PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Joe Foe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Liam Machin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Liam Machin was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Foe
vs
Machin

160 cm
27
149 lbs
12 - 7 - 0

170 cm
22
158 lbs
9 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Joe Foe!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Liam Machin!
The judges for this bout are Eliza Hachem, Damien Edna and Winston Howard.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Machin tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Machin misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Foe.
Foe slips a jab and a cross from Machin.
Foe takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Machin misses with a wild body shot.
Foe looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Foe takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
A head kick misses from Machin.
Machin goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
That kick from Foe tenderised Machin's leg. Machin is trying to keep his angry face on.
Foe tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Machin swivels and escapes.
A head kick misses from Machin.
Foe looks for a takedown but Machin sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joe Foe. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Foe shoots in looking for a takedown but Machin manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Foe's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Foe shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Foe was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Foe raining down hammerfists from mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Foe raining down shots from the mount!
Foe dominating with strikes here.
Foe wants to control but instead Machin manages to regain half guard.
Machin holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Foe thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Foe working the head and body with strikes.

Foe is looking for a kimura but Machin is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Foe to get the leverage.
Machin keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Machin wants to control but Foe is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Foe trying to control the action but Machin is working from the bottom.
Foe is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Foe lands with a punch from half guard.
Machin wants to get back to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Foe seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Machin does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Foe stops Machin from getting back to his feet.
Foe trying to control from half guard but Machin is working away.
Foe is looking to pass Machin's guard but actually Machin recovers to full guard.
Foe is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Machin pulls Foe in close to prevent any damage.
Foe working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Foe trying to control the position from guard on top but Machin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Joe Foe.
Machin will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Machin pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Liam Machin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

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.
Foe shoots in but Machin avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Foe swings away with a body shot that misses
and Machin counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Machin misses with an attempted mid kick.
Foe shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Machin as he jumps to the side.

Foe shoots in and bounces Machin off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Foe engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Foe scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Foe wants to control from the top but Machin keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Foe dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Machin throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Foe shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Foe sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Machin defending well though.
Machin manages to get to full guard.
Foe throwing strikes from guard but Machin blocks nicely.
Foe forces his way into half guard.
Foe missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Foe is trying to control the action in half guard but Machin is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Foe lands strikes from half guard.
Foe has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Machin has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Foe is working away from the top position though.
Foe takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Machin blocking the ground and pound attempt from Foe.
Foe keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Machin wants to get back to full guard.
Machin is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Machin is breathing heavily.
Foe not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Foe seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Machin does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Foe with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

Joe Foe has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Foe shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Foe pushing down on Machin's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Machin is looking for a sweep. Foe is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Foe seems to be trying to get a kimura but instead Machin has recovered full guard.
Machin keeping moving, preventing Foe from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Machin wants to sweep but no luck.
Foe trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Foe is in close to Machin's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Foe trying to control but Machin is working from the bottom.
Foe throwing strikes from guard but Machin blocks nicely.
Foe scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Foe scoring with some ground and pound.
Foe lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Foe postures up in Machin's guard and throws a big left but Machin blocks it.
Foe trying to control but Machin is working from the bottom.
Machin being controlled here, momentarily.
Foe is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Foe dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Machin misses with a shot to the body

so Foe counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Foe wants to control from the top but Machin keeps moving.
Joe Foe overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Foe trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Machin preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Foe with a nice head shot there.
Machin can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Foe controls the pace.
Foe wants to control from the top but Machin keeps moving.
Foe trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Foe throwing strikes but missing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Foe with a flurry of punches that miss.
Machin utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Foe missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Foe loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Machin keeping moving, preventing Foe from controlling successfully.
Machin takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Foe controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Joe Foe.
Machin falls off balance throwing a combination

and Foe counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Foe wants to control but Machin is keeping him busy.

Foe decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Machin throws a lazy right hand but Foe sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Foe fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Foe misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Foe throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Machin.
Foe throws a leg kick which misses Machin's front leg but catches the back leg as Machin tries to avoid it.
Machin misses with a combination
and Foe counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Foe tries for a takedown but Machin circles away easily
and Machin counters with a nice body shot.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joe Foe. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Machin swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Foe looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Foe swinging wildly here.
Foe misses with a takedown attempt
and Machin counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Foe throws an overhand right that lands on Machin's shoulder, as Machin tries to avoid the shot.
Joe Foe is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Machin thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Foe if he has to take too many more of those.
Some wild striking there from Foe.
Machin misses with a two punch combination.
Machin looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Machin is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Foe rather than just go for the knockout.
Machin misses with a straight left.
Foe misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Machin throws a hook to the side of Foe's head but Foe sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Machin throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Foe counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Foe.
Foe throws a strike but Machin rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Foe bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Machin's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Foe trying to control but Machin is working from the bottom.
Foe is stalling in the full guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Foe accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Foe trying to control the position from guard on top but Machin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Foe controls from within his opponent's guard.
Joe Foe is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Joe Foe wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Foe takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joe Foe showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Foe, 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 Eliza Hachem scores the fight 30:27
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 30:27
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joe Foe!