PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Antonis Skayias (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rodrigo Machado (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Antonis Skayias could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Rodrigo Machado's chin.

Skayias
vs
Machado

182 cm
31
171 lbs
12 - 12 - 0

185 cm
26
145 lbs
8 - 7 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Antonis Skayias!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 7 - 0, fighting out of London, Rodrigo Machado!
The judges for this bout are Saam Ante, Radbod Blank and Albert Achterberg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Skayias avoids a wild elbow strike from Machado.
Machado lands an uppercut.
Skayias working aggressively here.
With the fighters up against the ropes, Machado throws an elbow but misses.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Machado has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
Skayias fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Machado pushes off an throws an elbow but Skayias leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the ropes.
Skayias swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Skayias blocks the elbow strike.

Skayias pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Machado checks a low kick from Skayias.
Machado wants to counter with a clinch but Skayias pushes him away.
Machado moves forwards but Skayias connects with a nice, crisp jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Machado tries to clinch there but Skayias circles away.

Skayias drives through and clinches with Machado against the ropes.
Machado lands an elbow inside.

It looks like Antonis Skayias has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Skayias.
Machado throws an elbow that misses.
Skayias avoids the elbow strike from Machado, against the ropes.
Skayias misses with the head strike.
Skayias working aggressively here.
Machado is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Machado creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Machado blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Machado lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Machado misses with an elbow over the top.

Skayias breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Skayias gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Skayias escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
The fighters circling - Skayias throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

Machado pushes Skayias up against the ropes in a clinch.
Skayias has had enough of the clinch but Machado keeps him there for the moment.
Machado working some nice short punches in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Machado misses with an elbow over the top.
Skayias avoids a wild elbow strike from Machado.
Skayias is looking to break free of the clinch but Machado has double underhooks.
A short right from Skayias on the inside.
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!
Machado comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Skayias blocks the elbow strike.
Skayias working some nice short punches in the clinch.

Skayias's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Antonis Skayias seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Machado avoids a punch combination nicely.
Machado steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Skayias.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Machado lands a nice elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Machado looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Skayias blocks an elbow strike.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Machado.
Skayias wants to break free but Machado has control.
Skayias dodges an elbow strike from Machado.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Machado.
Skayias throws a head punch that misses.
Machado blocks an uppercut.
Machado lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Machado creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Skayias misses with a short punch on the inside.
Skayias dodges an elbow strike from Machado.
Machado blocks an uppercut.
Machado misses with an elbow strike.
Stalling in the clinch from Skayias.
Skayias avoids a wild elbow strike from Machado.
Skayias misses with a hook from the clinch.
Skayias throws a punch but it's blocked by Machado.
Machado misses with an elbow over the top.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Skayias tries to break the clinch but Machado is controlling the position.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Machado.
Machado lands an elbow that stopped Skayias in his tracks for a moment.
With the fighters up against the ropes, Machado throws an elbow but misses.
Skayias blocks the elbow strike.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Machado pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the ropes.
Machado lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Skayias misses with some punches.
With the fighters up against the ropes, Machado throws an elbow but misses.
Machado throws an elbow but it misses.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Skayias.
A short right from Skayias on the inside.

Skayias breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Skayias drives through and clinches with Machado against the ropes.
Skayias blocks an elbow strike.
Skayias throws a head punch that misses.
Machado pushes off an throws an elbow but Skayias leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the ropes.
Machado throws an elbow but it's blocked.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Rodrigo Machado will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Antonis Skayias's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Skayias throws a head punch that misses.
Skayias tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Machado's elbow.
Machado misses with an elbow strike.
Machado pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the ropes.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Machado.
Machado lands with a short punch from the clinch.

Skayias is rocked!

Antonis Skayias's cut is getting worse.
Skayias misses with a punch on the inside.
Oh Skayias is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Machado lands an elbow that stopped Skayias in his tracks for a moment.
Machado lands an uppercut.
Skayias avoids a wild elbow strike from Machado.
Machado lands an elbow inside that Skayias shrugs off.
Clinched against the ropes, Machado lands a big elbow that drops Skayias! The ref dives in to save him from more shots - Skayias is complaining that he's OK but he was done.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:43 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Rodrigo Machado!