PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tom Ciro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Machida (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ciro comes to the cage accompanied by Back down. The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Ciro
vs
Machida

187 cm
22
196 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

186 cm
25
210 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Determined

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Tom Ciro!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Matt Machida!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Leandro Rodrigues and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ciro rushes Machida and presses him up against the cage.
Machida pushes off an throws an elbow but Ciro leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Machida tries to break the clinch but Ciro is controlling the position.
Ciro tries to break the clinch but Machida is controlling the position.
Ciro avoids the elbow strike from Machida, against the cage.

Ciro breaks from the clinch.
Machida looks to land a combination but Ciro avoids it well.
Machida misses with a body kick.
Machida darts in trying to clinch
and Ciro counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Ciro scores with a spinning back kick!
Ciro throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Machida counters with a leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ciro looking to score a takedown here. Machida is defending well but Ciro drives through and ends up in Machida's guard.
Ciro slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Tom Ciro just wasn't active enough.
Machida throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Ciro stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Ciro is defended easily by Machida.
Machida looks to clinch

and Ciro moves into the clinch.
Machida is trying to break the clinch but Ciro has him pressed against the cage.

Ciro breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Machida swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Ciro counters with a left and a right that stings Machida.
Machida misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Machida looks gassed!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Ciro managing to block the knees to the body from Machida.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ciro pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Ciro drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
A lull in the action here as Ciro stalls from top position.
Ciro tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ciro content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tom Ciro dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Machida ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Machida looks to clinch

and Ciro counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Machida wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Ciro has him pressed against the cage.

Ciro breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Machida tries to clinch there but Ciro circles away.

Ciro clinches up with Machida and pushes him back against the cage.

Ciro manages to break the clinch.
Machida closes the distance but Ciro moves to the side
and Ciro counters with a left and a right that stings Machida.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ciro misses with a kick to the body
and Machida counters with a body kick.
Machida throws a lazy head kick

and Ciro counters by clinching up.

Ciro breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Ciro fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Machida to the ground. Ciro is now in Machida's guard.
Ciro controls from within his opponent's guard.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Machida keeping full guard, as Ciro tries to pass.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Tom Ciro has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Machida swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Ciro counters with a lovely shot to the body.

Ciro gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Machida tries to break the clinch but Ciro is controlling the position.
Ciro wants to break free but Machida has control.

Machida's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Matt Machida is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Ciro forces Machida back against the cage and clinches.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Ciro breaks from the clinch.
Machida throws a nice head kick!
Machida moves to clinch but Ciro breaks away

and Ciro counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ciro blocks an elbow strike.
Ciro prevents Machida from breaking the clinch.
Machida is trying to push Ciro away but Ciro has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Machida wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Machida breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Matt Machida seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ciro gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Ciro walks into a jab.
Machida lands with a nice body punch.
Matt Machida seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Machida gets tackled into the cage by Ciro. Ciro maintains the clinch.
Machida is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Ciro is defending well for now.
Machida misses with a knee strike.

Ciro escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ciro takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Machida tries to clinch but Ciro moves away

and Ciro counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Ciro.

Ciro's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Machida tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ciro misses with a series of wild punches.
Machida tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Ciro paws at him with a jab and circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Tom Ciro will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Machida closes the distance but Ciro moves to the side

and Ciro counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Machida!
Ciro takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

Ciro is standing up, even though he is in mount.
Machida takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ciro fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Machida sprawls well initially but Ciro persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Machida is trying to stand.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Tom Ciro wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Machida lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A solid leg kick lands there for Ciro.
Ciro throws a right and a left that Machida avoids nicely.
Machida closes the distance looking to clinch

and Ciro counters with a takedown into side control.
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!

Ciro has hold of Machida's arm. He's looking for a kimura. Machida seems comfortable defending it but Ciro has shifted his position slighty and is cranking on the arm! Machida is real pain and he's forced to tap out! Machida is disgusted with himself for not defending it better but Ciro couldn't care less - he's delighted!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:41 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Tom Ciro!
After winning the bout, Tom Ciro thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.