PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Lyoto Machida (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Urijah Faber (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Machida comes to the cage accompanied by The Eye of the Tiger. On his way into the cage it seems that Lyoto Machida has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Lyoto Machida seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Machida
vs
Faber

150 cm
18
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

168 cm
23
145 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

Good wrestler
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Lyoto Machida!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Urijah Faber!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, George Francis and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Machida gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Faber to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Faber content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Faber lands a couple of digs.
Faber scoring with some ground and pound.
Faber trying to control but Machida is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Faber loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Machida is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Faber really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Machida. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Machida is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Machida looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Machida has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Faber can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Faber's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Faber content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Faber lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Faber with a nice head shot there.
Machida trying to control the position.
Faber postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Faber postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Faber pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Machida is keeping the position for now.
Faber is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Machida throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Faber throws and elbow that misses. Machida uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Faber's guard. Nice move by Machida!
Faber seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Faber is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Machida in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Faber wants to sweep here but Machida controlling him for the moment.
Faber trying to control the position.
Faber wants to sweep but no luck.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Machida is fighting to break Faber's control of his arms but Faber is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

Urijah Faber has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Machida is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Faber scores with a couple of nice shots.
Machida could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Faber prevents Machida from improving his position.
Machida is breathing heavily.
Machida is pressing down on Faber's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Faber lands a couple of elbows.
Faber landing with the ground and pound.
Faber postures up.
Faber trying to control but Machida is working from the bottom.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Faber's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Machida keeping full guard, as Faber tries to pass.
Faber is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Faber is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Faber stands up over Machida, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Faber keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Machida's head.
Faber wants to pass the guard but Machida is keeping the position.
Faber lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Faber stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Machida swivels though and keeps the full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Urijah Faber dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Faber shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Machida manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Machida might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Machida controls Faber momentarily but Faber frees himself.
Machida is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Machida wants to pass to mount but Faber is defending the position.
Faber trying to hold on to Machida's head to control him but Machida postures up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Faber preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Faber is looking to control Machida's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Faber avoid being mounted?

That's one minute gone in the round.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

Machida stands up and beckons Faber to join him on the feet.
Machida doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Faber decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Machida's guard.
Machida is trying to keep Faber in close.
Urijah Faber has got the better of the ground game so far.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Faber's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Faber wants to control from the top but Machida keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Faber slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Machida is trying to control the position from the bottom.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Faber closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Faber working the ground and pound from side control.
Machida is looking to regain half guard here but Faber keeps moving and retains side control.
Faber wants to lay and pray for a moment but Machida keeps working.
You can see the frustration on Machida's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Faber is chipping away with strikes.
Check out the look on Faber's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Faber scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Machida to see if he's OK.
Machida is looking for a sweep.
Faber is working Machida over with some ground and pound from side control.
Faber connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Machida some visible discomfort.
Faber controlling from side mount.
Faber scoring with punches and elbows.
Faber creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Faber landing a few strikes.
Faber scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Machida to see if he's OK.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Faber cracks Machida with a big elbow.
Faber landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Faber lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Machida takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
A lull in the action here.
Faber scoring with punches from side control.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Faber slows the pace down.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Faber looks up at the clock and then as Machida takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Faber smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Check out the look on Faber's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Urijah Faber showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Faber feints and as Machida raises his hands in defense, Faber changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Machida trying to control the position.
Faber won't allow Machida to get back to his feet.
Faber must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Faber throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Machida works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Faber postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Faber has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Faber scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Faber's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Faber postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Faber distracts Machida with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Machida wants to stand up but Faber is controlling him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Faber wants to control from the top but Machida keeps moving.
Faber stands up over Machida, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Faber is in close to Machida's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Faber with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Machida controls Faber momentarily but Faber frees himself.
Faber is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Faber wants to control from the top but Machida keeps moving.
Faber scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Machida wants to hit a switch here but Faber passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Machida there!
Faber in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Faber scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Machida?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Machida in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

Machida is rocked!
Faber landing punches.
Oh Machida is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Faber landing shots from mount.
Faber drops a big elbow. That's hurt Machida! More shots from Faber and the ref steps in! The fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:36 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Urijah Faber!