PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Rizoto Machida (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Philippo Darso (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). 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.

Machida
vs
Darso

178 cm
22
174 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
18
170 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rizoto Machida!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Philippo Darso!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Mauricio Rocha and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Darso shoots and misses
and Machida counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

Darso shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

Machida kicks Darso off and gets to his feet.

Machida feints and as Darso raises his hands in defense, Machida changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Machida decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Darso, up you get!

Machida shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Machida content just to control the position here.
Darso really wants to buck Machida off and get back to his feet.
Darso looks gassed!
Machida lands with some strikes.
Machida controlling his opponent.
Machida with the ground and pound from mount.
Machida looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Machida cracks Darso with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Machida controlling from the full mount.
Darso is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Machida controlling his opponent.
Darso is trying to stand.
Machida breaks from Darso's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Darso is trying to stand up.
Machida pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Machida tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Machida is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Darso can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Darso is bucking up trying to escape but Machida cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Machida controlling from the full mount.
Machida has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Rizoto Machida.
Darso shoots and misses

and Machida counters with a takedown into side control.
Darso is letting Machida control him for a moment.
Machida in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Darso is being controlled here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Darso is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Machida is controlling him well.
A lull in the action here as Machida stalls from top position.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Rizoto Machida just wasn't active enough.

Machida shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Darso napping and manages to drive through into side control!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rizoto Machida dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Machida drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Machida looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Rizoto Machida.

Machida changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Darso looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Machida content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Machida wants to lay and pray for a moment but Darso keeps working.
The referee asks Machida politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Machida prefers to stall for the moment though.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Darso can do anything to dispel that myth.
Machida throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Machida is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
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.
Darso is trying to get back to his feet.
Darso is breathing heavily.
Machida is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Darso's shoulder. That is not cool.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Rizoto Machida.

Machida shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Machida content to control rather than advance.
Darso is trying to stand.
Machida controlling the pace.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Machida tries to pass to full mount but Darso defends it.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Machida lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Machida is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Machida working over Darso with some ground and pound. Darso looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Machida connects with a nice short shot to Darso's temple.
Machida looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Darso pushes Machida off looking to stand but Machida dives back in and keeps control.
Machida controlling the pace.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Rizoto Machida.

Machida moves into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Machida has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Darso is trying to keep an underhook but Machida manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Machida is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Rizoto Machida wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Darso fails with the takedown

and Machida counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Machida darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Machida looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Machida decides to return to a standing position.
Darso shoots and misses

and Machida decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Darso's guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Machida controls from within his opponent's guard.
Machida'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.
Darso takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Darso is looking to stand up but Machida isn't so interested in that idea.

We're going to have a standup here because Rizoto Machida wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Machida instigates a clinch.

Machida ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Machida no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Darso trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Machida manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Machida controlling from the top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

We're going to have a standup here because Rizoto Machida wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Darso fails with the takedown

and Machida counters with a single leg into guard. Darso didn't expect that.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Machida is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Rizoto Machida.

Machida darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Machida is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Darso can do to turn this around?
Still in half guard, Machida seems content to control.
Darso is looking to escape.
Machida is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Machida controlling the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Rizoto Machida wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Machida gets a takedown into half guard.
Machida performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Rizoto Machida overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rizoto Machida is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rizoto Machida showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Machida has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Seu Braga scores the fight 30:26
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 30:26
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rizoto Machida!