PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rashad Evans (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Franz Izco (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Evans kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Goodnight Izco. 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?

Evans
vs
Izco

180 cm
20
220 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

190 cm
25
206 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rashad Evans!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Franz Izco!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Alan Glass and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Evans closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Izco to the mat! Izco manages to get full guard.
Evans won't allow Izco to sweep him here.
Evans throwing strikes but missing.
Evans is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Evans postures up.
Evans throwing strikes from guard but Izco blocks nicely.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Izco trying to control the position.
Evans postures up and lands a big shot to Izco's brow.
Izco trying to keep a closed guard but Evans is proving a slippery customer.
Evans is in close to Izco's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Izco keeping full guard, as Evans tries to pass.
Evans looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Izco will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Evans pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Izco is keeping the position for now.
Evans wants to control from the top but Izco keeps moving.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Evans accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Evans trying to control the position from guard on top but Izco is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Evans accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Evans keeps the fight on the outside.
Evans throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Izco stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
The fight stays on the outside here - Izco looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Evans drives through with a takedown into guard.
Evans slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Evans makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Evans has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Evans won't allow Izco to sweep him here.
Evans thows a big elbow that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Evans makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Evans working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Evans looking to sit in guard and control but Izco gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Izco in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Evans working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Izco.
Izco prevents Evans from getting back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Izco trying to control but Evans is working from the bottom.
Evans is looking to stand up but Izco isn't so interested in that idea.

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.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Izco clinches.
Izco drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Evans gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Izco is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Evans is defending well for now.
Izco is trying to drag Evans to the mat but Evans just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Izco is pressed up against the cage. Evans has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Izco down to the mat. Izco avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Izco doesn't manage to clinch there - Evans circles away.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Izco.
Izco doesn't manage to clinch there - Evans circles away.
Izco blocks a head kick by Evans.
Evans avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Evans stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Evans wants it to stay on the feet.
Rashad Evans has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Franz Izco.
Izco looks gassed!
Horrible takedown by Izco or perhaps it was just good defense by Evans which made him look bad.
Evans scores with a decent looking hook.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rashad Evans dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Izco takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Evans misses the shot to the body.

Evans shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Izco manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Evans's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Evans trying to control but Izco is working from the bottom.
Evans throwing strikes from guard but Izco blocks nicely.
Izco preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Evans pushes down on Izco's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Evans seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Izco tries to kick Evans off but Evans keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Izco is breathing heavily.
Izco is refusing to be controlled, as Evans sits in half guard.
Evans lands with a punch from half guard.
Evans trying to control the action but Izco is working from the bottom.
Izco keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Evans not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Izco wants to control but Evans is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Evans is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Evans connects with a nice short shot to Izco's temple.
Evans trying to control from half guard but Izco is working away.
Evans scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Izco throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Izco wants to get back to full guard.
Evans winds up and cracks Izco with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Evans thows a huge punch but Izco dodges it nicely.
Evans content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Evans trying to control the action but Izco is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Evans not doing much here.
Izco has a hand on Evans's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Evans takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
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 Izco's face.
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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Evans scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Izco keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Evans lands a heavy elbow.
Izco really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Evans unloading with bombs!
Evans landing strikes from the mount and Izco is in trouble!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rashad Evans dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. And we move into the final round!

Izco misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
A swing and a miss from Evans.
Evans scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Izco doesn't seem bothered though.

Evans shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
BOOM! Evans connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Izco is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Evans is landing with some decent strikes but Izco is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Evans working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Evans fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Izco working to try and regain half guard.
Evans working the ground and pound effectively.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Evans tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Izco takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Evans raining down shots from the mount!
Evans scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Evans content just to control the position here.
Evans can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Izco is looking to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Evans looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Izco wants to hold on but Evans pushes him away.
Rashad Evans overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Izco in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Evans is landing with some decent strikes but Izco is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Evans lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Evans punishing his opponent with strikes.
Izco wants to hold on but Evans pushes him away.
Evans looking to control and managing it successfully.
Evans is in the full mount, landing strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Evans lands a heavy elbow.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Evans cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Evans trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Rashad Evans is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Evans looking to control and managing it successfully.
Evans with the ground and pound from mount.
Evans looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Evans seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Izco for as long as he can get away with.
Franz Izco has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Evans with a couple of short strikes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rashad Evans showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Evans, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Tiny Johnson scores the fight 30:25
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 30:25
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 30:25

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