PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Festivius Fisher (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Evan Better (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fisher comes to the cage accompanied by Dillon Francis feat DJ Snake - Get Low. The crowd seem to be enjoying Better's choice of entrance music: Mother by Danzig. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Fisher
vs
Better

174 cm
34
179 lbs
9 - 6 - 0

188 cm
27
183 lbs
14 - 13 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

GREEN!160

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 9 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Festivius Fisher!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Evan Better!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Shirou Masuda and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Better throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Better lands with a nice combination. Fisher backs away looking to recover.
Fisher throws a sloppy head kick and Better moves out of range easily.
Jab, jab by Better - just one landing.
Fisher slips under a jab from Better.
Fisher throws a big counter combination but Better scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Better throws a series of punches but Fisher avoids them all with ease.
Better fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Fisher appears to be looking for a big counter.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Better connects with an inside leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fisher displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Better throws out the jab.
Better blocks a head kick by Fisher.
Better misses the shot to the body.
Fisher seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Better throws a hook but Fisher blocks it.
Fisher uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Better.
Fisher went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Fisher throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Better is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Better is looking to score with low kicks.
Fisher lifts his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Better shoots in for a double leg but Fisher sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Fisher is looking for a counter combo.
Fisher misses with a head kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Better changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Better misses with a takedown

and Fisher counters by moving into the clinch.
Festivius Fisher has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Evan Better.
Fisher lands a right hand.
Fisher looks to throw an elbow but misses.

Better drags the fight down to the ground.
Better controls Fisher momentarily but Fisher frees himself.
Better looking to hit a scissor sweep but Fisher is one step ahead there.
Better trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Better isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Fisher stacks Better on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Fisher!

Fisher decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Better misses with a combination
and Fisher counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Better throws a leg kick but Fisher moved away.
Better motions for Fisher to come forward. Better throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fisher goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Evan Better seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A looping hook to the body misses from Better. Fisher does a little dance to reset his feet.
Fisher gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Better misses with the combination.
Fisher throws a big counter combination but Better scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Fisher checks a leg kick.
Better looks to throw the jab but Fisher is out of range.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Better, right into the meat.
Better loads up on a big right hand but Fisher slips the punch.
Fisher went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Evan Better dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Better misses with a looping right.
Fisher takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Fisher stuffs the takedown attempt from Better. Better gets slowly back to his feet.
Better does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Fisher throws a big counter combination but Better scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Better fails with a takedown attempt.
It looked like Fisher was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Good exchange - Better coming out on top.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Fisher. No joy for Better on that attempt.
Festivius Fisher has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Evan Better.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Better.
Better motions for Fisher to come forward. Better throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
A shot to the body from Better misses
and Fisher counters with a left and a right that stings Better.
Fisher checks the leg kick nicely there.
A swing and a miss from Better.
Fisher seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Better is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Better misses with a leg kick
and Fisher counters with a left and a right that stings Better.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Better blocks a head kick by Fisher.
Better swings and misses with a hook to the body.
As Better looks to move away, Fisher throws a big counter combo bu Better just gets out of the way.
Better throws a leg kick
and Fisher counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Fisher walks into a jab.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Better shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Better misses with a telegraphed body shot

and Fisher counters by moving into the clinch.
I was talking to Fisher's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Fisher looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Better jumps guard but Fisher stands there with Better around his waist. Better gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Fisher lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Fisher throws an elbow but it misses.
Nice elbow from Fisher.

It looks like Evan Better has been cut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fisher gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Better unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Fisher throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Fisher pushes off an throws an elbow but Better leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Better is trying to drag Fisher to the mat but Fisher just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Better can't get the takedown.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Fisher just misses with a elbow thrown towards Better's brow.
Better on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Fisher lands a nice elbow.
Better stalling in the clinch but Fisher improves position.
Better blocks the elbow strike.
Better's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Fisher just misses with a elbow thrown towards Better's brow.
Better wants a takedown but no success here.
Fisher tries a knee to the head but Better blocks it.
Fisher throws an elbow but it's blocked.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Better blocks an elbow strike.
Fisher throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Better blocks it with crossed arms.
Fisher looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Fisher tries a knee to the head but Better blocks it.
Fisher lands an elbow that stopped Better in his tracks for a moment.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Fisher scores a nice knee to the body.
A head punch on the inside from Fisher fails to land.
Better looking to slow down the pace here.
Fisher lands a nice elbow.
Better jumps guard but Fisher turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Fisher looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Better blocks an elbow strike.
Better fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Better misses with a punch to the body.
A head punch on the inside from Better fails to land.
Fisher tries a knee to the head but Better blocks it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Festivius Fisher dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Evan Better's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Fisher pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Fisher shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Better defends it nicely.
Better tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Better moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Fisher is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Better can do to turn this around?
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jab by Better.
Evan Better seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A head kick misses from Fisher.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Better pushes Fisher away with a front kick.
Fisher on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Fisher checks a leg kick nicely.
Fisher throws a big counter combination but Better scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Better uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Festivius Fisher is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A bone on bone clash there as Fisher blocks the leg kick.
Fisher tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Better manages to circle out of the way.
Better tried to score with a low kick but Fisher checks it.
Better misses the jab.
As Better looks to move away, Fisher throws a big counter combo bu Better just gets out of the way.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Better.
As Better looks to move away, Fisher throws a big counter combo bu Better just gets out of the way.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fisher avoids the body shot from Better.
Better connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.

Fisher closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Better tries to buck Fisher off but Fisher is having none of it.
Better is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Fisher's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Better tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Fisher has advanced to mount. Uh oh.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Better working to try and regain half guard.

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.
Fisher sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Better is trying desperately to improve position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

And that's the end of the fight!
Evan Better comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Better 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 Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Evan Better!
After winning the bout, Evan Better thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.