PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Rashad Evans (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hannibal Hatfield (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rashad Evans looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Evans
vs
Hatfield

190 cm
20
170 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

180 cm
19
175 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Rashad Evans!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Hannibal Hatfield!
The judges for this bout are Dean Styles, John Kavanagh and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Evans showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Hatfield.

Evans looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Hatfield!
Evans sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!

Evans moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Hatfield has worked his arm free - good work by Hatfield!
Hatfield is trying to improve his position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Evans working away.
Hatfield tries to strike but it doesn't land.
Evans scoring with punches and elbows.

Evans tries for a kimura but Hatfield is defending well.
Evans is breathing heavily.
Hatfield looks to move to half guard but instead Evans has passed into mount! Damn!
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.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Evans is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Hatfield is surviving well by controlling Evans's body position as best he can.
Hatfield is looking to get to half guard.
Hatfield bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Evans keeping moving, preventing Hatfield from controlling successfully.
Hatfield working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Evans's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Hatfield trying to control but Evans is working from the bottom.
Hatfield 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.
Hatfield won't allow Evans to sweep him here.
Hatfield trying to control but Evans is working from the bottom.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Hatfield's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Evans trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Evans really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Evans is looking for a triangle but Hatfield pushes his legs off easily.
Evans throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Hatfield drops Evans with a right and a left! Hatfield comes rushing in but Evans regains his composure and manages to keep Hatfield in guard.

Evans is rocked!

It looks like Rashad Evans has been cut.
Evans has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Hatfield has passed into side control.
Oh Evans is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Evans gets back to half guard.
Hatfield controlling the pace.

Hatfield escapes and gets back to his feet.
Evans seems to have got his legs back now.
Evans fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Evans shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Hatfield but Hatfield pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Evans has a takedown stuffed.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rashad Evans. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from Hatfield.

Hatfield closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Evans to the mat! Evans manages to get full guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Evans throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Evans can't keep his opponent in guard - Hatfield advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Hatfield is trying to control the action in half guard but Evans is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Hatfield is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Evans tries to get to full guard but Hatfield has control of the leg.
Hatfield wants to control but Evans is keeping him busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hannibal Hatfield dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Rashad Evans's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Hatfield missing with a left hand there. Evans was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Evans with a poor takedown

so Hatfield counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hatfield pushing down on Evans's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Hatfield seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Evans does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Evans moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Evans looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Hatfield looking to pass the guard.

Evans has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Hatfield can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Hatfield throwing strikes but missing.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hatfield throwing strikes but missing.
Hatfield trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Hatfield trying to control but Evans is working from the bottom.
Evans striking off his back but it's not causing Hatfield any problems.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Evans blocks a head kick by Hatfield.
Evans shoots and misses
letting Hatfield counter with a right hand.

Hatfield shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Evans's guard.
Evans manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Hatfield manages to get himself to full guard.
Evans stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Hatfield swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Evans postures up in Hatfield's guard and throws a big left but Hatfield blocks it.
Evans is looking to work some ground and pound but Hatfield has wrist control.

Evans drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Evans jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Hatfield looking for a sweep. Not yet Hatfield, not yet.
Evans trying to control but Hatfield is working from the bottom.
Hatfield throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Hannibal Hatfield has got the better of the ground game so far.
Hatfield tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Hatfield lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Hatfield.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hatfield throws an overhand right that drops Evans like a sack of potatoes! Hatfield dives in to finish the fight with more strikes and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:07 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Hannibal Hatfield!