PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Hal Hawkes (ranked 4303 p4p, 25218 weight class) and Mariusz Zielony (ranked 0 p4p, 247 weight class). Zielony has chosen Sobel - Bandyta as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Hawkes
vs
Zielony

189 cm
25
185
0 - 0 - 0

184 cm
25
187
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Heavy handed

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 Helsinki, Hal Hawkes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Mariusz Zielony!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Matti Vanhoillinen and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zielony tries to clinch up.

Hawkes drives through and clinches with Zielony against the cage.
Hawkes is trying to break free.
Zielony avoids the elbow strike from Hawkes, against the cage.
Hawkes lands a right hand that snaps the head of Zielony backwards.
Hawkes stalling.
Zielony has had enough of the clinch but Hawkes keeps him there for the moment.
Zielony has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Zielony wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Zielony is trying to break free.

Zielony manages to break the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Hawkes gets the takedown into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The referee asks Hawkes politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Hawkes prefers to stall for the moment though.
Zielony is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

Hawkes decides to take the fight back to the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zielony closes this distance looking for a takedown but Hawkes circles away.

Zielony gets a clinch.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Zielony takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Zielony tries to pull guard but Hawkes holds him up against the cage and eventually Zielony drops back down to his feet.
Zielony tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Hawkes smiles and moves away.
Hal Hawkes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mariusz Zielony.
Hawkes swats away the attempt to clinch by Zielony.

Hawkes closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Zielony to the mat! Zielony manages to get full guard.
Hawkes working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Zielony wants to stand but Hawkes is controlling the position.
Zielony can't keep his opponent in guard - Hawkes advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hawkes stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Zielony to get to his feet.
Zielony tries to clinch up.

Hawkes dives in and scores a takedown into Zielony's guard.
Zielony wants to get back to his feet but Hawkes is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Hawkes's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Zielony is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Hawkes is controlling him.
Hawkes missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Hawkes controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Hawkes throwing strikes but missing.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Zielony is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Hawkes is controlling him.
Zielony looks winded!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Zielony shoots in and drives through. Hawkes sprawls well.

Hawkes closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Hawkes is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Zielony has managed to free his arm - good work.
Hawkes is controlling the pace.
Zielony won't allow Hawkes to pass to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hawkes thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Zielony's head.

Hawkes escapes and gets back to his feet.

Zielony tries to sprawl but Hawkes drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Zielony tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Hawkes manages to move to mount!
Hawkes 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.
Hawkes punishing his opponent with strikes.
Hawkes controlling from mount.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hawkes seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Zielony for as long as he can get away with.
Zielony takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

Hawkes working for a guillotine from mount but Zielony is in no mood to give up.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Hal Hawkes dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Hawkes instigates a clinch.
Hawkes wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Zielony escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Hawkes swats away the attempt to clinch by Zielony.
Mariusz Zielony seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hawkes swats away the attempt to clinch by Zielony.
Hawkes was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Hawkes is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Zielony can do to turn this around?

Hawkes closes the distance and clinches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hawkes throws an elbow that misses.

Zielony breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Zielony doesn't manage to clinch there - Hawkes circles away.
Hawkes is looking to counter with a shot to the body.

Hawkes drives through with a takedown into guard.
Hawkes's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hawkes throwing strikes from guard but Zielony blocks nicely.
Hawkes is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Zielony can't keep his opponent in guard - Hawkes advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Hawkes prevents Zielony from standing back up.
Hawkes sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Zielony defending well though.

Zielony kicks off Hawkes and gets to his feet.
Hawkes stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Hawkes wants it to stay on the feet.
As Zielony looks to move away, Hawkes throws a big counter combo but Zielony just gets out of the way.
Zielony is breathing heavily.

Hawkes rushes Zielony and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hawkes content to slow the pace in the clinch.
A short body shot lands from Hawkes as the two fighters clinch.
Hawkes is pushing Zielony up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Hawkes tries to break free but Zielony pushes him back against the cage.
Hawkes wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
The referee calls for Hawkes to work.
Hawkes working hard to break the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Hawkes's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Zielony taking a breather.
Hawkes is looking to break free of the clinch but Zielony has double underhooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zielony blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Hawkes.
Hawkes misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Zielony.
Zielony prevents Hawkes from breaking the clinch.
Hawkes is trying to break the clinch but Zielony has him pressed against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Hawkes's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Hawkes throws an elbow but it misses.
Hawkes lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Zielony backwards.
Zielony tries to stall but Hawkes uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Zielony looking to slow down the pace here.
Zielony has Hawkes pressed against the cage, preventing Hawkes from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Zielony has Hawkes pushed against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zielony is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Hawkes tries to land a knee to the head but Zielony blocks with his arms.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Hawkes takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Hawkes wants to break free but Zielony has control.
Hawkes can't break the clinch.
Hawkes tries to land knees in the clinch but Zielony avoids the damage to the body.

Zielony breaks from the clinch.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Zielony tries to clinch up but Hawkes circles away and keeps his distance.
Hawkes connects with a right hand. Zielony shakes it off.
Zielony scores with a one two! Hawkes had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Hal Hawkes dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Hawkes misses with a two punch combination.
Zielony doesn't manage to clinch there - Hawkes circles away.

Hawkes dives in and scores a takedown into Zielony's guard.
Zielony is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Zielony working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Hawkes.
Zielony is looking to stand up but Hawkes isn't so interested in that idea.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zielony working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Hawkes.
Hawkes postures up in Zielony's guard and throws a big left but Zielony blocks it.
Hawkes is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Zielony darts in looking for a takedown but Hawkes gets double underhooks and turns Zielony into the cage.
Zielony takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Hawkes rushes Zielony and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Hawkes is trying to push Zielony away but Zielony has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Zielony tries to break free but Hawkes pushes him back against the cage.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Hawkes scores with an uppercut up the middle.

Zielony breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Hawkes tries to break the clinch but Zielony is controlling the position.

Zielony breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Hawkes throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Zielony was covering up waiting for the punch and Hawkes finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Zielony is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Hawkes dives into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Zielony tries to escape but Hawkes is in control.
Hawkes controls the position.
Hawkes throws a strike aimed at the side of Zielony's head but Zielony avoids it well.
Hal Hawkes overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hawkes prevents Zielony from escaping the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hawkes is trying to get an arm triangle but Zielony is defending well.
Hawkes is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Hawkes in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Hawkes is staying tight to Zielony's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Zielony pushes Hawkes away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Hawkes gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Hawkes controls the position from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Hawkes decides to stand up, so the ref orders Zielony to his feet.

Hawkes shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Zielony's guard.
Hawkes is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hawkes passes easily into side control. Nice work.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hal Hawkes showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Hawkes 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hal Hawkes!
In defeat, Mariusz Zielony stepped up to the mic, saying 'Congratulations for my opponent. Today he was better than me, but i want to keep fighting in QFC.'.