PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Evan Better (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marvin Andrews (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Better might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to 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.

Better
vs
Andrews

188 cm
31
181 lbs
21 - 17 - 0

179 cm
31
183 lbs
13 - 14 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Revolution Clothing

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 21 - 17 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Evan Better!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Marvin Andrews!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Shigeki Fujiwara and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Andrews checks a leg kick.
Better fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Better takes a swing at Andrews's ribcage but misses.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Andrews.
Better fails to land with a series of punches.
Better changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Better throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Andrews lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Better circles away quickly and effectively.
Better fires out a quick counter leg kick but Andrews just manages to avoid it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Andrews on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Andrews avoids the head kick by Better.
Andrews changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Andrews connects with a right hand. Better shakes it off.

It looks like Evan Better has been cut.

Andrews has Better up against the cage in a clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Better takes a shot to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Better misses with some punches.
Better misses with a short punch on the inside.
Better goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Andrews lands a shot to the body.

Better pulls Andrews into guard.
Better looking for a sweep. Not yet Better, not yet.
Better is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Better is looking to advance position but Andrews won't allow it.
Better with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Andrews wants to improve his position but Better is controlling well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Better with the ground and pound but Andrews uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Andrews keeping moving, preventing Better from controlling successfully.
Better working some strikes from top position.
Andrews keeping moving, preventing Better from controlling successfully.
Better 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.
Better slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Better loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Better wants to control from the top but Andrews keeps moving.
Andrews is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Better is trying to get back to full guard.
Andrews thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Better's head.
Andrews lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Andrews seems to be working for a kimura but Better defends the submission attempt.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Better moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Better avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Andrews postures up.
Better preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Andrews postures up in Better's guard and throws a big left but Better blocks it.
Andrews preventing the sweep.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Better keeping moving, preventing Andrews from controlling successfully.

Better has his foot on Andrews's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Andrews works his way back into a safe position though.
Better wants to sweep here but Andrews controlling him for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Evan Better will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Evan Better's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Better throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Andrews on the side of the head.
Andrews throws a front kick aimed at Better's knee but Better avoids it well.
Better chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Evan Better seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Andrews misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Andrews blocks a head kick by Better.
A countering left hand to the body from Andrews misses.
Andrews will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Andrews chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Better can pounce on him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Better is looking to land body kicks.
Andrews swats away the attempt to clinch by Better.
Better misses with a kick to the body
and Andrews counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Andrews misses with the combination.
Andrews closes the distance but Better moves to the side

and Better counters with a takedown into side control.
Andrews prevents Better from improving position.
Better controls the position.
Better taking a break here but Andrews is having none of it and regains half guard.
Andrews gets back to full guard.
Evan Better overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Andrews keeping moving, preventing Better from controlling successfully.
Better is really struggling to control Andrews but he's trying to hold on to the position.

Andrews escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Better gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Better accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Andrews is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Better trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Better trying to control but Andrews is working from the bottom.
Better looking to sit in guard and control but Andrews gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Better not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Andrews trying to control but Better is working from the bottom.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Better looking to hit a scissor sweep but Andrews is one step ahead there.
Better preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Andrews accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Better manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Andrews manages to get himself to full guard.

Better showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Better stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Andrews swivels though and keeps the full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Evan Better dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Evan Better's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! And we move into the final round!

Better ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Andrews moves away.
Better lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Andrews at a distance.
Andrews fails to land with a series of punches.
Andrews checks a low kick from Better.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Better - that will leave a mark!
An inside leg kick from Andrews misses.
Andrews throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Andrews gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Better throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Better throws a sloppy head kick and Andrews moves out of range easily.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Better.
Andrews on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Better throws a right and a left that both miss.
Andrews drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Better defends it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Better swings for the body but Andrews moves out of range.
Andrews unleashes a big counter combination but Better bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.

Better darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Andrews wants to get back to full guard.
Andrews tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Better wants to pass the guard but Andrews is defending well.
Better sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Better is looking to take a break and control but Andrews is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Better lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Andrews is looking for a sweep. Better is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Better is keen to just control but Andrews is a slippery customer.
Andrews landing small, sideways elbows.
Better looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Andrews with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

Andrews actively working from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Better lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Marvin Andrews has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Better seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Andrews does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Better tries to pass to full mount but Andrews defends it.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Better is looking to wear down Andrews with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Better swings for the body but Andrews moves out of range.
Better with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Better scores with a one two! Andrews had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Marvin Andrews is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Andrews lunges at Better with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Better's hand.
Andrews lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Better looks to throw the jab but Andrews is out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Better throws a low kick, looking for Andrews's leg but Andrews calmly moves out of range.
Evan Better is winning the standup battle so far.
Andrews walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Better connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Evan Better is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Andrews uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Better.
Better misses with a jab, cross combination.
Andrews slips under a jab from Better.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Andrews shoots in for a takedown but Better shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Better lands with a hook. Andrews tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Better loads up on a big right hand but Andrews slips the punch.
Andrews throws a combination. Better tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Better lands a nice shot to the body.
Better throws a body shot but no joy.

And that's the end of the fight!
Evan Better showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Better, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Evan Better!
A relieved looking Evan Better thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.