PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Raul Esteves (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lyoto Machida (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Esteves might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Before I Forgot-Skipknot. Machida is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by For Whom The Bell Tolls. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Esteves
vs
Machida

175 cm
27
219 lbs
12 - 7 - 0

185 cm
29
205 lbs
17 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Good low kicks
Powerful

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 12 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Raul Esteves!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Lyoto Machida!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Mauricio Rocha and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Esteves swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Esteves fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Machida checks it well.
Machida tries a head kick but it misses.
Esteves throws a leg kick
and Machida counters with a stiff right hand.

It looks like Raul Esteves has been cut.
Machida throws a head kick that misses.
Machida fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Esteves.
Esteves pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Machida misses with a few strikes there.
Machida checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Esteves.
Esteves has a takedown stuffed.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Esteves shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Machida as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Raul Esteves. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Esteves thows a leg kick but Machida checks it
and Machida counters with a nice uppercut.
Esteves avoids the body shot from Machida.
Machida moves out of range as Esteves strikes.
Esteves throws a leg kick
and Machida counters with a solid body kick.
Esteves takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Machida lands a high kick!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Machida uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Esteves.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Esteves keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Esteves lands a nice leg kick that just misses Machida's sensitive parts.
Esteves changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Machida tries to avoid it but Esteves manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Machida to the ground. Machida escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Esteves doesn't manage to clinch there - Machida circles away.
Machida throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Esteves is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Raul Esteves seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Esteves gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Machida.
Esteves shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Esteves avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Esteves throws a head kick that misses
and Machida counters with a nice low kick that buckles Esteves's knee momentarily.
Machida slaps away a takedown attempt from Esteves, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Lyoto Machida is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Esteves is breathing heavily.
Machida tries a head kick but it misses.
Machida misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Esteves tries a head kick but it misses.
Machida throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Machida sizes up Esteves with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.

Raul Esteves's cut is getting worse.
Esteves throws a wild body kick that Machida sees coming a mile off.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lazy body kick from Esteves
and Machida counters with a head kick.
Machida throws a looping overhand right but Esteves ducks down to avoid it.
Machida lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Machida has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Esteves lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Machida circles away quickly and effectively.
Machida with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Esteves. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.
Machida lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.

Raul Esteves's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
Machida throws a right and a left that both miss.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A head kick misses from Machida.
Machida lands with a good body shot.
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 Raul Esteves's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Esteves on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Esteves moves out of range as Machida throws a body kick.
Machida circles away from the clinch attempt.
Good standup being displayed there by Machida as he connects with a hook.
Sloppy strikes from Machida. Those never looked like landing.
Esteves has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Machida.
Machida pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Machida uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Esteves keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Esteves shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Machida looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Machida scores with a one two! Esteves had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

Jeez, Raul Esteves's cut is really nasty now. The referee must be thinking about getting that checked.
Esteves misses with a jab to the body
and Machida counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Raul Esteves's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:32 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Lyoto Machida!