Phil Hawes

Phil Hawes is a wrestling-based mixed martial artist who clawed his way from regional promotions and reality television into the UFC after a long professional apprenticeship. A junior-college national wrestling champion who competed at Iowa State, Hawes turned pro in 2014 and spent years grinding through WSOF, Bellator, and Brave Combat Federation before earning his UFC contract on Dana White's Contender Series in September 2020. He made an explosive entry to the promotion, knocking out Jacob Malkoun in 18 seconds in his debut at UFC 254, then won his next two fights via decision before scoring a dominant striking-based victory over Deron Winn in June 2022—a performance that earned him a Performance of the Night bonus and suggested he had found his rhythm in the middleweight division.

Hawes' momentum evaporated quickly. Between November 2021 and January 2024, he suffered three knockout losses in the first round: to skilled boxer Chris Curtis, to rising prospect Ikram Aliskerov, and to Brunno Ferreira. Each finish was brutal and rapid, exposing a vulnerability to explosive striking when opponents dictated the pace. After the Ferreira loss, Hawes was released from the UFC roster in February 2024. He subsequently competed in Mike Perry's Dirty Boxing Championship, though a controversial eye-poke disqualification in his debut cast a shadow on that venture.

As a fighter, Hawes represents the well-rounded but not elite archetype: solid wrestling, reasonable clinch control, and the willingness to mix disciplines, but lacking the elite-level boxing, footwork, or defensive acumen needed to survive against top-tier strikers. His appeal lies largely in his journeyman story—years of hard work and sacrifice rewarded with a shot in the world's premier promotion—even as his recent record tells a tale of a fighter who found the level of competition in the UFC unforgiving.