PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Marshall Mathers (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rashad Evans (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mathers comes to the cage accompanied by Eminem - Forever. Evans has chosen Pursuit of Happiness as his entrance music. The key to victory for Marshall Mathers has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Mathers
vs
Evans

190 cm
22
200 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

175 cm
18
200 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Marshall Mathers!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rashad Evans!
The judges for this bout are Stewart Dunkirk, Cecil Peabody and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mathers changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Evans tries to avoid it but Mathers manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Evans to the ground. Evans escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Mathers uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Evans.
Mathers throws a nice looking combination but Evans bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Evans shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Mathers is looking to improve his position but Evans isn't that keen on the idea.
Evans is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Evans is landing with some decent strikes but Mathers is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

Evans is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Mathers is surviving well by controlling Evans's body position as best he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Evans has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Mathers's face.
Mathers tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Evans landing strikes from the mount and Mathers is in trouble!
Evans takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Evans is landing with some decent strikes but Mathers is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mathers tries to reverse the position but Evans maintains control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Evans is landing with some decent strikes but Mathers is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Evans lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Mathers hang on?
Mathers slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Mathers gets back to full guard.
Mathers will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Mathers wants to sweep here but Evans controlling him for the moment.
Mathers is breathing heavily.
Evans wants to control from the top but Mathers keeps moving.
Evans is working Mathers over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Evans scoring with some ground and pound.
Evans wanted to stand there but Mathers had control of the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Mathers gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Evans moves into the clinch.
Evans misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Mathers.
Evans wants to break the clinch but can't.
Evans has had enough of the clinch but Mathers keeps him there for the moment.
Evans wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Evans wants a takedown.
Evans is pushing Mathers up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Mathers can't get the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marshall Mathers. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Evans is trying to break free.
Evans is trying to break the clinch but Mathers has him pressed against the cage.
Mathers is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Evans is trying to trip Mathers. He has hold of a leg but Mathers is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Evans persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Evans lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Evans postures up and lands a big shot to Mathers's brow.
Mathers looking for a sweep. Not yet Mathers, not yet.

Evans gets to his feet. Mathers looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Mathers closes the distance but Evans moves to the side
and Evans counters with a nice uppercut.
Mathers with a poor takedown

and Evans counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Evans wants to stand but Mathers has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mathers is looking for a sweep. Evans is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Mathers has a hand on Evans's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Evans takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Mathers is in a horrible position here. Evans smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Evans prevents Mathers from getting the reversal.
Evans is in the full mount, landing strikes.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mathers gets back to half guard.
Evans is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Evans should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Evans not doing much here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rashad Evans dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Mathers shoots and misses
and Evans counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Mathers shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Evans counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Evans.

Evans gets to his feet. Mathers looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Marshall Mathers seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mathers shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Evans counters with a straight right hand.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marshall Mathers. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Evans moves into the clinch.
Evans wants a takedown.
Evans is trying to drag Mathers to the mat but Mathers just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Evans is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Mathers pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Evans is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Evans is trying to trip Mathers. He has hold of a leg but Mathers is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Evans persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Evans wants to stand but Mathers has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Mathers looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Mathers has momentary wrist control but Evans slips an elbow through the middle.
Evans wanted to stand there but Mathers had control of the position.
Mathers tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mathers lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Evans!
Evans is trying to escape the mount but Mathers keeps good control and instead manages to take Evans's back.
Evans trying to control but not successfully.
Evans looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.
Evans holding on to Mathers's left wrist, preventing the choke.

Evans defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
Evans just trying to survive but Mathers is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Evans fending off the submission attempt from Mathers.

Mathers is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Evans knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Evans for a finish.

Mathers is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Evans has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.

Mathers is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Evans has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Mathers working for the choke.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Evans rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Evans trying to control here.
Evans is trying to stand back up but Mathers is controlling him
Mathers is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Evans reverses the position - he's now on top in Mathers's guard.
Mathers manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Mathers fails to take his opponent's back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Rashad Evans will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Evans moves out of range of the body kick from Mathers.
Mathers fails with the takedown
and Evans counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Evans fails with a takedown attempt.
Mathers with a lazy takedown attempt
and Evans counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Mathers thinking.
Marshall Mathers is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Evans cracks Mathers with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Evans connects with a crisp jab.
Mathers throws a series of punches but Evans moves out of range.

Evans scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Evans is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Mathers knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Evans works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Mathers is trying to get back to half guard.
Evans scores with punches from side control.
Mathers tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Evans wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Evans lands some shots froms side control.
Mathers is looking for a sweep.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Mathers throws a half hearted mid kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Mathers throws a head kick that misses.

Evans moves into the clinch.
Evans changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Mathers fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Evans closes the distance and clinches.
Evans lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Mathers is working for takedown but Evans is calmly controlling the position for now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marshall Mathers. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mathers prevents Evans from breaking the clinch.
Mathers keeps control of Evans as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mathers tries for a takedown. No joy.
Mathers looking for a takedown.
Evans wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Evans is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Mathers gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Mathers is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Evans has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Mathers is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Evans wants the takedown. Mathers is fighting it off but Evans persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Mathers's guard against the cage.
Mathers wants to sweep but no luck.
Evans has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Mathers is proving hard to escape from.
Mathers looking for a sweep. Not yet Mathers, not yet.
Evans trying to control but Mathers is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mathers looking for a sweep. Not yet Mathers, not yet.

Evans avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Mathers is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Evans makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Evans preventing the sweep.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Mathers is on top in guard.
Mathers passes Evans's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Marshall Mathers has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rashad Evans is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Rashad Evans has got the better of the ground game so far.
Evans wants to get back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rashad Evans comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Evans 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 Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 27:30
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rashad Evans!