UFC Vegas 26 results: Phil Hawes bloodies and batters Kyle Daukaus to win unanimous decision

Always touted as one of the best prospects in the sport, Phil Hawes is beginning to live up to that potential as he moved to 3-0 inside the octagon with his latest win at UFC Vegas 26.

While he had to survive a scare in the second round, Hawes showed great conditioning, serious punching power and suffocating grappling to punish Kyle Daukaus and win a unanimous decision in the opening bout on the main card. The scorecards read 30-26, 30-26 and 29-27 with Hawes getting the win.

“It feels good, especially against a tough guy like Kyle Daukaus,” Hawes said about his victory. “He rocked me and just like the last fight, it kind of woke me up. Once someone hits you good and they see that it doesn’t knock you down, they begin to break.”

Forward pressure from Hawes eventually gave way to a takedown as he put Daukaus on the ground and briefly had the set up for a rare Von Flue choke. Before he could lock up the submission, Daukaus exploded out with a reversal that put him on top as he began his own offensive flurry.

As the second round got started, Daukaus uncorked a head kick that missed but he followed it with a spinning back fist that clubbed Hawes and left him on wobbly legs, Daukaus went for the kill but Hawes was able to grab into the clinch to get his composure back.

Just when it looked like Daukaus was taking over, Hawes fired back with a well-timed overhand right that blasted the Philadelphia native and the momentum in the fight shifted again. Hawes then began targeting the body with several hard shots that were digging into Daukaus’ ribs and then coming back up top with punches to the head.

While he was having plenty of success on the feet, Hawes then went back to his wrestling as he planted Daukaus on the ground where he began peppering away with his ground and pound. With blood streaked across his face from a cut opened up, Daukaus was just stuck on his back with little resistance other than the desire to survive to the final horn.

Now 3-0 in the UFC with a seven-fight win streak overall, Hawes is proving to be a tough out for anybody in the middleweight division and this latest victory will only further that reputation as he moves forward in his career.