PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Marcus Beast (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rashad Evans (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Evans is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by j. Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Beast
vs
Evans

191 cm
22
204 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

180 cm
22
220 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
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 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Marcus Beast!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rashad Evans!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Wesley Smith and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Evans fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Beast sprawls well initially but Evans persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Evans working over Beast with some ground and pound. Beast looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Evans lands a nice short elbow.
Evans has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Beast keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Evans is trying to control the action in half guard but Beast is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Evans is taking a breather. Beast says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Evans thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Evans trying to control from half guard but Beast is working away.
Evans missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Evans trying to control the action but Beast is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Rashad Evans hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Evans misses the shot to the body.
Beast looks to land a right hand but Evans moved out of range.

Evans closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Evans lands in his opponent's guard.

Evans decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Beast, up you get!
Evans scores with the left hand. Beast knows he should have avoided that one.
Evans tries to clinch up.
Beast will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Evans fails with the takedown
and Beast counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Beast connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Evans's hands.
Evans misses with a takedown attempt
and Beast counters with a stiff right hand.
Evans throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Evans takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Beast throws a leg kick but Evans sees it coming and moves out of range.
Evans misses with a takedown
and Beast counters with a series of strikes. Evans will be more careful next time no doubt.
Marcus Beast has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rashad Evans.
Evans fails with the takedown
and Beast makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Evans shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Beast counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Evans looks gassed!
Beast jabs Evans to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Beast misses with a double jab.
Rashad Evans seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Evans looks to clinch

and Beast counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Beast.

Beast pulls guard successfully.
Evans is fighting to break Beast's control of his arms but Beast is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Evans stopping the sweep attempt from Beast.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Evans is working Beast over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Beast keeping moving, preventing Evans from controlling successfully.
Evans sitting in guard here, content to control.
Evans trying to control the position from guard on top but Beast is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Rashad Evans has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Evans fails with the takedown
and Beast counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rashad Evans dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Evans looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Evans loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Beast throwing rabbit punches from the bottom - showing the judges that he's keeping busy.
Beast avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Evans distracts Beast with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Evans tries to free his leg and advance position but Beast is retaining full guard.
Evans is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Evans throwing strikes from guard but Beast blocks nicely.
Beast will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Beast utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Evans thows a big elbow that misses.

Beast has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Evans can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Evans advances position into side control!
Evans grinds an elbow into Beast's temple.
Evans throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Beast works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Evans is trying to control. Beast wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Evans not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Evans looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Evans looks to land a strike but Beast avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Evans content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Evans preventing the sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Evans stands up and waves to Beast to follow him.
Beast keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Evans gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Beast counters with a low kick, right behind Evans 's knee.
Evans shoots and misses
and Beast counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Marcus Beast has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rashad Evans.
Evans fails with the takedown
and Beast counters with a nice uppercut.
Evans is breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Evans takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Evans with a lazy takedown attempt
and Beast counters with a nice leg kick.
Evans doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Beast counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Beast is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Beast tries to clinch but Evans moves out of range.
Evans shoots and misses
and Beast counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Evans ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Beast dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Evans darts in trying to clinch
and Beast 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.

Rashad Evans showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Evans walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Rashad Evans is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Evans with a poor takedown

and Beast holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Beast changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Evans fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Evans doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Beast counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Evans misses with a left hand
and Beast counters with a right hand to the body.
Evans throws a sloppy body shot
and Beast counters with a straight right hand.
Evans with a lazy takedown attempt
enabling Beast to counter with a crisp jab.
Marcus Beast has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rashad Evans.
Evans takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Evans fails with the takedown
letting Beast counter with a right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Beast looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Beast throws an overhand right that lands on Evans's shoulder, as Evans tries to avoid the shot.
Evans swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Evans takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Beast works Evans's body with a nice hook.
Evans has his takedown stuffed

and Beast counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Evans!
Beast takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Beast tries to control but Evans wriggling away.
Evans wants to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Beast putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Beast trying to control but Evans is having none of it.
Beast controlling the position easily from mount.
Beast tries to control but Evans wriggling away.
Poor strikes thrown by Beast there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Evans's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Beast tries to control but Evans wriggling away.
Evans can't escape the position.
Beast sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Beast tries to control but Evans wriggling away.
Beast controlling from mount.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Marcus Beast.
Evans has his takedown stuffed
and Beast counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Evans fails with the takedown
and Beast cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Beast throws a big shot that misses.
Rashad Evans is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Evans tries for a takedown but Beast circles away easily
and Beast counters with a nice uppercut.
Evans misses with a takedown attempt
and Beast counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Marcus Beast has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Beast throws out a loose jab but Evans uses good head movement to avoid it.
Evans throws an off balance right hand
and Beast counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Evans thinking.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marcus Beast showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Evans has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 28:29
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 28:28
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 28:28

The fight is ruled a majority draw!