PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mike Hawkins (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Harrison Merkley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Hawkins might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Hollywood Undead - Bullet. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Hawkins
vs
Merkley

181 cm
25
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
25
196 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Good chin

Decent wrestler
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight 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, Mike Hawkins!
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, Harrison Merkley!
The judges for this bout are Reed Andrews, Lou da Vinci and David Schapiro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hawkins takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Merkley throws a series of strikes that have Hawkins backpedaling.
Hawkins on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Hawkins wants to clinch but Merkley slips to the side

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

Merkley manages to break the clinch.
Hawkins closes the distance but Merkley moves to the side

and Merkley moves into the clinch.

Merkley pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Merkley circles away from the clinch attempt

and Merkley counters by clinching up.
Hawkins is trying to pull guard but Merkley has him pressed against the cage.

Hawkins escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hawkins on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Hawkins moves to clinch but Merkley breaks away
and Hawkins takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hawkins moves to clinch but Merkley breaks away
and Merkley counters with an inside leg kick.
Hawkins closes the distance looking to clinch

and Merkley counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Hawkins throws a head punch that misses.

Merkley breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Hawkins misses with a jab, cross combination.
Merkley lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Hawkins fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Merkley on the side of the head.
Hawkins staying out of range there.
Merkley fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Hawkins has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Hawkins moves to clinch but Merkley breaks away

and Merkley counters by clinching up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hawkins breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Hawkins moves forwards but Merkley connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A punch combination from Merkley misses.
Merkley lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Merkley.
Hawkins wants to clinch
and Merkley counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Mike Hawkins seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Merkley misses with a head kick.
Hawkins tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Merkley finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Hawkins.
Hawkins moves to clinch but Merkley breaks away
and Merkley counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Harrison Merkley is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Hawkins throws a right hand that Merkley ducks under and follows up with a left that Merkley also avoids with ease.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hawkins moves to clinch but Merkley breaks away

and Merkley counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Hawkins pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Hawkins tries to clinch up

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

Hawkins pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Merkley jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Hawkins looks to clinch

and Merkley counters by clinching up.

Hawkins manages to break the clinch.
Hawkins closes the distance but Merkley moves to the side

and Merkley counters by moving into the clinch.

Hawkins escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hawkins darts in trying to clinch
and Merkley counters with a stiff right hand.
Hawkins looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Hawkins tries to clinch up
and Merkley counters with a slapping leg kick.
Merkley stuffs the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mike Hawkins. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hawkins tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Merkley makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Merkley misses with a two punch combination.
That kick from Merkley tenderised Hawkins's leg. Hawkins is trying to keep his angry face on.
Hawkins checks a low kick from Merkley.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Harrison Merkley dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Hawkins looks to clinch
and Merkley counters with a straight right hand.
Hawkins throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Merkley's waist but Merkley gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Hawkins off to one side.
Merkley throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Nice takedown defense from Merkley. No joy for Hawkins on that attempt.
Merkley circles away from the clinch attempt

and Merkley counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Hawkins tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Merkley avoids it.

Merkley manages to break the clinch.
Merkley lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Merkley pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Harrison Merkley seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Hawkins closes the distance looking to clinch

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

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hawkins breaks the clinch.
Hawkins darts in trying to clinch

and Merkley counters by moving into the clinch.
Hawkins tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Merkley's elbow.

Merkley breaks the clinch.
Hawkins moves to clinch but Merkley breaks away
and Merkley counters with a left to the body.
Hawkins walks into a stiff left hand from Merkley.
Hawkins wants to clinch but Merkley slips to the side
and Merkley counters with a nice uppercut.
Merkley looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Mike Hawkins is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Merkley lands a jab-cross combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Merkley throws a leg kick
and Hawkins finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Merkley throws a sloppy head kick and Hawkins moves out of range easily.
Hawkins tries to clinch but Merkley moves away
and Merkley counters with an inside leg kick.
Hawkins tries to clinch

and Merkley counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Merkley.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Merkley's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Hawkins avoids the head kick by Merkley.
Merkley is breathing heavily.
Hawkins shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Merkley as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mike Hawkins. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hawkins throws a right and a left that both miss.
Hawkins looks to clinch
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Hawkins tries to clinch

and Merkley moves into the clinch.

Hawkins's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Merkley misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Merkley slips a jab and a cross from Hawkins.
Hawkins tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Merkley counters with an inside leg kick.
Hawkins wants to clinch

and Merkley moves into the clinch.

Hawkins breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Merkley circles away from the clinch attempt
and Hawkins takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Hawkins wants to clinch

and Merkley counters by clinching up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hawkins manages to break the clinch.
Merkley tries to land a front kick but Hawkins steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Hawkins tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Merkley counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Merkley.

Hawkins breaks from the clinch.
Hawkins tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Merkley counters with a stiff right hand.
Hawkins moves to clinch but Merkley breaks away
and Merkley counters with a head kick. That will keep Hawkins thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Merkley circles away from the clinch attempt
and Merkley counters with a slapping leg kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hawkins tries to clinch up
and Hawkins takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Harrison Merkley showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Hawkins darts in trying to clinch
and Merkley counters with a nice uppercut.
Hawkins looks to clinch

and Merkley counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Merkley.

Merkley pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Hawkins fails with a takedown attempt.
A slow jab from Merkley misses its intended target.
Hawkins wants to clinch

and Merkley counters by clinching up.

Merkley breaks from the clinch.
Merkley misses with a leg kick.
Hawkins takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
No joy there for Merkley, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Hawkins tries to clinch

and Merkley counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Merkley.

Merkley breaks from the clinch.
Hawkins tries to clinch up
letting Merkley counter with a right hand.
Hawkins moves to clinch but Merkley breaks away
and Merkley counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Hawkins closes the distance but Merkley moves to the side
and Merkley makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Hawkins closes the distance looking to clinch
and Merkley counters with a solid body kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hawkins wants to clinch but Merkley slips to the side

and Merkley counters by moving into the clinch.
Merkley looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Hawkins breaks from the clinch.
Hawkins tries to clinch

and Merkley counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Merkley breaks the clinch.
Merkley feints and then cracks Hawkins's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Hawkins down.
Merkley throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Hawkins.
Hawkins tries to clinch up
and Merkley connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hawkins moves away from the strike by Merkley.
Merkley showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Hawkins.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hawkins fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Merkley throws a body punch but Hawkins moves out of range.
Hawkins is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Hawkins looks to clinch

and Merkley moves into the clinch.

Hawkins breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Hawkins closes the distance but Merkley moves to the side
and Merkley counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Hawkins looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Merkley is fending him off so far but Hawkins persists. Nope, Merkley circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mike Hawkins. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hawkins wants to clinch

and Merkley holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Hawkins tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Merkley just stands there and leans against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hawkins escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Hawkins closes the distance but Merkley moves to the side

and Merkley counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Hawkins's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Hawkins tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Merkley counters with a left and a right that stings Hawkins.
Hawkins looks to clinch
and Merkley counters with a stiff right hand.
Merkley throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hawkins closes the distance but Merkley moves to the side
and Merkley counters with a right hand to the body.
Merkley takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hawkins moves to clinch but Merkley breaks away
and Merkley counters with a nice body shot.
Mike Hawkins has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Harrison Merkley is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Hawkins loads up on a big right hand but Merkley slips the punch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Harrison Merkley comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Merkley has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Reed Andrews scores the fight 27:30
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 27:30
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Harrison Merkley!