PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Marcus Hawthorn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Damian Strong (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hawthorn comes into the arena with Sam & Dave - Soul Man blaring out of the sound system. Strong comes into a darkened arena with his song building. R.I.P kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Hawthorn
vs
Strong

175 cm
24
170 lbs
11 - 8 - 1

182 cm
24
164 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent elbows
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Powerful

Polskie Odżywki/ Polish Nutrition [PL]
Beast Body

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 8 - 1, fighting out of London, Marcus Hawthorn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Damian Strong!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, Andrew Berry and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Hawthorn looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Hawthorn stops Strong from getting back to his feet.
Hawthorn thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Strong's head.
Hawthorn is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

Hawthorn wants to work for an arm triangle but Strong is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Strong pushes Hawthorn off and gets back to his feet.
Hawthorn throws a nice looking combination but Strong bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Strong displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Hawthorn.
Strong checks a leg kick.

Hawthorn drives through with a takedown into Strong's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hawthorn throws an elbow that misses. Strong uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Hawthorn's guard. Nice move by Strong!
Strong is looking to stand up but Hawthorn won't let him.

Strong decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Hawthorn looks to land a combination but Strong avoids it well.
Strong jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Strong misses with a body shot.

Hawthorn closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Strong's guard.
Hawthorn is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hawthorn throwing strikes but missing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Strong avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Strong keeping moving, preventing Hawthorn from controlling successfully.
Hawthorn tries to free his leg and advance position but Strong is retaining full guard.
Hawthorn postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Hawthorn pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Strong is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hawthorn in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Hawthorn throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Hawthorn wants to control from the top but Strong keeps moving.
Hawthorn has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Strong keeping full guard, as Hawthorn tries to pass.
Strong working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Hawthorn.
Hawthorn stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Strong swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hawthorn connects with a couple of short punches.
Hawthorn tries to free his leg and advance position but Strong is retaining full guard.

Strong manages to escape and get back to his feet.

Hawthorn decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Strong taking some punishment here, with Hawthorn in his half guard.

Hawthorn is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Strong is just riding it out for now. Hawthorn eventually gives up the hold.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hawthorn thows a huge punch but Strong dodges it nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Strong throws a shot from downtown. Hawthorn moves away and avoids it.
Strong bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Strong lands with a thumping leg kick.
Hawthorn fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Strong misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Hawthorn.
Hawthorn fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Hawthorn with a poor takedown
and Strong counters with a stiff right hand.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marcus Hawthorn. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hawthorn shoots for a takedown but Strong saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Strong scores with a decent looking hook.
Strong shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Hawthorn eats them both and turns towards Strong to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Strong lands an overhand right.
Hawthorn looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Strong is fending him off so far but Hawthorn persists. Nope, Strong circles away and we're back to standing.
Hawthorn swinging wildly here.
Hawthorn misses with a takedown attempt - Strong sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Strong connects with a crisp jab.
Hawthorn misses with a jab, cross combination.
Horrible takedown by Hawthorn or perhaps it was just good defense by Strong which made him look bad.
Hawthorn throws a right and a left that both miss.
Strong throws a leg kick but Hawthorn sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Hawthorn throws a series of punches but Strong avoids them all with ease.
Hawthorn shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Strong defends it nicely.
Hawthorn looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Strong is fending him off so far but Hawthorn persists. Nope, Strong circles away and we're back to standing.
Hawthorn misses with a straight left.
Hawthorn fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Strong takes one on the button.
Strong checks the leg kick.
No joy there for Hawthorn, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Hawthorn closes this distance looking for a takedown but Strong circles away.
Nice uppercut lands for Strong. That snapped Hawthorn's head back.
Strong ducks under a wild hook from Hawthorn.
Marcus Hawthorn seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hawthorn misses with a few strikes there.
Strong throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Jab from Strong.
Marcus Hawthorn is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Strong ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Hawthorn moves away.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hawthorn jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Hawthorn scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Strong looks to score with a jab to the body but Hawthorn is just out of range.
Strong showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Hawthorn.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Strong.
Hawthorn shoots in looking for a takedown but Strong manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Hawthorn's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Hawthorn shoots in looking for a takedown but Strong manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Hawthorn's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Sloppy strikes from Hawthorn. Those never looked like landing.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Hawthorn on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Strong. Strong obviously looking to wear him down.
Strong leaves Hawthorn with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Hawthorn shoots for a double leg takedown but Strong sprawls well. He's pushed Hawthorn's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Strong swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Hawthorn.
Hawthorn throws a right and a left that Strong avoids nicely.
Hawthorn is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Hawthorn fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hawthorn throws a right hand that Strong ducks under and follows up with a left that Strong also avoids with ease.
Hawthorn throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Strong's waist but Strong gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Hawthorn off to one side.
Strong stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Strong wants it to stay on the feet.
Damian Strong seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Strong lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Hawthorn backs up against the cage.
Strong with a jab.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hawthorn looks for a takedown but Strong sprawls well.
Strong has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Strong misses with an uppercut.
Strong scores with a jab. Hawthorn acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Strong looking to land some kicks to the body here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Strong throws a leg kick which misses Hawthorn's front leg but catches the back leg as Hawthorn tries to avoid it.
Hawthorn looks for a takedown but Strong sprawls well.
Hawthorn takes one to the chin there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Damian Strong showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Hawthorn throws a looping overhand right but Strong ducks down to avoid it.
Hawthorn connects with a high kick.
Hawthorn throws a right and a left that Strong avoids nicely.
Hawthorn will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Strong keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Hawthorn dives in and grabs Strong's left leg, looking for a takedown. Strong pushes down on Hawthorn's head and hops out.
Hawthorn looks to throw the jab but Strong is out of range.
Strong throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Hawthorn dives in and grabs Strong's left leg, looking for a takedown. Strong pushes down on Hawthorn's head and hops out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marcus Hawthorn. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Strong scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Strong swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hawthorn throws a right and a left that Strong avoids nicely.
Hawthorn shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Hawthorn shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
An inside leg kick lands from Strong.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Strong with a hook.
No joy there for Hawthorn, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Strong scores with a jab.

Hawthorn is rocked!
A clash of legs there as Strong blocks the low kick.
Hawthorn falls off balance throwing a combination
and Strong counters with a nice uppercut.
Oh Hawthorn is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Strong lands a nice leg kick that just misses Hawthorn's sensitive parts.
Strong closes the distance and lands a vicious right hand that drops Hawthorn! Strong dives in looking to finish! Hawthorn 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 1:32 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Damian Strong!
An out of breath and clearly excited Damian Strong thanked Beast Body for their help and support (and free stuff they sent him).