PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Tim Armstrong (ranked 2070 p4p, 3617 weight class) and Seiryu Machida (ranked 283 p4p, 450 weight class). Seiryu Machida told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Armstrong
vs
Machida

181 cm
31
195
14 - 13 - 0

192 cm
37
187
25 - 14 - 4

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
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 14 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Tim Armstrong!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 25 - 14 - 4, fighting out of Las Vegas, Seiryu Machida!
The judges for this bout are Skip Squint, Chris Dean and Damien Edna.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Machida steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Armstrong.
Armstrong misses with a jab to the body
and Machida counters with a straight right hand.
Armstrong has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Armstrong scores with a jab. Machida acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Machida has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Armstrong.
Machida uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Armstrong.
Machida was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
Machida moves away from the strike by Armstrong.
Machida now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Machida swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Armstrong counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Machida getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Machida throws a head kick but Armstrong moves out of range.
Machida looks to score with a jab to the body but Armstrong is just out of range.
Armstrong is looking to slow Machida down with leg kicks.
Machida cracks Armstrong with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Machida takes one on the chin but seems OK.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Machida throws an overhand right that lands on Armstrong's shoulder, as Armstrong tries to avoid the shot.
Armstrong misses with a body shot.
Machida lands a nice hook to Armstrong's body. Armstrong takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A swing and a miss from Armstrong.
Machida looks to score with a jab to the body but Armstrong is just out of range.
No joy there for Machida, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Machida connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Armstrong tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Machida was well out of range. Poor timing from Armstrong.
A solid leg kick lands there for Machida.
A big left from Armstrong misses.
Machida throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Armstrong's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Machida connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Armstrong scrambles back to his feet.
Armstrong cracks Machida with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Armstrong slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Machida swings away with a leg kick that misses.
A counter left hand to the body from Armstrong misses its target.
Armstrong slips a straight right by Machida.
Armstrong does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Machida misses with a low kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A nice leg kick from Machida, right into the meat of the thigh.
Machida misses with a left hand
and Armstrong counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Machida takes a swing at Armstrong's ribcage but misses.
Machida scores with a jab to the head.
Armstrong throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Machida cracks Armstrong with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Machida throws a leg kick that misses.
Machida ducks right into an uppercut from Armstrong.
Machida takes a jab right on the kisser.
A jab from Machida misses.
A quick step to the side and Armstrong tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
A bone on bone clash there as Armstrong blocks the leg kick.
Machida throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Machida buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Armstrong walks into a straight right hand from Machida.
Armstrong throws a hook but Machida blocks it.
Machida swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Armstrong lands a body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Armstrong thows a left - swing and a miss!
Armstrong takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Machida ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Machida stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Armstrong.
Machida punishes Armstrong's body with a nice straight punch.
Armstrong takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Machida moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Machida on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Armstrong. Armstrong obviously looking to wear him down.
Armstrong scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Machida throws the kick towards the body but Armstrong avoids it.
Machida throws a jab but it's blocked by Armstrong.
Machida misses with a looping right.
Machida scores with the left hand. Armstrong knows he should have avoided that one.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Armstrong misses with an uppercut. Machida saw that one coming.
Seiryu Machida seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Armstrong tries to land a leg kick but Machida saw it coming and moves away.
Armstrong throws a right hand that misses
and Machida counters with a low kick, right behind Armstrong 's knee.
Armstrong fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Armstrong is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Armstrong misses the shot to the body.
Machida was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
A solid leg kick lands there for Machida.
Nice uppercut lands for Machida. That snapped Armstrong's head back.
Machida misses with a head kick.
Machida is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Armstrong swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Machida lands with a thumping leg kick.
Machida catches Armstrong with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Machida throws a shot from downtown. Armstrong moves away and avoids it.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Armstrong thows a left - swing and a miss!
Machida connects with the punch.
Machida misses with a low kick.
Machida lands a jab.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Seiryu Machida dominated that round.
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.

