PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Chase Evans (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chael Sonnen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Evans's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Deicide-Once Upon the Cross . Chase Evans has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Evans
vs
Sonnen

196 cm
26
255 lbs
18 - 9 - 0

170 cm
27
275 lbs
9 - 6 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

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 18 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Chase Evans!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Chael Sonnen!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Alexandre Firmino and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sonnen doesn't succeed with the takedown
enabling Evans to counter with a crisp jab.

Evans drives through with a takedown into Sonnen's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Evans will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Evans stopping the sweep attempt from Sonnen.
Evans trying to control but Sonnen is working from the bottom.
Evans sitting in guard here, content to control.
Sonnen wants to stand up but Evans is controlling him.
Evans throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Sonnen works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Evans throws a strike but Sonnen rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Evans wants to get back to his feet but Sonnen is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Evans pushes Sonnen off and scrambles back to his feet.
Sonnen closes this distance looking for a takedown but Evans circles away.
Sonnen with a lazy takedown attempt
and Evans counters with a nice uppercut.
Chase Evans has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Chael Sonnen.
Sonnen is looking to clinch.

Sonnen closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Sonnen thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Evans keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Sonnen seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Evans is trying to stand.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Evans manages to escape and get back to his feet!

Evans feints and as Sonnen raises his hands in defense, Evans changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Evans throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Sonnen works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Sonnen pulls Evans in to control the position.
Sonnen utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Sonnen pulls Evans in to control the position.
Evans throwing strikes from guard but Sonnen blocks nicely.
Sonnen wants to sweep here but Evans controlling him for the moment.
Evans with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen being controlled here, momentarily.
Sonnen wants to sweep but no luck.
Evans thows a big elbow that misses.
Evans pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sonnen is keeping the position for now.
Sonnen keeping moving, preventing Evans from controlling successfully.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Evans shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Evans thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Sonnen's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Evans throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Evans is keen to just control but Sonnen is a slippery customer.
Evans is thwarting Sonnen's attempts to control the position.

Evans wants to work for an arm triangle but Sonnen is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Sonnen wants to control but Evans is keeping busy.
Evans missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Evans trying to control from half guard but Sonnen is working away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Sonnen is trying hard to land a takedown here. Evans sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Sonnen shoots and misses

and Evans counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Evans thows a big elbow that misses.
Evans wants to pass the guard but Sonnen is keeping the position.
Evans wants to control from the top but Sonnen keeps moving.
Evans thows a big elbow that misses.
Evans wants to control from the top but Sonnen keeps moving.

Sonnen escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Evans gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Evans is looking to work some ground and pound but Sonnen has wrist control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Sonnen is on top in guard.
Sonnen trying to control the position from guard on top but Evans is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Evans is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Sonnen is controlling him.
Sonnen trying to control the position from guard on top but Evans is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sonnen working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Sonnen scoring with punches to the head and body.
Evans is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Sonnen missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen distracts Evans with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Sonnen wants to control from the top but Evans keeps moving.
Sonnen prevents Evans from getting back to his feet.
Evans keeping moving, preventing Sonnen from controlling successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sonnen advances position into side control!
Sonnen scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Evans to see if he's OK.
Evans is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Sonnen asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Sonnen wants to lay and pray for a moment but Evans keeps working.
Sonnen working the body and head with strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Evans is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Sonnen has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Sonnen working the ground and pound.

Sonnen is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Evans is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Sonnen working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Evans is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Evans tries to escape but Sonnen is in control.
Sonnen trying to control the action but Evans is working from the bottom.
Sonnen working the ground and pound but Evans is defending the strikes.
Chase Evans overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Evans tries to escape but Sonnen is in control.
Sonnen trying to control the action but Evans is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Evans is pushing Sonnen's head away, looking to escape. Sonnen manages to hold on to the position though.
Sonnen in side control, throwing shots but Evans defends.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sonnen lands some shots froms side control.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sonnen trying to control the action but Evans is working from the bottom.
Sonnen prevents Evans from escaping the position.
Evans takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Sonnen controlling the position from side mount.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Evans wants to get back to his feet but Sonnen drags him back down.
Sonnen scores with punches from side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chael Sonnen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Sonnen fails with the takedown

and Evans counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Evans is rocked!
Sonnen is looking to control Evans's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Sonnen avoid being mounted?
Evans is keen to just control but Sonnen is a slippery customer.
Evans thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Evans thows a huge punch but Sonnen dodges it nicely.
Evans not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Evans trying to control from half guard but Sonnen is working away.
Evans throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Sonnen is trying to stand back up but Evans is controlling him
Evans landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Evans is trying to control. Sonnen wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sonnen avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Evans.
Sonnen is staying active underneath Evans, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Evans wants to work for an arm triangle but Sonnen is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Evans is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Sonnen wants to improve his position but Evans is controlling well.
Evans is trying to control the action in half guard but Sonnen is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Sonnen wants to control but Evans is keeping busy.
Sonnen might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Evans kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Evans is looking to stall here but Sonnen recovers full guard.
Evans with a flurry of punches that miss.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Evans here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
Sonnen seems keen to control Evans's posture.
Evans loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Sonnen keeping moving, preventing Evans from controlling successfully.
Sonnen looking for a sweep. Not yet Sonnen, not yet.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Sonnen being controlled here, momentarily.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Evans stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Evans wants it to stay on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Evans misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Sonnen gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Evans counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Chase Evans has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Chael Sonnen.
Sonnen shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Evans counters with a shoot takedown. Sonnen fights it but they end up in guard.
Sonnen takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Evans is looking to work some ground and pound but Sonnen has wrist control.
Evans working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Evans trying to control but Sonnen is working from the bottom.
Evans passes easily into side control. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen wants to control but Evans postures up.
Evans misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
A lull in the action here as Evans stalls from top position.
Sonnen is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Evans is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Sonnen knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Evans throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chase Evans showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Evans has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Daniel Cesar scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 29:28
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 29:28

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