PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Pancho Lopez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rickson Machida (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rickson Machida has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Pancho Lopez's chin.

Lopez
vs
Machida

175 cm
22
155 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

185 cm
18
161 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Pancho Lopez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rickson Machida!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Leandro Rodrigues and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Machida lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Pancho Lopez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Lopez clinches.

Machida breaks from the clinch.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Lopez.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lopez has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Machida!
Lopez prevents Machida from getting the reversal.
Machida really wants to buck Lopez off and get back to his feet.
Lopez throws some wild stikes that Machida manages to avoid easily.
Lopez working Machida over with strikes here.

Lopez looking to secure an arm triangle but Machida defends it well.
Machida is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lopez lands a heavy elbow.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lopez unloading with bombs!
Machida is trying to stand.
Lopez thowing shots but they're missing.
Lopez lands with some strikes.
Machida squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Machida looks gassed!

Lopez working for a submission but Machida is keeping him at bay.
Lopez controlling from the full mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Lopez gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!
A head kick from Machida lands but Lopez takes it in his stride.
Lopez defending well as Machida loads up on a big left hand.
Machida throws a leg kick but Lopez moved away.

Lopez scores a takedown into full mount!

Lopez has hold of Machida's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Machida manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Lopez lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopez throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Lopez controlling the position easily from mount.
Machida is just holding on here. Lopez manages to take his back.
Lopez has good solid back control here.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Machida is trying to stand back up.
Lopez scores with some strikes to the side of the head there. Good, points scoring shots.
A bit of a pause in the action here. Lopez controlling the positon.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pancho Lopez 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.

Lopez scores with a takedown into Machida's guard.
Machida wants to sweep but no luck.
Lopez advances position into side control!

Lopez stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Lopez misses with a few strikes there.

Lopez closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Machida tries to get to full guard but Lopez has control of the leg.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Lopez not doing much here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lopez is looking for a kimura but Machida is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Lopez to get the leverage.
Lopez throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Lopez stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.

Machida gets caught flat footed, as Lopez shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Machida being controlled here, momentarily.

Machida uses the cage to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Machida on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.

Lopez drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Lopez taking a breather here.

Lopez is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Machida is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Machida taking punishment in the form of punches.

Lopez decides to stand back up. Lopez steps back and let's Machida get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopez tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Lopez throws a series of punches but Machida moves out of range.
Lopez avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Machida throws a head kick that Lopez semi-blocks.

Lopez is rocked!
Lopez lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Oh Lopez is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Machida throws a sloppy head kick and Lopez moves out of range easily.

Lopez looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Pancho Lopez overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Machida wants to get back to full guard.
Machida wants to get back to his feet.
Lopez seems to have got his legs back now.
Machida won't allow Lopez to pass to mount.
Lopez stops Machida from getting back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lopez looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Machida with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Machida is in trouble now - Lopez has advanced to mount!
Lopez controlling the pace for now.
Machida tries to buck Lopez off but he can't manage it.
Machida is squirming around, avoiding Lopez's attempts to control the action.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Machida is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pancho Lopez dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Machida throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Lopez's head.
Machida misses with a head kick.
Machida lands a head kick!
Lopez tries to clinch up.

Lopez looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Lopez working the head and body with strikes.
Lopez thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Machida's head.
Lopez trying to control the action but Machida is working from the bottom.
Lopez stops Machida from getting back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lopez decides to stand up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Lopez ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Machida moves away.
Lopez blocks a head kick by Machida.

Lopez gets the takedown into side control.

Lopez looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Lopez trying to control the position but Machida is working away.
Lopez throws a strike aimed at the side of Machida's head but Machida avoids it well.
Machida wants to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lopez is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

Lopez working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Lopez working the ground and pound but Machida is defending the strikes.
Lopez wants to control but Machida is keeping him busy.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Lopez.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Lopez gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Machida tries to break the clinch but Lopez is controlling the position.

Lopez has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Machida is trying to keep an underhook but Lopez manages to get the takedown into half guard.

Lopez is looking for a kimura but Machida is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Lopez to get the leverage.
Machida is trying to maintain the position but Lopez is very close to passing his half guard.
Machida looks like he's trying to stand up.
Machida pushes Lopez off but Lopez dives into side control.
Lopez throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Machida can't do much from the bottom here.
Lopez in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Lopez decides to stand back up.
Rickson Machida has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Machida throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Lopez darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Lopez wants to take a breather but Machida is having none of it.
Lopez wants to pass the guard but Machida is defending well.
Lopez passes the guard and advances to mount!

And that's the end of the fight!
Pancho Lopez showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Lopez, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:27
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Pancho Lopez!