PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Leo Yaj (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nick Evans (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). 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.

Yaj
vs
Evans

156 cm
27
158 lbs
10 - 3 - 0

170 cm
28
149 lbs
21 - 14 - 1

Good wrestling
Great elbows
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

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 10 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Leo Yaj!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 14 - 1, fighting out of New York, Nick Evans!
The judges for this bout are Ian Loll, Alec Ball and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yaj avoids a kick to the body.
Evans misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Yaj connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Evans throws a head kick that misses.
It looked like Yaj was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Evans.
Evans lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.

Yaj clinches.
Yaj misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Yaj misses with a knee strike.
Yaj throws an elbow but it misses.
Evans wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Evans misses with a hook to the ribs.
Evans with an attempt at a knee that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yaj lands a left hand.
Evans avoids the elbow strike from Yaj, against the cage.
Evans is leaning against Yaj and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Evans blocks an uppercut.
Evans throws a punch but it's blocked by Yaj.
Knees to the body from Evans.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yaj tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Yaj prevents a body shot from Evans.
Yaj lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Evans throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Yaj blocks it with crossed arms.
Yaj looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Evans tries to land knees in the clinch but Yaj avoids the damage to the body.
Yaj tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Yaj with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Evans breaks from the clinch.
Evans uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Yaj.
Evans lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Nice uppercut there from Evans.
Yaj has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Evans.
A jab from Evans does it's job there.
Evans keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Yaj.
Yaj fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Evans looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Evans scores with a nice head shot.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Yaj misses with a body shot.
Evans is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Yaj with a body shot.
Yaj paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.

Yaj clinches with his opponent.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
A body shot lands from Yaj.
A right hook to the body lands for Evans.
Yaj throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Evans is pushing Yaj up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Yaj with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Yaj lands an elbow that stopped Evans in his tracks for a moment.

Evans's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Evans displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Yaj throws out the jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yaj just misses with a punch to the body.
Evans lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Yaj throws a jab but it's blocked by Evans.
Yaj ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Evans moves away.
Evans lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Evans throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Yaj throws out a loose jab but Evans uses good head movement to avoid it.
Yaj fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Evans manages to avoid it.
And Evans responds with a good body kick, but Yaj manages to step out the way in time.
Evans pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Yaj back to the cage. Evans follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Evans with a nice cross.
Evans throws a body punch but Yaj moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Evans pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Evans scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Evans cracks a nice hook into Yaj's ribs.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Yaj rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Evans moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Evans throws a counter combo.
Good exchange - Yaj coming out on top.
Yaj tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Evans makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Yaj misses with a body shot.
Yaj scores with a decent looking hook.
Evans throws a half hearted mid kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Nick Evans will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Good exchange - Evans coming out on top.
Evans throws a body shot but no joy.
Yaj blocks a head kick by Evans.
Evans lands with a kick to the ribs.
Evans has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Yaj is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Yaj dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yaj checks a low kick from Evans.
Evans smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Nick Evans seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Yaj connects with a good right hand that stumbles Evans. Evans circles away out of range and recomposes himself.

It looks like Nick Evans has been cut.
Yaj looks to land a right hand but Evans moved out of range.
Evans now looks to counter with a shot at the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A telegraphed right hand from Yaj misses the target.
Evans throws a fast counter high kick but Yaj manages to duck under it in time.
A jab lands there for Evans.
Sloppy strikes from Evans. Those never looked like landing.
Yaj is looking to counter punch.
Yaj on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Yaj connects with a body shot.
Evans moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Yaj connects with a body shot that sends Evans's belly button to the back.
Evans misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Evans defending well as Yaj loads up on a big left hand.
Leo Yaj seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Yaj closes the distance looking to clinch
and Evans cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Evans connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Evans misses the jab.
Evans misses with a wild body shot.
Evans has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Yaj throws a looping overhand right but Evans ducks down to avoid it.
Evans throws a big counter head kick but Yaj avoids it with no problem.
Evans throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Yaj.
Yaj looks to score with a jab to the body but Evans is just out of range.
Yaj misses with an uppercut. Evans saw that one coming.
Evans lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Evans dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Yaj. That did some damage!
Evans throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yaj avoids the head kick by Evans.
Yaj was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Evans avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Evans throws a leg kick that misses.
Evans slips under a jab.
A swing and a miss from Yaj.
Yaj misses with a hook to the body
and Evans finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Nice uppercut there from Yaj.
Yaj fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Evans looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

Yaj moves into the clinch.
Yaj tries to throw a body punch but Evans avoids it by throwing Yaj back against the cage.
Yaj tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Evans's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Evans swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Evans just misses with a punch to the body.
Evans moves out of range of the strikes.
Yaj wants to clinch
and Evans counters with a head kick. That will keep Yaj thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Yaj takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Yaj walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Yaj throws a left and a right that both miss
and Evans makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Yaj misses with a left hand
and Evans counters with a nice body shot.
Yaj avoids a kick to the body.
A nice inside leg kick there by Evans. That's going to slow Yaj down.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nick Evans showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Nick Evans's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Yaj throws the left hand but Evans avoids the punch easily.
Evans lands with a slapping head kick.
Yaj misses the body punch
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Evans tests Yaj's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Evans slips under a jab from Yaj.
Yaj swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Evans counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
A left lands for Yaj.
Yaj lands a nice shot that snaps Evans's head back.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yaj throws a right and a left that Evans avoids nicely.
Evans is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Yaj with a body shot.
Evans uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Yaj.
Yaj misses with a body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yaj lands a jab to the head.
Yaj keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Yaj is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Evans lands a high kick!
Evans takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Yaj moves out of range as Evans throws a body kick.
Yaj appears to be looking for a big counter.
Evans finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Yaj scores with a hook to the body. Evans takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Evans feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Yaj's calf.
Evans connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Yaj momentarily.
Evans throws a wild body kick that Yaj sees coming a mile off.
Yaj misses with a jab, cross combination.
Leo Yaj has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Evans keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Yaj.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Evans lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Evans misses with a body kick.
Yaj with a hook.
A jab lands there for Evans.
A lazy body kick from Evans
and Yaj counters with a left to the body.
Yaj avoids the head kick by Evans.
Yaj takes a swing at Evans's ribcage but misses.
Yaj misses with an uppercut.
Evans lands with a cross.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Evans ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
A big right from Yaj misses.
Yaj will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Yaj misses with a hook to the body
and Evans counters with an outside leg kick.
Good standup being displayed there by Yaj as he connects with a hook.
Evans lands with a slapping head kick.
Yaj takes a kick to the side of the head.
A looping hook to the body misses from Yaj. Evans does a little dance to reset his feet.
Yaj throws a looping overhand right but Evans ducks down to avoid it.
Evans flicks out a counter leg kick but Yaj steps away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yaj misses with a jab, cross combination.
Yaj misses with a hook.
Yaj lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Evans tries a head kick but it misses.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Evans lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Evans throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Yaj doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Evans looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Evans looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Yaj is looking for a counter combo.
Evans throws a sloppy head kick and Yaj moves out of range easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Leo Yaj.
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 Ian Loll scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 29:30
Judge William Peck scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Nick Evans!
Nick Evans thanked the fans post fight for their support.
In defeat, Leo Yaj stepped up to the mic, saying 'Noooo, two losses in a row :-(('.