PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Chuck Shamrock (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dai Machida (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Shamrock comes to the cage accompanied by Thunder strike. Machida comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Do The Ayatollah kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! 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.

Shamrock
vs
Machida

174 cm
18
184 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

189 cm
20
190 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Chuck Shamrock!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Dai Machida!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, Sam Margolis and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Machida swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Machida will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Shamrock misses with a takedown
and Machida counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Shamrock clinches.
Shamrock drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Machida gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Machida successfully pulls guard.

Machida is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Shamrock trying to control the position from guard on top but Machida is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Machida trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shamrock looking to pass the guard.
Shamrock won't allow Machida to get back to his feet.

Shamrock stands up and waves to Machida to follow him.
Shamrock shoots and misses

and Machida counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Chuck Shamrock. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Shamrock keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Shamrock controlling the position well.
Machida has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Machida seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Machida looks gassed!
Machida trying to pass the guard but Shamrock defending well.
Shamrock wants to improve his position but Machida is controlling well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Machida is thwarting Shamrock's attempts to control the position.
Shamrock is controlling Machida's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Shamrock makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Shamrock.
Machida is fighting to break Shamrock's control of his arms but Shamrock is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

Machida is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Shamrock tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Machida trying to control the position from guard on top but Shamrock is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shamrock looking to control.
Shamrock is pulling down on Machida's head to control his posture.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Shamrock gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Machida counters with a right hand to the body.
Shamrock tries to clinch but Machida moves out of range.

Shamrock decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Shamrock keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Shamrock wants to stand up but Machida is controlling the position.

Shamrock is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Machida has managed to free his arm - good work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Still in half guard, Shamrock seems content to control.
Machida is trying to control but can't.
Shamrock uses his free foot to push down on Machida's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Machida.
Machida is trying to escape the mount.
Shamrock controlling the pace for now.

Shamrock is standing up, even though he is in mount.

Machida has taken the fight to the clinch.
Shamrock is pressed up against the cage. Machida has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Shamrock down to the mat. Shamrock avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Machida shoots and misses

and Shamrock moves into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Chuck Shamrock will probably get the nod.
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.

Shamrock closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Shamrock is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Machida is trying to stand back up but Shamrock is controlling him
Shamrock is thwarting Machida's attempts to control the position.
Machida wants to get back to full guard.
Shamrock tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Machida is pressing down on Shamrock's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

Machida working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Shamrock doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Shamrock manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Shamrock trying to control but Machida is working from the bottom.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Machida looking to control but Shamrock passes into half guard.
Machida looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Machida makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Machida closes the distance looking to clinch

and Shamrock counters by clinching up.

Shamrock decides to pull guard.
Shamrock might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Shamrock not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Machida stopping the sweep attempt from Shamrock.
Machida postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Shamrock keeping moving, preventing Machida from controlling successfully.
Shamrock is trying to keep Machida in close.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Machida gets to his feet. Shamrock looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Machida gets a takedown into half guard.
Shamrock is holding on to half guard well.
Shamrock's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Shamrock moves into full guard.
Machida being controlled here momentarily.
Machida trying to control but Shamrock is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shamrock is trying to control the position but Machida postures up.
Machida preventing the sweep.
Chuck Shamrock overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Shamrock pushes Machida off and scrambles back to his feet.
Machida looks to clinch

and Shamrock counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Machida keeping moving, preventing Shamrock from controlling successfully.
Machida is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Machida striking off his back but it's not causing Shamrock any problems.
Shamrock slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Machida is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Machida wants to get back to his feet but Shamrock passes into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Machida is not content to let Shamrock control the position.
Shamrock is pressing down on Machida's thigh, looking to free his foot. Machida is holding on for now.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Machida with a lazy takedown attempt

and Shamrock counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Machida's guard now.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Machida is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Shamrock decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Shamrock shoots and misses
and Machida counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Shamrock is lucky that one didn't land flush.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Shamrock.
Machida can't do much from the bottom here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.

Shamrock tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Shamrock has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chuck Shamrock dominated that second round.
That's time! Shamrock's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Shamrock shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Shamrock showed some decent athleticism there.
Shamrock blocks the strikes from Machida.
Machida is refusing to be controlled, as Shamrock sits in half guard.
Shamrock has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Machida really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Shamrock get's back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shamrock misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Machida scores a takedown into full mount!
Shamrock keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Machida stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
Shamrock misses with a takedown

and Machida decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Shamrock's guard.
Shamrock is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Shamrock escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Machida gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Machida trying to control the position from guard on top but Shamrock is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Machida has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Shamrock is proving hard to escape from.

Machida has gone for a leg lock! Shamrock slips out almost immediately though and dives into Machida's guard.

Machida had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Shamrock is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Machida Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Shamrock's back instead.
Machida punishes Shamrock with strikes from the back mount.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Machida scores with strikes from the back.
Will Machida go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?

Machida working for the choke.
Shamrock controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Machida is working the back position looking for the choke. Oh, he's slid into an armbar! Beautiful transition and Shamrock taps out! Fantastic Jiu Jitsu from Machida.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:28 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Dai Machida!