PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between santana machida (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mirko Vucinic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

machida
vs
Vucinic

185 cm
22
193 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

185 cm
22
184 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, santana machida!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Mirko Vucinic!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Shigeki Sano and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Vucinic keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Vucinic misses with a double jab.
Vucinic throws a series of punches but machida avoids them all with ease.
Vucinic fails to land with a series of punches.
Vucinic slaps away a takedown attempt from machida, before circling back to the center of the mat.
machida avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Vucinic misses with a two punch combination.
machida dodges the punch combination from Vucinic.
machida avoids a punch combination nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
machida avoids a kick to the body.
Vucinic throws a series of punches but machida avoids them all with ease.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vucinic throws a hook to the side of machida's head but machida sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Vucinic misses with a two punch combination.
Vucinic defends well against a solid takedown attempt from machida.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for santana machida. That's going to take a lot out of him.
machida closes the distance and clinches up with Vucinic, looking for a takedown. machida pushes Vucinic against the cage but Vucinic circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Vucinic keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
machida shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Vucinic but Vucinic pushes him off and we're back to square one.
machida changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Vucinic tries to avoid it but machida manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Vucinic to the ground. Vucinic escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Vucinic throws a shot from downtown. machida moves away and avoids it.
Vucinic misses with the combination.
Vucinic throws out a powerful jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
machida moves out of range as Vucinic throws a body kick.
A bone on bone clash there as machida blocks the leg kick.

machida closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Vucinic is looking to escape.
machida wants to pass the guard but Vucinic is defending well.
Vucinic looks like he's trying to stand up.

Vucinic pushes machida off and gets back to his feet.

machida closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Vucinic did well to prevent machida getting side control.

Vucinic manages to escape and get back to his feet!
machida fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
machida is breathing heavily.
machida shoots in for a takedown but Vucinic shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vucinic tries to clinch up but machida circles away and keeps his distance.
Vucinic is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Vucinic fakes high and swings low for a body shot but machida manages to avoid it.
Vucinic moves in looking to clinch but machida pushes him off.
Vucinic lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but machida circles away quickly and effectively.
machida shoots for a double leg takedown but Vucinic sprawls well. He's pushed machida's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Vucinic doesn't manage to clinch there - machida circles away.
Vucinic tries to clinch up but machida circles away and keeps his distance.
machida avoids a punch combination nicely.
Vucinic looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
machida shoots in for a takedown but Vucinic shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
machida dodges the punch combination from Vucinic.
Vucinic misses with a two punch combination.
Vucinic waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract machida.
machida is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Vucinic.

It looks like santana machida has been cut.
machida fails with a takedown attempt.
machida has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
machida is trying hard to land a takedown here. Vucinic sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mirko Vucinic dominated that round.
The cut man is working on santana machida's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Vucinic throws a jab when machida was well out of range.
Vucinic rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but machida moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
A punch combination from Vucinic misses.
santana machida is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Vucinic tries to clinch but machida moves out of range.
Vucinic lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
machida shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Vucinic defends it nicely.
Vucinic swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Vucinic throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Vucinic misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from machida.
Vucinic misses with a double jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Horrible takedown by machida or perhaps it was just good defense by Vucinic which made him look bad.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Vucinic throws a combination but it was largely blocked by machida.
Vucinic misses with the combination.
machida tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Vucinic swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for santana machida. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from machida.
machida moves away from the strike by Vucinic.
Vucinic misses with a head kick.
Vucinic wants to clinch up but machida keeps it at a distance.
machida takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vucinic moves in looking to clinch but machida pushes him off.
Vucinic throws a right hand that machida ducks under and follows up with a left that machida also avoids with ease.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from machida is defended easily by Vucinic.
Some wild striking there from Vucinic.
machida changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Vucinic tries to avoid it but machida manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Vucinic to the ground. Vucinic escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Vucinic throws a head kick but machida moves out of range.
Vucinic doesn't manage to clinch there - machida circles away.
machida has a takedown stuffed.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vucinic looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
No luck for machida with that takedown attempt.
machida throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Vucinic's waist but Vucinic gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing machida off to one side.
Vucinic throws a right and a left that machida avoids nicely.
Vucinic throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Vucinic lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but machida circles away quickly and effectively.
Vucinic displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from machida.
Vucinic tries to clinch there but machida circles away.

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.

Vucinic clinches.

Vucinic breaks from the clinch.
Vucinic throws a right hand that machida ducks under and follows up with a left that machida also avoids with ease.
machida fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Vucinic avoids it really well and circles away.
Vucinic misses with a low kick.
Vucinic doesn't manage to clinch there - machida circles away.
Vucinic throws a series of punches but machida moves out of range.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Vucinic tries to close the distance and clinch up but machida swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Vucinic punishes machida's body with a nice straight punch.
Vucinic throws a head kick but machida moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mirko Vucinic showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on santana machida's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Vucinic closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
machida blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Vucinic can't break the clinch.

Vucinic pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from machida.
machida keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A head kick misses from Vucinic.
Mirko Vucinic seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Vucinic lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Horrible takedown by machida or perhaps it was just good defense by Vucinic which made him look bad.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
machida ducks under a wild hook from Vucinic.
Vucinic misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vucinic misses with a double jab.
machida needs to keep his hands up - Vucinic had a free shot at his head there.
machida closes this distance looking for a takedown but Vucinic circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for santana machida. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Vucinic moves into the clinch.
machida keeps control of Vucinic as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

machida is fighting off a takedown attempt but Vucinic is just too persistent for him and manages to trip machida to the mat. machida regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
machida manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Vucinic manages to get himself to full guard.

machida drops back for a leg here. A bit of a high risk move... He's looking for a kneebar by the looks of things. Now both of them are looking for submissions. machida seems to have locked his on tight now - Vucinic screams in pain and taps out furiously! It certainly was a high risk move but it's paid off for machida, as he picks up the win!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kneebar). santana machida!