PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rashad Evans (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chaka Mababa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mababa is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Street Fighting Man. 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.

Evans
vs
Mababa

180 cm
29
205 lbs
10 - 8 - 0

210 cm
32
225 lbs
17 - 16 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Hopkins Athletics

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 10 - 8 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Rashad Evans!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 16 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Chaka Mababa!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Aleksandr Martynov and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Evans lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Evans waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Mababa.
Nice straight punches there by Evans. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Evans.
A swing and a miss from Evans.

Evans shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Evans showed some decent athleticism there.
Evans prevents Mababa from standing back up.
The fighters are battling for position here. Mababa manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Evans working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Evans prevents Mababa from getting back to his feet.
Evans has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Evans throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Mababa has his feet on Evans's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Evans misses with a straight right.
Evans thows a body shot but no joy.
Mababa moves out of range of the strikes.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Mababa keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Mababa throws a looping overhand right but Evans ducks down to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Evans gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Mababa.
Nice defenses there by Mababa.
Evans tries to work over Mababa's front leg with a kick but Mababa checks it.
Evans circles away from the clinch attempt.
Evans looks to land a combination but Mababa avoids it well.
Mababa displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Evans throws out the jab.
Evans loads up on a big right hand but Mababa slips the punch.
Evans scores with a body shot.
Mababa pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Mababa takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Evans digs a good body shot into Mababa's ribs.
Mababa moves out of range of the strikes.
Evans misses with a jab to the body
and Mababa counters with a stiff right hand.

Mababa lands a big head kick that sends Evans tumbling to the mat! Mababa takes a step backwards and waves Evans back to his feet - he wants the finish!

Evans is rocked!

It looks like Rashad Evans has been cut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Evans sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Oh Evans is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Evans is breathing heavily.
Mababa fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Evans avoids it really well and circles away.
Evans seems to have got his legs back now.
Mababa tries to clinch up but Evans circles away and keeps his distance.
Evans swings for the body but Mababa moves out of range.
Evans displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Mababa throws out the jab.
Mababa moves out of range as Evans strikes.
Horrible takedown by Mababa or perhaps it was just good defense by Evans which made him look bad.
Mababa shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Evans but Evans pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Rashad Evans has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Chaka Mababa.
Mababa tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Evans paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Nice defenses there by Evans.
Mababa misses with a combination

and Evans counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Mababa is on top in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mababa being controlled here momentarily.
Mababa is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Mababa wants to stand but Evans has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Evans controls Mababa momentarily but Mababa frees himself.
Mababa wants to pass the guard but Evans is keeping the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Mababa has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Evans is proving hard to escape from.

We're going to have a standup here because Rashad Evans wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Mababa connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Evans's hands.
Evans paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Mababa keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Evans swings for the body but Mababa moves out of range.
Mababa lands a body shot.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Mababa has taken the fight to the clinch.
Mababa is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Mababa throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Evanss head.
Mababa connects with a knee to the head.
Mababa has Evans pressed against the cage, preventing Evans from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Mababa landing knees to the head.
Evans lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Mababa.
Mababa is leaning against Evans and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Mababa landing knees to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chaka Mababa dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Rashad Evans's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Nice uppercut lands for Mababa. That snapped Evans's head back.
Evans fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Mababa manages to avoid it.
Mababa misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Chaka Mababa seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Evans connects with a right hand. Mababa shakes it off.
Mababa wants to clinch but Evans slips to the side
and Evans counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Mababa thinking.
Mababa avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Mababa avoids the body shot from Evans.
Mababa punishes Evans's body with a nice straight punch.

Mababa feints and then winds up with a huge right hand that connects perfectly and sends Evans sprawling to the canvas! Evans rolls over backwards and springs off the cage and manages to regain his footing - how acrobatic! Oh, he's still wobbly - can Mababa finish him?!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Mababa takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Evans misses with a hook. Mababa ducked under it nicely.
A looping hook to the body misses from Evans. Mababa does a little dance to reset his feet.
Evans misses with a hook.
Evans looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Mababa is fending him off so far but Evans persists. Nope, Mababa circles away and we're back to standing.
Mababa slips under a jab from Evans.
Mababa bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Evans misses with a looping left.
Mababa has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Evans.
A shot to the liver by Evans. Beautiful body shot.
Evans looks to throw the jab but Mababa is out of range.
Mababa has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Mababa pounces like a tiger and cracks Evans with a vicious hook! Evans is down but not out! Mababa follows up with more strikes forcing the ref to jump in and stop it!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:20 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Chaka Mababa!
Chaka Mababa managed to slip a mention for his sponsors, Murder Inc., into his post fight interview.