PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between el giant (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lyoto Machida (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). el giant has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

giant
vs
Machida

194 cm
19
195 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

181 cm
25
201 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, el giant!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Lyoto Machida!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Alexandre Firmino and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A good leg kick by Machida.
giant looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Machida pushes giant away with a front kick.
giant throws a leg kick that is checked
and Machida counters with a head kick.
Machida throws a nice head kick!
giant takes a kick to the side of the head.
Machida's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Machida duly obliges.
giant slips under a jab.
Machida misses with a head kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
giant chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Machida can pounce on him.
Machida misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
giant takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Machida throws a shot from downtown. giant moves away and avoids it.
giant takes a kick to the side of the head.
Machida lands with a slapping head kick.

It looks like el giant has been cut.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Machida throws a quick head kick that skims the top of giant's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Machida lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Machida looks to land a combination but giant avoids it well.
Machida works giant's body with a nice hook.
giant walks into a jab.
Machida looks to land a combination but giant avoids it well.
giant takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Machida throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Machida tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Machida looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
giant blocks a head kick by Machida.
A good leg kick by Machida.
Machida misses with the combination.
giant has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
giant steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Machida. That one must have hurt.
Machida lands with a kick to the ribs.
giant takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
giant avoids the head kick by Machida.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
giant avoids the head kick by Machida.
giant blocks a head kick by Machida.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lyoto Machida dominated that round.
The cut man is working on el giant's cut.
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.

Machida misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
giant avoids a punch combination nicely.
el giant seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Machida lands with a kick to the temple. giant shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Machida throws a looping overhand right but giant ducks down to avoid it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Machida is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
giant showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Machida.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Machida just misses with a punch to the body.
giant uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Machida.
Machida throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Machida thuds his shin into the meat of giant's side.
No joy there for Machida, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Machida throws a nice looking combination but giant bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Machida throws a head kick that giant semi-blocks.
Lyoto Machida seems to be getting the better of the standup.
giant throws a head kick that misses
and Machida counters with a nice body kick.
giant swings for the body but Machida moves out of range.
Machida scores with a kick to the midsection.
Machida throws a right and a left that giant avoids nicely.
Machida throws a head kick that half lands.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Machida misses with a double jab.
Machida throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Machida in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
Machida throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
giant walks forward, straight into a front kick from Machida.
giant takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Machida goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A thudding body kick lands there by Machida!
Machida lands a two punch combo.
Machida works over giant's head and body with a nice combination.
Machida lands a jab to the nose.
Machida scores with a head kick.
Both fighters circling a little - Machida finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lyoto Machida showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on el giant's cut.
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. This is the final round!

Machida will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Machida works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
giant takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Machida explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Machida takes a swing at giant's ribcage but misses.
Machida has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Machida jabs giant to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice jab there from Machida.
Machida lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Machida goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Machida tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
giant gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Machida counters with a good low kick that giant was not able to check.
Machida throws a sloppy head kick and giant moves out of range easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Machida scores with a head kick.
Machida misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Machida scores with a punch to the head.
Nice body kick there by Machida.
Machida throws a head kick but giant moves out of range.
Machida misses with a wild combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Machida throws a sloppy head kick and giant moves out of range easily.
A head kick from Machida lands but giant takes it in his stride.
el giant is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A combination from Machida does no damage.
giant throws a predictable looking body shot
and Machida counters with a nice low kick that buckles giant's knee momentarily.
A combination from Machida does no damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Machida misses with a body shot.
Machida throws a right and a left that giant avoids nicely.
Lyoto Machida is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Machida throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Machida misses with a wild combination.
Machida lands a head kick. giant smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lyoto 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 Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 25:30
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 26:30
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lyoto Machida!