PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Evan Better (ranked 905 p4p, 134 weight class) and Max Handle (ranked 1973 p4p, 250 weight class). Better comes to the cage accompanied by Mother by Danzig. Handle has chosen Right On as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Better
vs
Handle

188 cm
37
181 lbs
29 - 22 - 0

170 cm
36
190 lbs
22 - 24 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 29 - 22 - 0, fighting out of New York, Evan Better!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 22 - 24 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Max Handle!
The judges for this bout are Reed Andrews, David Schapiro and Steve Montenegro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Handle swings widly with a right hand
and Better counters with a good low kick that Handle was not able to check.
An inside leg kick lands from Better.
Handle misses with a two punch combination.

Better takes the fight into the clinch.
Handle avoiding damage as Better throws knees to the body.
Better drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Better trying to control the position but instead, Handle has worked for underhooks and has pushed Better into the cage.
Handle can't break the clinch.
Handle lands an elbow inside.

It looks like Evan Better has been cut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Better turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Better wants to lay and pray for a moment but Handle keeps working.

Better is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Handle has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Better is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Handle is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Check out the look on Better's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Handle takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Better tries to move to mount but Handle blocks the move with his legs.
The strikes coming from Better are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Handle tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Better wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Handle takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Handle prevents Better from improving position.
Better fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Better landing strikes.
Better lands a decent elbow from side control.
Handle struggling a bit here.
Better misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Handle avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Better.
Better is chipping away with strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Better landing strikes.
Handle struggling a bit here.
Handle is looking to regain half guard here but Better keeps moving and retains side control.
Better wants to control but Handle is keeping him busy.
Better creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Better cracks Handle with an elbow. That is naaassty.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Better is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Handle knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Handle manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Better is staying active underneath Handle, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Better is trying to maintain the position but Handle is very close to passing his half guard.
Better is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Handle not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Better is in a tricky position but he's been working on his transitions down at Lovelair Muay Thai/MMA, so we'll see if he gets out of it.
Handle frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Handle raining down shots from the mount!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Evan Better dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Evan Better's cut.
That's time! Better's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Better lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Better slips a jab and a cross from Handle.
Better walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Handle checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Better throws a wild body kick that Handle sees coming a mile off.
Handle misses with a hook.
Handle looks to land a combination but Better avoids it well.
Handle misses with a jab, cross combination.
Better is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Handle can do to turn this around?
Better fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Handle jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Handle throws a right and a left that both miss.
Better fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Handle manages to avoid it.
Max Handle is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Handle throws a lazy uppercut
and Better connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Handle stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Better.
Better showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Handle.
Handle misses with a jab, cross combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Better avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
A swing and a miss from Handle.
Handle misses the jab.
Better works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.

Better gets a double leg takedown into Handle's guard.
Handle pulls Better in close to his closed guard and prevents Better from doing any damage or advancing position.
Better with a flurry of punches that miss.
Better is looking to pass into half guard but Handle pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Handle is in guard.

The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Better has a closed guard, preventing Handle from standing up.
Better avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Handle's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Evan Better's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
Better has his hands on Handle's head, controlling the position.
Handle working some strikes from top position.

Jeez, Evan Better's cut is really nasty now. The referee must be thinking about getting that checked.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Evan Better's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:40 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Max Handle!
After winning the bout, Max Handle thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.
In defeat, Evan Better stepped up to the mic, saying 'Lucky, lucky, lucky.'.