PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Gabriel Ward (ranked 6255 p4p, 263 weight class) and Paco Machado (ranked 5025 p4p, 227 weight class). Gabriel Ward has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Ward
vs
Machado

178 cm
27
148 lbs
6 - 5 - 0

178 cm
22
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Good elbows
Powerful

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 6 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Gabriel Ward!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Paco Machado!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Alexandre Firmino and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ward works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Machado - that will leave a mark!
Ward looks to land a combination. Machado sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Ward walks into a jab.
A head kick from Machado lands but Ward takes it in his stride.
Machado scores with a jab. Ward acknowledges it with a nod of the head.

Ward is rocked!
Machado fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Oh Ward is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ward misses with a double jab.
Machado throws a counter combo.
Ward seems to have got his legs back now.
Machado lands a jab.
Ward throws a series of punches but Machado moves out of range.
Ward takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Ward avoids a kick to the body.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Machado - that will leave a mark!
A combination from Ward does no damage.
Machado slips a jab from Ward.

Machado clinches with his opponent.
Machado lands a knee to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A left hand lands to the body for Machado.
Machado works on Ward's body with a couple of short punches.
Machado with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Machado.
Machado is working Ward over against the cage.
Machado stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Machado scores with a nice hook to the head.
A short right from Machado on the inside.

Machado manages to break the clinch.
Ward avoids the body shot from Machado.
Machado tries a head kick but it misses.
Ward doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Machado fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Machado misses with a head kick.

Machado takes the fight into the clinch.
Machado works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ward jumps guard but Machado stands there with Ward around his waist. Ward gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Machado manages to break the clinch.
Machado throws a lazy right hand but Ward sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Machado misses with a two punch combination.
Machado misses with a double jab.
Ward ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Machado moves away.
Machado cracks Ward with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Machado jabs Ward to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Ward misses with a wild body shot.
Machado lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Ward circles away quickly and effectively.
Machado ducks under a wild hook from Ward.
Ward misses with a hook.
Machado connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Ward's hands.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Machado misses with a two punch combination.

Machado darts in and clinches Ward up against the cage.
Machado looking to throw knees to the head but Ward is blocking nicely.
Machado is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Machado scores with a hook to the body.
A short body shot lands from Machado as the two fighters clinch.
Still in the clinch, Machado scores with a nice short uppercut.
Machado crunches a lovely knee into Ward's ribcage.
Machado controlling the action here for a moment.
Machado presses Ward against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Machado manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Ward tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Machado's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ward walks into a jab.

Machado moves into the clinch.

Machado breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ward avoids the head kick by Machado.
Machado lands a nice hook to Ward's body. Ward takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
A big left from Machado misses.
Ward changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.

Machado moves into the clinch successfully.
A right hand to the body from Machado.

Machado manages to break the clinch.

Machado shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Machado was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Ward tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Machado tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paco Machado dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Ward takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Machado throws a head kick but Ward moves out of range.
Ward half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Machado swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Machado looks to score with a jab to the body but Ward is just out of range.
Ward keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A punch combination from Ward misses.

Machado clinches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Machado cracks Ward with a nice body shot.
Machado stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
A bit of stalling here from Machado.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Machado.
A hook to the body from Machado.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Machado lands a nice knee to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Machado is working Ward over against the cage.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Machado.
Machado lands a good knee to the midsection. Ward won't want to take too many of those.
A right hand to the body from Machado.
Machado presses Ward against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Machado works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Machado stalling the fight.
Machado lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
A right handed body shot lands from Machado.
Machado lands an elbow inside.
A body shot lands from Machado.
A right handed body shot lands from Machado.
Machado is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Machado breaks from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Machado's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Machado duly obliges.
Paco Machado seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Machado lands a nice looking body kick.
Left hook, right uppercut from Machado.
Machado has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Machado has taken the fight to the clinch.
Machado pushes Ward against the cage. Machado is working some dirty boxing. Machado pushes off with a quick right hook! Ward goes down! Ward tries to stand but stumbles back to his kness! Machado moves in to finish and the ref steps in to prevent any more damage!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:29 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Paco Machado!