PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Shinya Imanari (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rob Evans (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Imanari kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Era - Ameno. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Imanari
vs
Evans

175 cm
25
245 lbs
12 - 6 - 0

185 cm
24
270 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Granite chin

Knock Out Artistry

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Shinya Imanari!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rob Evans!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Frank Dennis and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Excellent takedown into side control there by Evans.
Imanari tries to bench press Evans off him but Evans keeps the position.
Imanari wants to control but Evans postures up.
Imanari is trying to improve his position.
Imanari gets back to half guard.

Imanari is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Evans pulls his head out easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Imanari tries to roll over but Evans keeps him under control.
Evans is looking to stand up but he'll have to free his leg first. Instead, Imanari manages to get to full guard.
Evans has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Imanari is proving hard to escape from.
Imanari trying to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Imanari looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Imanari wants to control but Evans passes easily into half guard.
Imanari wants to sweep but Evans has passed to side control!
Evans is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Imanari will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Imanari is looking for a sweep.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Imanari can't do much from the bottom here.
Imanari tries to bench press Evans off him but Evans keeps the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Evans tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Imanari is trying to improve his position.
Evans is looking to take a break and control but Imanari is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Evans misses with an uppercut. Imanari saw that one coming.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Evans looks to score with a jab to the body but Imanari is just out of range.
Imanari fails in his attempt to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rob Evans dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Imanari with a poor takedown

and Evans counters with a single leg into guard. Imanari didn't expect that.
Evans wanted to stand there but Imanari had control of the position.
Imanari looking to control.
Imanari is really struggling to control Evans but he's trying to hold on to the position.

Imanari has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Evans is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Imanari.
Imanari is looking to reverse the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Imanari trying to control but Evans flips him over like a cheap hooker and has his back!
Imanari tries to escape but Evans has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Imanari tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Evans tries to control but Imanari wriggling away.
Imanari is trying desperately to improve position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Evans tries to control but Imanari wriggling away.
Imanari tries to hold on but Evans pushes him away.
Evans controlling his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Imanari really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's four 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.
Imanari regains half guard.
Evans is nestled in close to Imanari, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Imanari tries to get to full guard but Evans has control of the leg.

Evans escapes and gets back to his feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Imanari with a poor takedown
and Evans cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rob Evans showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Imanari keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Evans.

It looks like Shinya Imanari has been cut.
Imanari has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Evans finds it's way round the side to connect with Imanari's head.
Evans lands a jab to the nose.
Evans misses with a body shot.
Imanari tries to clinch but Evans is having none of it.
A big right from Evans misses.
Imanari keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Evans just misses with a punch to the body.
Evans misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Imanari.
Evans throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Imanari sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Evans just misses with a punch to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Evans.
Imanari staying out of range there.
Shinya Imanari is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Evans gets a takedown into half guard.
Imanari is looking for a sweep. Evans is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Imanari is working hard here to advance position.
Imanari is staying active underneath Evans, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Imanari is looking for a sweep. Evans is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The fighters are battling for position here. Imanari manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Imanari throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Imanari looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Evans slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Evans looking to pass the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Imanari looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Evans puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Imanari trying to control here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Evans wants to get back to his feet.
Rob Evans is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Imanari shoots and misses

and Evans counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Imanari!
Imanari is desperately trying to improve his position but Evans has a good base and remains in mount.
Evans content just to control the position here.
Shinya Imanari has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Imanari tries to hold on but Evans pushes him away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rob 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 27:30

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