PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Bo Bice (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rodrigo Machado (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bice comes into the arena with Witness - Bo Bice blaring out of the sound system. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Bice
vs
Machado

175 cm
31
139 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

185 cm
24
145 lbs
6 - 5 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Sun-Tzu

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Bo Bice!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Rodrigo Machado!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Paulo Santos and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bice tries for a takedown but Machado sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Bice shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Machado manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Machado keeping moving, preventing Bice from controlling successfully.
Bice is really struggling to control Machado but he's trying to hold on to the position.
We've been hearing good reports from Bice's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Bice content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Machado looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bice trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Bice 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.
Machado trying to control the position here.
Bice stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Machado swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Machado wants to sweep here but Bice controlling him for the moment.
Bice with a flurry of punches that miss.
Bice is looking to work some ground and pound but Machado has wrist control.
Bice not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Machado fails in his attempt to clinch.
Bice shoots in looking for a takedown but Machado manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Bice's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Bice shoots in but Machado avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Machado tries to counter by closing the distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bo Bice. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bice shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Machado pinned against the cage. Machado gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Machado tries to clinch but Bice moves away
and Bice counters with a stiff right hand.
Bice smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.

Bice fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Machado to the ground. Bice is now in Machado's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bice missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Bice looking to sit in guard and control but Machado gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Machado controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Bice tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Bice looking for a guillotine here but Machado defends easily.
Machado stopping the sweep attempt from Bice.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bice is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Bice wants to sweep here but Machado controlling him for the moment.
Machado controls from within his opponent's guard.

Bice throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Machado escapes and throws Bice's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Bice tries to improve position but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Machado displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Bice.
Bice looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Bice fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Machado manages to avoid it.
Machado wants to counter the offense by Bice and move into the clinch position.
Bice is trying hard to land a takedown here. Machado sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bo Bice. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Machado closes the distance and clinches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bice wants a takedown.
Machado misses with the head strike.
Machado creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

Bice manages to break the clinch.
Machado is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Bice looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Machado is fending him off so far but Bice persists. Nope, Machado circles away and we're back to standing.
Bo Bice seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bice looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Machado ducks under a wild hook from Bice.
Rodrigo Machado is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Bice shoots in and drives through. Machado sprawls well.
Machado steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Bice.

Bice moves into range and clinches up with Machado.
Machado lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Machado lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Bice backwards.

It looks like Bo Bice has been cut.

Bice's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Machado is looking to clinch.
Machado tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Machado tries to clinch up
letting Bice counter with a right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bice misses with a takedown attempt - Machado sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Machado defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Bice.
Bice keeps the fight on the outside.
Bice tries to counter with a takedown but Machado is quick to defend against it.
Machado steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Bice.
Machado keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Bice shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Machado as he avoids it easily.
Bice shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Bice sets himself, and Machado steps forward looking for the clinch! Bice avoids it this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bice gets tackled into the cage by Machado. Machado maintains the clinch.
Machado pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Machado lands an elbow that stopped Bice in his tracks for a moment.
Bice gets through Machado's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Machado pushes off an throws an elbow but Bice leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Bice is trying to drag Machado to the mat but Machado just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Machado comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Machado misses with a punch on the inside.
Bice has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Machado after a bit of a struggle.

Bice has picked Machado up - he's going for a ride! Bice dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Bice wants to lay and pray for a moment but Machado keeps working.
Bice is thwarting Machado's attempts to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Machado blocking the ground and pound attempt from Bice.
Bice is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Machado reverses the position - he's now on top in Bice's guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Bice looking to hit a scissor sweep but Machado is one step ahead there.
Machado's corner is telling him to maintain position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rodrigo Machado showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Bo Bice's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Bice fails with the takedown.

Bice drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Machado wants to sweep here but Bice controlling him for the moment.
Machado pulls Bice in close to prevent any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Machado working a defensive guard here.
Bice stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Machado swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bice stopping the sweep attempt from Machado.
Machado utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Bice advances position into side control!
Machado avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Bice.
Machado is trying to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Machado keeps trying to improve his position.

Bice tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Machado can't do much from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Machado parries the strikes from Bice easily there. Bice is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Machado to escape.
Bice is trying to move to mount but Machado reverses beautifully and ends up in Bice's guard.

Bice working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Machado doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Machado manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Bice looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Machado is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Let's hope that Machado has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

Bice has his foot on Machado's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Machado works his way back into a safe position though.
Bice looking to hit a scissor sweep but Machado is one step ahead there.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Machado not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bo Bice showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Bice has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 29:28
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 29:28
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bo Bice!
An out of breath Bo Bice thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.