Armstrong slips under a jab.
Armstrong is looking to counter punch.
A nice inside leg kick there by Armstrong. That's going to slow Machida down.
Machida on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Armstrong misses with a hook.
Machida walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Armstrong checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Machida throws a front kick aimed at Armstrong's knee but Armstrong avoids it well.
Jab, jab by Machida - just one landing.
A big left from Armstrong misses.
Machida throws a leg kick which misses Armstrong's front leg but catches the back leg as Armstrong tries to avoid it.
Machida throws a body punch but Armstrong moves out of range.
Armstrong was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Armstrong scores with a crisp jab that stopped Machida in his tracks.
Armstrong on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Machida. Machida obviously looking to wear him down.
Machida lands a nice looking body shot.
Machida avoids the body shot from Armstrong.
It seemed like Machida was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Armstrong takes a head kick and keeps coming.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Armstrong misses with a body shot.
Armstrong takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Machida is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Armstrong.
Machida keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Armstrong.
Armstrong backing away here, and Machida unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Good leg kick by Armstrong.
Machida throws a right hand that misses
and Armstrong counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Armstrong moves out of range of the strikes.
Armstrong ducks right into an uppercut from Machida.
Armstrong blocks a jab.
Seiryu Machida seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Armstrong misses with a left hand
and Machida counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Machida fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Armstrong on the side of the head.
Armstrong throws a hook but Machida blocks it.
A little jabbing left from Machida on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Machida has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Machida throws a leg kick which misses Armstrong's front leg but catches the back leg as Armstrong tries to avoid it.
Armstrong lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Armstrong misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Machida.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Machida! But no joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Machida lands an overhand right.
Machida misses with a head kick.
Machida throws a body shot but no joy.
Machida scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Machida chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Armstrong looks to land a left hand but Machida moved out of range nicely.
Machida let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Machida waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Armstrong.
Armstrong looks to land a right hand but Machida moved out of range.
Machida counters with a body kick.
Machida gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Armstrong.
Machida looks to throw the jab but Armstrong is out of range.
Machida tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Armstrong takes a swing at Machida's ribcage but misses.
A low kick from Armstrong misses
and Machida counters with a thumping low kick.
Armstrong misses the jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Machida fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Armstrong has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Machida cracks a nice hook into Armstrong's ribs.
The fighters circling - Machida throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Armstrong scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Machida throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A telegraphed right hand from Armstrong misses the target.
This entire fight has taken place on the feet so far and you wonder whether Armstrong might be better served trying to take this one to the ground because he's losing the standup battle so far.
Machida comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Machida misses the shot to the body.
Machida looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Armstrong missing with a left hand there. Machida was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Machida ducks under a wild hook from Armstrong.
Armstrong throws a body punch but Machida moves out of range.
Machida lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Armstrong at a distance.
Armstrong checks the leg kick.
Armstrong circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Armstrong displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Machida throws out the jab.
Machida throws an off balance right hand
and Armstrong counters with a left to the body.
Armstrong bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Machida's head backwards.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Machida slips a jab from Armstrong.
Machida throws a leg kick that is checked
and Armstrong counters with a nice body shot.
Machida wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Machida works the jab nicely.
Armstrong throws a leg kick but Machida checks it.
Machida lands a nice looking body shot.
Armstrong throws a body shot but no joy.
Armstrong takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
A looping hook to the body misses from Machida. Armstrong does a little dance to reset his feet.
Machida takes a swing at Armstrong's ribcage but misses.
Machida dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Seiryu Machida showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Machida slips a straight right by Armstrong.
Armstrong avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Armstrong appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Machida uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Armstrong.
Machida slips a jab from Armstrong.
Armstrong just misses with a punch to the body.
A nice inside leg kick there by Machida. That's going to slow Armstrong down.
Armstrong checks a leg kick.
Armstrong misses with a looping left.
Machida with the inside leg kick.
Armstrong throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Armstrong swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

Machida closes the distance and clinches.
Machida throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Armstrongs head.
Armstrong misses with a punch to the body.
Machida tries a knee to the head but Armstrong blocks it.
Armstrong fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Machida tries to land a knee to the head but Armstrong blocks with his arms.
Armstrong misses with a hook from the clinch.
Armstrong lands a body punch in the clinch.
A right hand to the body from Armstrong.
Machida misses with a hook to the ribs.

Armstrong breaks from the clinch.
Armstrong avoids the body shot from Machida.
Armstrong throws a jab when Machida was well out of range.
Machida throws a jab but it's blocked by Armstrong.
Armstrong is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Machida ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Armstrong moves away.
Machida on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Armstrong avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Armstrong looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Machida avoids the body shot from Armstrong.
A little jabbing left from Machida on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Machida uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Armstrong.
Armstrong lands with a cross.
Armstrong misses with a looping right.
Machida was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
Tim Armstrong has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Armstrong is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Machida cracks Armstrong with a good jab.
The fighters circle momentarily. Machida darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Armstrong throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Machida throws a leg kick but Armstrong sees it coming and moves out of range.
Armstrong takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Armstrong fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Machida manages to avoid it.
Machida throws a low kick but Armstrong avoids it.
Armstrong takes a shot to the body in his stride.
A nice leg kick lands there from Machida.
Machida misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Machida takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Machida swings for the body but Armstrong moves out of range.
Machida explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Armstrong throws a body shot but no joy.
Machida connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Armstrong throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Machida thuds a left hand into Armstrong's body.
Armstrong chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Machida can pounce on him.
Armstrong misses with a low kick.
Machida lands a nice leg kick that just misses Armstrong's sensitive parts.
Seiryu Machida is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
A slow jab from Machida misses its intended target.
Armstrong misses with a body shot.
Armstrong takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
A big right from Machida misses.
Machida keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Armstrong.
Armstrong misses with a jab to the body
and Machida counters with a leg kick.
A looping hook to the body misses from Armstrong. Machida does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Armstrong takes one on the button.
Armstrong avoids the body shot from Machida.
Armstrong takes one on the button.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Machida lands an overhand right.
Armstrong takes a swing at Machida's ribcage but misses.
Machida thows a left - swing and a miss!
Machida has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Machida changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Armstrong throws a big shot that misses.
Machida scores with a head kick.
Machida uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Armstrong.
Armstrong walks into a stiff left hand from Machida.
Armstrong throws the left hand but Machida avoids the punch easily.
Armstrong fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Machida manages to avoid it.
Armstrong walks into a left hand.

And that's the end of the fight!
Seiryu Machida comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Machida 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 Skip Squint scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Dean scores the fight 27:30
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Seiryu Machida!
Seiryu Machida was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.