PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ryan Sickamore (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gavin Evans (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Sickamore
vs
Evans

175 cm
19
198 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

200 cm
21
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Ryan Sickamore!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Gavin Evans!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Andrew Berry and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sickamore has closed the distance and engaged Evans in a clinch.
Sickamore is working for takedown but Evans is calmly controlling the position for now.
Sickamore wants a takedown.
Sickamore keeps control of Evans as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Evans has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Sickamore is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Sickamore jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Evans walks away with a smile on his face. Sickamore gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ryan Sickamore. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sickamore shoots in but no luck this time.

Evans has Sickamore up against the cage in a clinch.
Evans misses with a knee strike.
Evans leaning against his opponent.
Sickamore drops down looking for an ankle pick but Evans pulls his leg out and moves away.
Sickamore misses with a few strikes there.
Sickamore wants to clinch up but Evans keeps it at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Evans rushes Sickamore and presses him up against the cage.
Sickamore is looking to break free of the clinch but Evans has double underhooks.

Sickamore manages to break the clinch.
Sickamore thumps Evans with a low kick.
Sickamore shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Evans but Evans pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Evans displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Sickamore.
Evans shoots for a takedown but Sickamore saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Evans gets a clinch.

Evans ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Evans no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Evans wants to sweep here but Sickamore controlling him for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Evans pulls Sickamore in to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Evans keeping moving, preventing Sickamore from controlling successfully.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
No joy there for Evans, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Evans clinches up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sickamore drops down looking for an ankle pick but Evans pulls his leg out and moves away.
Evans shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Sickamore sprawls well. Sickamore wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Evans gets slowly back to his feet.
Sickamore takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Sickamore takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Evans.

Sickamore gets tackled into the cage by Evans. Evans maintains the clinch.
Sickamore has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Evans after a bit of a struggle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sickamore is defending well against a takedown attempt.

Evans pulls guard successfully.
Evans looks gassed!
Sickamore wants to control from the top but Evans keeps moving.
Evans seems keen to control Sickamore's posture.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Evans has his foot on Sickamore's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Sickamore works his way back into a safe position though.
Evans throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Evans throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Sickamore has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Evans is proving hard to escape from.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gavin Evans dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Evans keeps Sickamore at a distance using the push kick.
Evans changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Sickamore tries to avoid it but Evans manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Sickamore to the ground. Sickamore escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Sickamore throws a series of punches but Evans avoids them all with ease.
Sickamore throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Sickamore throws a leg kick but Evans sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Evans fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Sickamore could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Sickamore looks to clinch

and Evans counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Evans.
Evans passes Sickamore's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Still in half guard, Evans seems content to control.

Sickamore actively working from the bottom here.
Sickamore trying to control but Evans postures up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Evans looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Evans is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Evans tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Evans has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Sickamore's face.
Evans sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Evans jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Sickamore manages to avoid the submission attempt.

Evans is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Sickamore has escaped the position, nice work there.
Sickamore might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Evans throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Sickamore struggling a bit here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
An elbow from Evans crashes against the mat.
Evans grinds an elbow into Sickamore's temple.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Sickamore tries to control but end up mounted... ooooh, that's bad.
Sickamore is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Sickamore tries to improve his position but instead Evans has taken his back!
Evans has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of Sickamore's body.
Let's hope that Evans has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Evans struggling to land strikes to the head as Sickamore covers up.
Sickamore controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.
Sickamore looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Gavin Evans has got the better of the ground game so far.
A bit of a pause in the action here. Evans controlling the positon.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sickamore is covering up but some of the strikes from Evans are getting through and doing damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gavin Evans showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Horrible takedown by Sickamore or perhaps it was just good defense by Evans which made him look bad.
Ryan Sickamore is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nice sprawl there from Sickamore as Evans shoots in.

Evans gets in close and instigates a clinch.

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

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Sickamore wants to take the fight to the mat but Evans manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Evans tries to pull guard but Sickamore won't allow it.
Sickamore is trying to push Evans away but Evans has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Evans has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Sickamore is trying to keep an underhook but Evans manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Sickamore missing with punches from the bottom.
Sickamore wants to get back to full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Evans slips a nice elbow through Sickamore's hands, connecting with Sickamore's forehead.

Sickamore actively working from the bottom here.
Sickamore trying to control but Evans postures up.
Evans not doing much here.

Evans is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Sickamore doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Evans.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Evans is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Sickamore is just riding it out for now. Evans eventually gives up the hold.
Sickamore is trying to control but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Evans seems to be working for a kimura but Sickamore defends the submission attempt.
Evans passes the guard and advances to mount!
Evans controlling from mount.

Evans stands up from mount. Strange move.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sickamore shoots in for a takedown but Evans shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ryan Sickamore. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Evans shoots in looking for a takedown but Sickamore manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Evans's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Evans throws a right and a left that both miss.
Evans tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Sickamore swivels and escapes.
Sickamore tries to clinch but Evans is having none of it.

Evans clinches up with Sickamore and pushes him back against the cage.
Evans drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sickamore swings away with an uppercut that misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gavin Evans comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Evans has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 James Glass scores the fight 27:30
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gavin Evans!