PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Taiyo Machida (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dave Richardson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Machida comes into the arena with Machida War Song - Linkin Park blaring out of the sound system. Dave Richardson has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Taiyo Machida's chin.

Machida
vs
Richardson

184 cm
25
204 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

178 cm
23
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

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 Sydney, Taiyo Machida!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Dave Richardson!
The judges for this bout are Damien Edna, Steve Erwin and Bruno Hogan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Machida tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Richardson paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Richardson tries to clinch but Machida is having none of it.
Richardson shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Machida as he avoids it easily.

Machida gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Machida breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Machida throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Machida tries to clinch but Richardson moves out of range.
Richardson is trying hard to land a takedown here. Machida sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Machida misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Richardson changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Machida tries to avoid it but Richardson manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Machida to the ground. Machida escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Taiyo Machida has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dave Richardson.
Richardson blocks a head kick by Machida.
Richardson looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

Machida pushes Richardson up against the cage in a clinch.
Machida gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Richardson.
Machida looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Machida throws an elbow but it misses.

Machida has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Richardson regains guard immediately.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Richardson seems keen to control Machida's posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richardson preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Richardson can do anything to dispel that myth.
Machida won't allow Richardson to get back to his feet.
Richardson keeping moving, preventing Machida from controlling successfully.
Richardson wants to sweep but no luck.
Machida lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Richardson looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Machida 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.
Richardson wants to sweep but no luck.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Machida gets to his feet. Richardson looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Nice sprawl there from Machida as Richardson shoots in.
Machida misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Richardson fails with an attempt to clinch.
Richardson shoots for a takedown but Machida saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Richardson looks gassed!

Machida gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Machida lands an elbow inside that Richardson shrugs off.

It looks like Dave Richardson has been cut.
Richardson is trying to pull guard but Machida turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Machida pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Machida pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Machida doesn't manage to clinch there - Richardson circles away.

Machida fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Richardson, pushing him back against the cage.

Machida is trying to trip Richardson. He has hold of a leg but Richardson is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Machida persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Machida wants to control from the top but Richardson keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Machida won't allow Richardson to sweep him here.

Machida stands up and waves to Richardson to follow him.

Machida clinches up against the cage.
Machida lands an elbow that stopped Richardson in his tracks for a moment.
Machida lands an elbow that stopped Richardson in his tracks for a moment.
Machida lands an elbow that stopped Richardson in his tracks for a moment.
Machida looking for a takedown.
Machida lands a damaging elbow.
Machida is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Richardson pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Richardson is looking to break free of the clinch but Machida has double underhooks.
Machida pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Machida misses with an elbow over the top.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Machida breaks from the clinch.

Machida has managed to clinch.
Machida lands a nice elbow.
Richardson is trying to push Machida away but Machida has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Richardson is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Machida has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Richardson avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Machida jumps guard and drags Richardson to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Machida keeping full guard, as Richardson tries to pass.

Machida pushes Richardson off and scrambles back to his feet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Machida misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Machida moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Taiyo Machida dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Dave Richardson's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

A right-left combo lands from Machida.
Machida tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Richardson manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Richardson looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Machida has managed to clinch.
Richardson takes an elbow to the temple.

That has opened up Dave Richardson's cut even more.
Machida comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Machida lands a damaging elbow.
Richardson blocks an elbow strike from Machida.
Richardson blocks an elbow strike.
Machida keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Richardson's efforts to push away.
Richardson is trying to pull guard but Machida has him pressed against the cage.

Machida breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Taiyo Machida is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Machida pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Machida tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Machida throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.

Machida clinches up against the cage.
Richardson is breathing heavily.

Machida manages to break the clinch.

Machida has closed the distance and engaged Richardson in a clinch.

Machida breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Richardson is trying hard to land a takedown here. Machida sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Taiyo Machida has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dave Richardson.
Richardson fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Machida throws a nice head kick!

The cut above Dave Richardson's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Richardson tries to land a front kick but Machida steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.

Machida clinches up with Richardson and pushes him back against the cage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Richardson prevents a takedown attempt there.

Machida has Richardson pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Machida pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Richardson tumbling to the mat - Machida dives into Richardson's guard.

Machida stands up from Richardson's guard - Machida perhaps looking for a knockout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Machida tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Richardson manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Machida instigates a clinch.

Machida pulls guard.
Richardson must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Machida is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Machida is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Machida throws an elbow that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Richardson is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Machida gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Richardson wants to take the fight to the mat but Machida manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Machida is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Richardson can do to turn this around?

Machida breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Taiyo Machida seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Machida throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Richardson's head.
A head kick from Machida lands but Richardson takes it in his stride.

Machida takes the fight into the clinch.
Machida lands an elbow just above Richardson 's eye.

Dave Richardson's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.
Richardson is trying desperately to land a takedown but Machida is having absolutely none of it. This is turning into a bit of a nightmare for Richardson.

Machida escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Machida wants to clinch up but Richardson keeps it at a distance.

Richardson tries to keep at a distance but Machida has taken the fight into the clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Machida breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Machida avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Machida clinches.
Machida lands an elbow inside that Richardson shrugs off.
Richardson gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Machida.
Richardson takes an elbow to the temple.
Machida drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Machida lands an elbow just above Richardson 's eye.
Machida prevents a takedown attempt there.
Machida lands an elbow inside that Richardson shrugs off.

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

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Taiyo Machida!
Taiyo Machida was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.