PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rashid Evans (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jarek Nolicek (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Evans
vs
Nolicek

180 cm
22
200 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

177 cm
19
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Rashid Evans!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Jarek Nolicek!
The judges for this bout are Nard Betker, Albert Achterberg and Radbod Blank.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Evans scores with a punch to the head.

Evans changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Nolicek looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

Evans decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Jarek Nolicek seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nolicek has his takedown stuffed
and Evans counters with a nice body shot.
Nolicek gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Evans counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Nolicek clinches but Evans breaks the clinch

and Evans counters with a nice double leg into side control. Nolicek won't be happy with that.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Nolicek tries to improve position but can't.
Evans happy to just control the position for now.
Evans trying to control the position but Nolicek is working away.
Nolicek takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Nolicek is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Evans sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Evans prevents Nolicek from standing back up.
Nolicek is trying to control but can't.

Nolicek is defending against the submission attempts here by Evans.

Evans postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Nolicek to stand up.
Nolicek swings away with a body shot that misses

and Evans counters by moving into the clinch.
Nolicek looking to stall.
Nolicek is trying to slow the pace down but that's a couple of times in a row that he's tried to get underhooks and Evans has denied him.
Nolicek tries to land knees in the clinch but Evans avoids the damage to the body.
Nolicek looks gassed!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nolicek takes an elbow to the temple.

Evans jumps guard and drags Nolicek to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

Nolicek avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Evans escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Nolicek gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Evans throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Nolicek escapes and throws Evans's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Nolicek throws a strike aimed at the side of Evans's head but Evans avoids it well.
Evans tries to improve position but can't.
Nolicek working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Evans is not content to let Nolicek control the position.
Evans is trying to control Nolicek's posture but Nolicek avoids it.

Nolicek swings around for an armbar but Evans sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Nolicek's guard.

Evans decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Nolicek gets caught flat footed, as Evans shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Evans looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Evans trying to control but Nolicek is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nolicek wants to stand but Evans is controlling the position.
Nolicek keeping moving, preventing Evans from controlling successfully.
Evans pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Nolicek is keeping the position for now.
Evans trying to control the position from guard on top but Nolicek is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Nolicek wants to sweep but no luck.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Nice takedown defense from Nolicek. No joy for Evans on that attempt.
Nolicek has his takedown stuffed
and Evans counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Evans shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Evans showed some decent athleticism there.

Evans is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Nolicek defends it well.
Nolicek is looking to escape.

Evans is looking for a kimura but Nolicek is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Evans to get the leverage.
Nolicek trying to control from the bottom.
Evans is trying to control the action in half guard but Nolicek is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Nolicek wants to control but Evans is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Nolicek is trying to control but Evans manages to pass to mount!
Evans sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Evans punishing his opponent with strikes.
Evans trying to control but Nolicek is having none of it.
Nolicek is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

Evans goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Nolicek turns into him and now he's in Evans's guard.

Evans is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Evans trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Evans tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Evans has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Nolicek can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Evans tries to strike from the bottom.
Nolicek slips nicely into half guard, despite the strikes coming from Evans.
Nolicek trying to mount his opponent but Evans defends it.
Nolicek wants to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Nolicek closes the distance but Evans moves to the side

and Evans decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Nolicek's guard.
Evans controls from within his opponent's guard.
Nolicek is looking to stand up but Evans isn't so interested in that idea.
Evans is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Nolicek utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Nolicek is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Evans is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Evans trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Nolicek throws a right and a left that both miss.
Nolicek misses with a leg kick

and Evans counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Evans.
Evans lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Evans on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Evans blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Evans stalling.
Nolicek is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the ropes.

Evans escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A low kick from Nolicek misses
and Evans counters with a right hand to the body.
Evans scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Nolicek doesn't seem bothered though.

Evans drives through with a takedown into guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rashid Evans dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Nolicek tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Evans counters with a takedown into side control.
Nolicek is trying to get back to half guard.
Evans is chipping away with strikes.
Evans scoring with punches and elbows.
Nolicek is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

Evans is working for what looks like an arm triangle here. Nolicek is trying to escape and Evans transitions quickly into an armbar! He's slapped it on tight and Nolicek is forced to tap! Nice work there by Evans! Very nice indeed!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Rashid Evans!