PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Nick Evans (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rukah Padero (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Evans
vs
Padero

170 cm
26
149 lbs
19 - 12 - 1

176 cm
29
152 lbs
11 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent MT
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Powerful

AnonymouS
The Empire Clothing and Laundry

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 19 - 12 - 1, fighting out of New York, Nick Evans!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Rukah Padero !
The judges for this bout are Chris Saunders, Paul Gruel and Ryoma Takatsuka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Evans throws a sloppy head kick and Padero moves out of range easily.

Padero takes the fight into the clinch.
Padero misses with a punch to the body.
A body shot lands from Evans.

Padero pulls guard.
Evans controlling from the top position.
Padero is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Evans is stalling in the full guard.
Padero controls Evans momentarily but Evans frees himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Evans sitting in guard here, content to control.
Evans pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Padero is keeping the position for now.
Evans wants to control from the top but Padero keeps moving.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Evans stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Padero swivels though and keeps the full guard.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Padero avoids a punch combination nicely.

Padero has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Padero on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Padero prevents the takedown attempt.
Evans drops down looking for an ankle pick but Padero pulls his leg out and moves away.
Padero keeps the fight on the outside.

Padero looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
It looks like Padero is going to stand back up.
Evans trying to hold on to Padero 's head to control him but Padero postures up.
Evans preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Evans is looking to control Padero 's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Evans avoid being mounted?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Padero working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Evans is looking to improve his position.
Evans is trying to maintain the position but Padero is very close to passing his half guard.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Padero steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Evans.
Padero ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Padero drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Evans defends it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Padero shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Evans is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Padero controlling from the top position.
Evans pulls Padero in close to prevent any damage.
Evans is looking to sweep but instead, Padero has passed into half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Evans is trying to maintain the position but Padero is very close to passing his half guard.
Padero tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Evans.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rukah Padero dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Padero throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Evans tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Padero is in Evans's guard.
Evans has Padero pulled in close to control his posture.
Evans looking to control.
Padero throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Padero wanted to stand there but Evans had control of the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Evans is trying to control the position but Padero postures up.
Evans seems keen to control Padero 's posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Evans is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Evans is figuring out what he wants to do next.
We've been hearing that Evans has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Evans is looking to advance position but Padero won't allow it.
Evans wants to take a breather but Padero is having none of it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Padero gets back to full guard.
Evans wants to pass the guard but Padero is keeping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Evans engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Padero wants to sweep here but Evans controlling him for the moment.
Evans pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Padero is keeping the position for now.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Evans tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Padero feints and as Evans raises his hands in defense, Padero changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Evans trying to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Evans has control of Padero 's left arm, preventing Padero from doing any damage.

Evans had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Padero defends it easily.
Padero trying to control the position from guard on top but Evans is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Padero being controlled here momentarily.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Padero gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Evans misses with a knee to the head.
Padero stalls.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Evans is trying to pull guard but Padero has him pressed against the cage.
Evans tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Padero avoids it.
Still in the clinch, Evans scores with a nice short uppercut.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rukah Padero showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Padero misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Padero throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Evans tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Padero is in Evans's guard.
Evans wants to improve his position but instead Padero has moved into half guard.
Padero is taking a breather. Evans 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 has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Padero is working away from the top position though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Padero wants to pass the guard but Evans is defending well.
Evans trying to control from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Padero trying to mount his opponent but Evans defends it.
Padero wants to take a breather but Evans is having none of it.
Padero is taking a breather. Evans 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.
The fighters are battling for position here. Evans manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Evans not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Padero postures up in Evans's guard and throws a big left but Evans blocks it.
Padero won't allow Evans to sweep him here.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Padero darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Padero takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Evans wants to improve his position but Padero is controlling well.
Padero trying to control from half guard but Evans is working away.
Rukah Padero has got the better of the ground game so far.
Padero controlling the action here.
Evans is trying to control but can't.
Nick Evans has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Evans gets full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Evans is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Well, if Evans is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

Evans is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Evans takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
The fighters are battling for position here. Padero manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Evans pushes down on Padero 's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Evans wants to take a breather but Padero is having none of it.
Padero gets full guard.
Evans won't allow Padero to sweep him here.
Padero has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Evans passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Evans in side control, throwing shots but Padero defends.
Evans remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Evans looking to control but instead Padero has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rukah Padero comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Padero winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Chris Saunders scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rukah Padero !
A less than humble Rukah Padero misjudged his post fight interview somewhat and came across a little too arrogant whilst trying to hype up his own abilities.