PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between zejk machida (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Neto Dos Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Dos Santos has a pretty significant injury - he really shouldn't be fighting right now but he's a warrior and he's here none the less! Neto Dos Santos has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with zejk machida's chin.

machida
vs
Dos Santos

220 cm
18
250 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

191 cm
22
236 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, zejk machida!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Neto Dos Santos!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Matheus Silva and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

machida looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Dos Santos looks gassed!
Dos Santos being controlled here, momentarily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Dos Santos can't keep his opponent in guard - machida advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
machida is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
machida is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

machida seems to be looking for submissions.
Dos Santos trying to control here.
machida thows a huge punch but Dos Santos dodges it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dos Santos has hold of machida's hands but machida slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
machida scoring with strikes to the body and head.

machida stands up out of the half guard.

machida rushes Dos Santos and presses him up against the cage.

machida has hold of one of Dos Santos's legs. Dos Santos is fighting the takedown attempt but machida gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.

machida decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Dos Santos, up you get!

machida drives through with a takedown into guard.
machida looking to pass the guard.
machida slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

machida decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Dos Santos, up you get!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from machida.
machida really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

machida closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - machida lands in his opponent's guard.
machida has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Dos Santos controls machida momentarily but machida frees himself.

Dos Santos has his foot on machida's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. machida works his way back into a safe position though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Dos Santos is trying to control the position from the bottom.
machida trying to control the position from guard on top but Dos Santos is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
machida passes into half guard under a barage of strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dos Santos misses with some strikes from the bottom.
machida wants to pass to mount but Dos Santos is defending the position.
Dos Santos moves into full guard.
Dos Santos keeping moving, preventing machida from controlling successfully.
machida has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Dos Santos is proving hard to escape from.
machida postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
machida controlling from the top position.
Dos Santos lands a good elbow from the bottom.
Dos Santos not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Dos Santos is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
machida controls from within his opponent's guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Dos Santos gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and machida counters with a nice double leg into side control. Dos Santos won't be happy with that.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Dos Santos is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

zejk machida dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Dos Santos with a lazy takedown attempt

and machida counters with a nice double leg into guard.
machida is stalling in the full guard.
machida will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
machida pushes down on Dos Santos's leg and manages to get into half guard.

machida decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Dos Santos doesn't succeed with the takedown

and machida counters with a takedown into side control.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Dos Santos can't do much from the bottom here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
machida wants to control but Dos Santos is keeping him busy.

machida stands up and beckons Dos Santos to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dos Santos looks to land a combination but machida avoids it well.
machida throws a nice head kick!
Dos Santos misses with a takedown attempt

and machida counters with a shoot takedown. Dos Santos fights it but they end up in guard.
zejk machida has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Neto Dos Santos.
Dos Santos keeping moving, preventing machida from controlling successfully.
machida trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Dos Santos can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as machida controls the pace.
Dos Santos keeping moving, preventing machida from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
machida sitting in guard, not really doing much.
machida looking to pass the guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Dos Santos has his takedown stuffed
and machida counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

machida decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Dos Santos avoiding damage under a succession of punches from machida.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
machida is looking to take a break and control but Dos Santos is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Dos Santos is looking to improve his position.
machida content to control rather than advance.
machida thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
machida is controlling the pace.
Dos Santos is trying to stand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Dos Santos wants to improve his position but machida is controlling well.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

machida shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Dos Santos's guard.
machida wants to get up but he can't break Dos Santos's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Dos Santos thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
machida is working Dos Santos over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

Dos Santos pushes machida off and scrambles back to his feet.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

zejk machida dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Dos Santos throws a nice looking combination but machida bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
machida lands with a thumping leg kick.

machida gets a clinch.

machida lands a takedown into guard.
Dos Santos looking to hit a scissor sweep but machida is one step ahead there.
Dos Santos throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
machida passes Dos Santos's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Dos Santos wants to get back to his feet.
machida wants to control but Dos Santos is keeping him busy.
Dos Santos moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

machida stands up from guard. Let's bang!
machida throws a body kick that misses.
Dos Santos fails with the takedown

and machida counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Dos Santos!
machida trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Dos Santos can't escape the position.
Dos Santos wants to control but machida is having none of it.
Dos Santos is in all sorts of trouble here.
machida postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Dos Santos looks a forlorn figure.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dos Santos wants to try and get back to his feet.
A nice elbow there by machida.
Dos Santos is squirming around, avoiding machida's attempts to control the action.
Dos Santos is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
machida controlling the pace for now.
machida blocks Dos Santos's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
machida prevents Dos Santos from getting the reversal.
machida controlling the pace for now.
Dos Santos is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Dos Santos looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - machida's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.

Dos Santos defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.

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.
Dos Santos avoids the strikes from machida.
machida tries to get the hooks in deep but Dos Santos pushed the leg off.
machida is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Dos Santos can do to turn this around?
machida connects with a big shot to the side of Dos Santos's head.
Dos Santos tries to escape the position.
Dos Santos wants to control his opponent's hands but machida gets his hands free.
Neto Dos Santos has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
zejk machida is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Even with his hooks in, machida manages to miss with strikes from the back.

And that's the end of the fight!
zejk machida showed his dominance in that final round.
Well machida has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Luis Engracia scores the fight 30:27
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... zejk machida!