PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Marcus Evans (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ervic Thaler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Evans
vs
Thaler

180 cm
18
170 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

180 cm
19
170 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

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 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Marcus Evans!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Ervic Thaler!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thaler is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Evans.
Evans misses with a wild combination.

Thaler gets the takedown into side control.

Thaler looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Thaler taking a breather here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Evans wants to get back to his feet.
A lull in the action here as Thaler stalls from top position.
Evans is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Thaler wants to lay and pray for a moment but Evans keeps working.
Evans takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Evans is trying to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thaler trying to control the position but Evans is working away.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.

Evans throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
Evans lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Thaler circles away quickly and effectively.
No joy there for Thaler, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Evans tries a head kick but it misses.
Thaler misses with a wild body shot.
Thaler misses with a body shot.
Thaler misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Evans.
Evans tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Evans moves out of range of the strikes.
Thaler misses with a double jab.
Thaler avoids a punch combination nicely.

Thaler decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Evans is breathing heavily.
Thaler looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Thaler passes the guard and advances to mount!
Thaler lands a big shot there that rocks Evans but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Evans defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Thaler.

Thaler working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Evans is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Poor strikes thrown by Thaler there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!

Thaler stands up from mount. Strange move.
Some wild striking there from Evans.
Marcus Evans is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Thaler scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Evans is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Thaler has just dragged him back down to the mat.

Thaler is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Evans is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Evans is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Thaler asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thaler lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Thaler cracks Evans with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Evans is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Thaler 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.
Evans wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Thaler is looking to take a break and control but Evans is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Thaler shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Thaler is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Evans doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Thaler.
Thaler is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Evans's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Thaler looking to control but Evans is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

Thaler working for a guillotine from mount but Evans is in no mood to give up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ervic Thaler dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Evans throws a nice looking combination but Thaler bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Evans throws a sloppy head kick and Thaler moves out of range easily.

Thaler looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Thaler scoring with some ground and pound.
Thaler trying to control but Evans is working from the bottom.
Thaler slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thaler prevents Evans from escaping the position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Thaler is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Evans's shoulder. That is not cool.
Evans tries to escape but Thaler is in control.
Evans takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Thaler landing strikes.
Evans is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Thaler asserts his dominance and retains side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thaler working the ground and pound.
Evans is not in a great position here, taking some shots.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Thaler darts in and clinches Evans up against the cage.
Thaler unloads a knee to the mid-section. Evans lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Thaler lands an elbow inside that Evans shrugs off.
Evans wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Thaler escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A punch combination from Evans misses.

Thaler looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Evans wants to stand but Thaler is controlling the position.
Thaler throwing strikes from guard but Evans blocks nicely.

Thaler stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Evans misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thaler misses with a double jab.

Thaler has closed the distance and engaged Evans in a clinch.
Evans wants to break free but Thaler has control.
Thaler lands an elbow inside.
A short left from Thaler.
Evans is trying to break free.
Evans wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Thaler has him pressed against the cage.
Thaler scores a nice knee to the body.
Evans wants to break free but Thaler has control.

Thaler has picked Evans up - he's going for a ride! Thaler dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Evans tries to kick Thaler off but Thaler keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Ervic Thaler has got the better of the ground game so far.

Thaler is trying to work for a kimura but Evans is defending well.

Thaler stands up out of the half guard.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!

Thaler bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Thaler tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Thaler has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Thaler tries for a kimura but Evans is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Evans is trying to buck Thaler off.

Thaler is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Evans knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Thaler working the ground and pound from side control.

Thaler tries for a kimura but Evans is defending well.
Evans is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Thaler is controlling him well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Thaler wants to lay and pray for a moment but Evans keeps working.
Evans is trying to get back to his feet.

Thaler is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Evans is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Thaler landing a few strikes.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Thaler misses with a double jab.
Thaler avoids the head kick by Evans.

Thaler forces Evans back against the cage and clinches.
Evans wants to get back to striking at distance but Thaler won't allow it.
Evans has had enough of the clinch but Thaler keeps him there for the moment.

Thaler has clasped his hands together around Evans's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ervic Thaler showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Evans misses with a series of wild punches.

Thaler moves into range and clinches up with Evans.

Thaler jumps guard and drags Evans to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

Thaler has his foot on Evans's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Evans works his way back into a safe position though.
Evans wants to stand but Thaler is controlling his posture from full guard.

Evans is trying to tuck his arms in to keep them safe but Thaler has managed to isolate one of them and has got a loose triangle. Evans is looking to defend but Thaler has done well to lock his legs together - this could be big trouble for Evans! Thaler pulls down on the head and a little smile comes across his face - he knows he's got it. Yep, Evans taps out and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:49 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Ervic Thaler!