PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Heitor Machado (ranked 1344 p4p, 2298 weight class) and Ricky Rawse (ranked 44 p4p, 75 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Machado
vs
Rawse

225 cm
29
300
18 - 17 - 0

193 cm
33
269
16 - 15 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Voodoo Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 18 - 17 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Heitor Machado!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 15 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ricky Rawse!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Aleksandr Martynov and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rawse loads up on a big right hand but Machado slips the punch.
Rawse showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Machado.
Nice sprawl there from Machado as Rawse shoots in.

Machado darts in and clinches Rawse up against the cage.
Rawse is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Machado is keeping busy.
Machado wants a takedown.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Rawse 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.

Machado breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rawse shoots in looking for a takedown but Machado manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Rawse's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Rawse swings widly with a right hand
and Machado counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Rawse looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Machado is looking to get back to is feet but Rawse passes into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Machado is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Machado is looking to regain half guard here but Rawse keeps moving and retains side control.
Machado is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rawse moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Rawse tries to advance to mount but Machado denies him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rawse controlling the position from side mount.
Machado has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
Machado is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Rawse asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Rawse wants to lay and pray for a moment but Machado keeps working.
Machado is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Rawse asserts his dominance and retains side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rawse advances to full mount.
Rawse controlling from the full mount.
Machado bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Machado wants to control from the top but Rawse keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Machado throws a strike but Rawse rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Machado wants to stand up but Rawse is controlling him.
Rawse engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ricky Rawse will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Machado swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Machado throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Rawse tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Machado is in Rawse's guard.
Machado won't allow Rawse to sweep him here.
Rawse is still trying to improve position.
Machado is stalling in the full guard.
Machado trying to control the position from guard on top but Rawse is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rawse is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Rawse is trying to keep Machado in close.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Machado looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

Machado has managed to clinch.
Machado misses with a punch on the inside.
Machado prevents a takedown attempt there.
Machado has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Rawse avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

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

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.
Rawse circles away from the clinch attempt.

Machado instigates a clinch.
Machado tries a body shot but Rawse blocks it.
Rawse wants to take the fight to the mat but Machado manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Machado is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Rawse can do to turn this around?

Machado breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rawse misses with a jab, cross combination.
Rawse throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Machado sees it coming and avoids it easily.

Rawse moves into the clinch successfully.
Machado avoiding damage as Rawse throws knees to the body.
Machado is trying to break the clinch but Rawse is controlling him.

Machado lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Rawse is trying to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Machado is trying to control. Rawse wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Rawse is defending against the submission attempts here by Machado.
Heitor Machado overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Rawse is looking for a sweep. Machado is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The fighters are battling for position here. Rawse manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Rawse keeping moving, preventing Machado from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Rawse wants to improve his position but instead Machado has moved into half guard.
Rawse controlling the position for now.
Rawse is continuing to stall.
Machado stalling.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rawse wants to get back to full guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Heitor Machado dominated that second round.
That's time! Machado's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Machado has Rawse up against the cage in a clinch.
Rawse managing to block the knees to the body from Machado.
Rawse taking a breather.
Machado is looking to break free of the clinch but Rawse has double underhooks.
Rawse prevents Machado from breaking the clinch.

Machado manages to break the clinch.
Rawse shoots for a double leg takedown but Machado sprawls well. He's pushed Rawse's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A lazy left from Machado finds it's target.

Machado rushes Rawse and presses him up against the cage.
Rawse is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Machado is looking to take this one to the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rawse is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Machado is defending well.
Heitor Machado has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ricky Rawse.

Machado has clasped his hands together around Rawse's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Rawse is looking for a sweep.

Machado tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Machado has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Rawse is looking for a sweep.
Rawse is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Rawse is looking for a sweep. Machado is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Machado will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Machado thows a huge punch but Rawse dodges it nicely.
Machado is trying to control. Rawse wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Machado not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Machado prevents Rawse from improving his position.
Machado trying to control the action but Rawse is working from the bottom.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Machado throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Machado throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Machado is looking to clinch but Rawse is avoiding it.

Rawse decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Rawse is taking a breather. Machado says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Rawse is trying to control the action in half guard but Machado is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Machado is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Machado is trying to stand back up but Rawse is controlling him

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Machado gets caught napping as Rawse dives in and scores a takedown. Machado manages to retain guard.
Machado wants to get back to his feet but Rawse is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Machado can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Rawse controls the pace.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

And that's the end of the fight!
Heitor Machado showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Machado 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Heitor Machado!