PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rashad Evans (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Johann Bruno (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Evans
vs
Bruno

178 cm
23
205 lbs
4 - 6 - 1

185 cm
29
215 lbs
5 - 8 - 0

Decent wrestler
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
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 4 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Hilo, Rashad Evans!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Johann Bruno!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Frank Antenori and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Evans misses with a wild body shot.
Evans throws a right hand that Bruno ducks under and follows up with a left that Bruno also avoids with ease.
Bruno keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Evans dives in and grabs Bruno's left leg, looking for a takedown. Bruno pushes down on Evans's head and hops out.
Evans misses with a hook
and Bruno counters with a leg kick.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Bruno. Evans shrugs it off though.
Evans looks to throw the jab but Bruno is out of range.
Bruno is looking to clinch.
Bruno is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Evans closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Bruno quickly recovers to half guard.
Evans stalling.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Rashad Evans.
Evans shoots in for a takedown but Bruno shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Evans misses with a series of wild punches.
Evans looks to land a right hand but Bruno moved out of range.

Evans looking to score a takedown here. Bruno is defending well but Evans drives through and ends up in Bruno's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Evans is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Bruno is looking to stand back up but Evans counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Bruno.
Evans perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Bruno is trying to stand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Evans seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

We're going to have a standup here because Rashad Evans wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Evans works the jab nicely.
Bruno lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Evans rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Bruno moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Rashad Evans seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bruno wants to clinch.
Bruno tries to clinch up.
Bruno wants to clinch

and Evans counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Bruno's guard now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Evans sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Rashad Evans.
Bruno tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Evans decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Evans controlling the action here.
Bruno is looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rashad Evans dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Evans throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Bruno tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Evans paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Bruno wants to clinch.

Evans looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Evans stands and throws Bruno's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Bruno is trying to escape the position but Evans is controlling the position.
Evans's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Evans trying to control the position but Bruno is working away.
Evans is staying tight to Bruno's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Rashad Evans overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Rashad Evans has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Bruno wants to clinch.
Bruno scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bruno tries to clinch but Evans moves out of range.
Evans swats away the attempt to clinch by Bruno.
Bruno uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Evans.
Bruno is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Bruno tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Evans manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Bruno fails in his attempt to clinch.
Bruno tries to clinch but Evans is having none of it.
Bruno tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Evans paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Evans keeps the fight on the outside.
Bruno tries to clinch up.
Bruno fails in his attempt to clinch.
Evans shoots in and drives through. Bruno sprawls well.
Bruno wants to clinch up but Evans keeps it at a distance.
Evans blocks a head kick by Bruno.
Evans looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Bruno is fending him off so far but Evans persists. Nope, Bruno circles away and we're back to standing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A slow jab from Evans misses its intended target.

Evans throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Bruno was covering up waiting for the punch and Evans finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Evans looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Evans has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

We're going to have a standup here because Rashad Evans wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Evans circles away from the clinch attempt.
Bruno steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Evans.
Bruno throws a sloppy head kick and Evans moves out of range easily.
Evans lands a lovely overhand right.
Johann Bruno is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Evans dives in and scores a takedown into Bruno's guard.
Evans engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Good standup being displayed there by Evans as he connects with a hook.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rashad Evans dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Bruno tries to close the distance and clinch up but Evans swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Evans jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Some bone on bone action there as Bruno checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Good standup being displayed there by Evans as he connects with a hook.
Bruno keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Bruno wants to clinch up but Evans keeps it at a distance.

Evans scores with a takedown into Bruno's guard.
Bruno can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Evans controls the pace.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Evans throws a poor cross that misses
and Bruno counters with a stiff right hand.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Evans throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Bruno tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Johann Bruno is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Bruno tries to clinch up but Evans circles away and keeps his distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Evans dives in and scores a takedown into Bruno's guard.
Bruno can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Evans controls the pace.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Nice takedown defense from Bruno. No joy for Evans on that attempt.
Evans has a takedown stuffed.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rashad Evans. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Evans misses the jab.
Bruno moves in looking to clinch but Evans pushes him off.
Nice uppercut lands for Bruno. That snapped Evans's head back.
Bruno is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Evans shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Bruno defends it nicely.
Bruno connects with a high kick.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Evans shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Evans throws a leg kick but Bruno sees it coming and moves out of range.

Evans tries to keep at a distance but Bruno has taken the fight into the clinch.
Bruno prevents a takedown attempt there.
Evans has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Bruno avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Nice body punch from Bruno.
Bruno with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Bruno unloads a knee to the mid-section. Evans lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Bruno scores with a hook to the body.
Bruno gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

It looks like Rashad Evans has been cut.
Bruno working some nice short punches in the clinch.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Bruno.
Bruno using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Evans's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Bruno digs a right hand into Evans's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Evans's gas tank.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Bruno - that landed with a thud.
Bruno lands an elbow that stopped Evans in his tracks for a moment.
Nice elbow from Bruno.
Bruno lands an elbow that stopped Evans in his tracks for a moment.

Rashad Evans's cut is getting worse.
Bruno unloads a knee to the mid-section. Evans lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Still in the clinch, Bruno scores with a nice short uppercut.
Bruno scores with a shoulder strike.
A hook to the body from Bruno.
Good body shot from Bruno.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Bruno lands a knee to the body.
Bruno landing knees to the body.
Bruno pushes Evans back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Bruno landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Bruno lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Bruno working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

Evans is rocked!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bruno unloads with a big right hand that wobbles Evans! He's leaning against the cage trying to keep his feet but Bruno is unloading with more strikes now! Evans drops to his knees and the referee stops the fight for a TKO!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:09 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Johann Bruno!
A very excited looking Johann Bruno made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.