.
Monkey misses with a punch to the body.
Monkey digs a right hand into Hawk's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Hawk's gas tank.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Monkey as Hawk tries to tie him up.
Monkey tries to throw a body punch but Hawk avoids it by throwing Monkey back against the cage.
Monkey misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Hawk lands with a short shot to the head.
Hawk throws a punch but it's blocked by Monkey.
Monkey lands a body shot in the clinch.
Hawk scores with a shoulder strike.
Monkey taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Monkey swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Hawk content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Hawk doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A head punch on the inside from Monkey fails to land.
Hawk blocks a body shot from Monkey.
Hawk swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Hawk.
Monkey tries to stall but Hawk uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Spider Monkey has scored more points in the clinch so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hawk is trying to maintain a safe position but Monkey gets an underhook and turns Hawk into the cage.
Hawk lands a shot to the body.

Monkey pulls guard.
Monkey pulls Hawk in to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hawk wants to stand but Monkey has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Monkey has Hawk pulled in close to control his posture.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Monkey scores with a jab to the jaw.
Monkey throws a leg kick which misses Hawk's front leg but catches the back leg as Hawk tries to avoid it.
Hawk tries to clinch up but Monkey circles away and keeps his distance.
Monkey thuds his shin into the meat of Hawk's side.
Hawk slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Spider Monkey is winning the standup battle so far.
Hawk tries to clinch but Monkey is having none of it.
Hawk wants to clinch.
Hawk's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Monkey connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Hawk scrambles back to his feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hawk tries to clinch but Monkey is having none of it.

Monkey clinches up with Hawk and pushes him back against the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Hawk.
Monkey swings wildly with an uppercut but Hawk uses good head movement to avoid it.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Monkey.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Spider Monkey dominated that second round.
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. And we move into the final round!

Monkey paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Ethan Hawk has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hawk fails in his attempt to clinch.
Jab, jab by Monkey - just one landing.
Monkey tries to work over Hawk's front leg with a kick but Hawk checks it.

Monkey moves into the clinch.
Hawk lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Monkey is looking to control Hawk's arms but Hawk gets an underhook and turns him. Now Monkey has his back to the cage.
A nice left hand lands by Monkey.
Hawk just leaning against Monkey, taking a breather.
Monkey swings wildly with an uppercut but Hawk uses good head movement to avoid it.
Monkey lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Monkey tries to throw a body punch but Hawk avoids it by throwing Monkey back against the cage.
Hawk wants to stall.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Monkey scores with a shot to the side of Hawk's head.
Hawk fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Monkey working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Monkey misses with a punch to the body.
Monkey throws a head punch that misses.
Nice body punch from Monkey - that landed with a thud.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Monkey lands with a right to the head.
Monkey tries to stall but Hawk uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Monkey lands a hook to the side of the head.
Hawk blocking some punches.
Monkey holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Monkey tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Hawk can't find room to land a body shot as Monkey controls the action.
Hawk misses with a punch on the inside.
Monkey softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Monkey creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Monkey throws a head punch that misses.
A left hand lands to the body for Hawk.
Hawk misses with a hook to the ribs.
Hawk scores with a shot to the side of Monkey's head.
Monkey digs a right hand underneath Hawk's ribcage. Hawk let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Hawk working aggressively here.
Monkey softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
A head punch on the inside from Hawk fails to land.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Monkey tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Hawk as Monkey tries to tie him up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Monkey misses with a punch on the inside.
Monkey tries to pull guard but Hawk holds him up against the cage and eventually Monkey drops back down to his feet.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Hawk.

Monkey drags the fight down to the ground.
Hawk preventing the sweep.
Monkey is working hard here to advance position.
Monkey has Hawk pulled in close to control his posture.
Hawk preventing the sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hawk is fighting to break Monkey's control of his arms but Monkey is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Monkey bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Hawk's guard.

Monkey slips nicely into half guard.
Monkey wants to free his trapped foot but Hawk is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Monkey prevents Hawk from standing back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Monkey works his way into side control.
Hawk gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Monkey takes his opponent's back. Perhaps a chance to lock up a rear naked choke here.
Spider Monkey is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Hawk is trying to stand back up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Spider Monkey showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Monkey has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Taro Takaoka scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Spider Monkey!
Our winner, Spider Monkey, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.
Ethan Hawk spoke after the fight, saying 'In the end he fought like a 'Gentleman', true to his nickname, respecting his mate's money maker.'.