PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Wanderson Machado (ranked 55 p4p, 105 weight class) and Royal Halsti (ranked 3 p4p, 15 weight class). Machado comes to the cage accompanied by El Barrio. Royal Halsti told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Machado
vs
Halsti

175 cm
31
214
28 - 8 - 0

190 cm
30
205
19 - 6 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Bondi MMA ðŸï¸
Hoarse Pills

Shadow Realm Apparel
Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 28 - 8 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Wanderson Machado!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Royal Halsti!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Hirohito Nitta and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A punch combination from Machado misses.
Halsti tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Machado tries to land a leg kick but Halsti saw it coming and moves away.
Machado misses with a hook. Halsti ducked under it nicely.
Halsti swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Machado scores with a kick to the midsection.
A jab from Machado does it's job there.
Machado scores with a shot to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Halsti stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Machado.
Halsti tries a head kick but it misses.
Machado went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Nice defenses there by Machado.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Halsti moves out of range of the strikes.

Halsti gets the takedown into side control.

Halsti goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Machado has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Halsti but great work by Machado.
Machado is looking to take a break and control but Halsti is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Halsti can't do much from the bottom here.
Machado taking a breather here.
Halsti is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Machado off and has taken his back!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Halsti looking to break Machado's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Machado remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Halsti will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Halsti is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Machado has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.

Halsti looking for the choke from the back.

Halsti looking for the RNC.

Halsti has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.

Halsti is looking for the choke from the back position but Machado is controlling his hands well.
Machado might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Machado defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.

Halsti has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Machado has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!

Halsti is looking for the choke from the back position but Machado is controlling his hands well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Machado is really stuck here.

Halsti is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Machado is defending well though. Halsti let's go of the attempt for now.

Halsti is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Machado breaks Halsti's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Machado stopping the sweep attempt from Halsti.

Halsti is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Halsti has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Machado can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Machado is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Machado has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Halsti isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Machado stacks Halsti on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Machado!

Machado decides to take the fight back to the feet.

Machado drops Halsti with a beautiful combination! Halsti stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Machado is looking for the KO!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Wanderson Machado dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Machado scores with the left hand. Halsti knows he should have avoided that one.

It looks like Royal Halsti has been cut.
Halsti shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Machado but Machado pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Halsti takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Halsti throws a leg kick which misses Machado's front leg but catches the back leg as Machado tries to avoid it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Halsti avoids a kick to the body.
Halsti is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Machado with a body shot.
Halsti lands a jab to the head.

It looks like Wanderson Machado has been cut.
Machado keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Halsti misses with a hook.
Machado throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Halsti counters with a takedown into side control.

Machado sneaks out the side door and pushes Halsti away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Halsti misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Machado.
A little feinted left hand from Machado on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
A big left from Halsti misses.
Machado is looking for a counter combo.
Machado is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Halsti can do to turn this around?
Halsti missing with a left hand there. Machado was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Machado throws a combination that misses
and Halsti counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Machado misses with a straight right.
Machado connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Machado blocks a jab.
As Halsti looks to move away, Machado throws a big counter combo but Halsti just gets out of the way.
Machado throws a push kick but Halsti slaps the foot to one side.
Royal Halsti seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Halsti throws a leg kick
and Machado counters with a stiff right hand.
Machado misses with the combination.
Halsti tries a low kick but Machado avoids it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Machado moves out of range as Halsti strikes.
Machado thinks about countering with a head kick.
Halsti throws a poor cross that misses
and Machado counters with a low kick, right behind Halsti 's knee.
Machado scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Machado turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Machado misses the jab.
Halsti misses with a right hand
and Machado counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Machado lets loose with a powerful body kick. Halsti will feel that in the morning.

Halsti gets a double leg takedown into Machado's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Halsti looking to pass the guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Machado has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Halsti is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Machado breaks the clinch.
Halsti paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Halsti with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Halsti misses with a shot to the body
and Machado counters with a straight right hand.
A slapping body kick lands there for Machado.
Machado moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Wanderson Machado dominated that second round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Machado ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Machado fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Halsti is out of range.
Halsti gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Machado.
Halsti throws a jab when Machado was well out of range.
Halsti moves out of range of the body kick.
Halsti looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Machado is fending him off so far but Halsti persists. Nope, Machado circles away and we're back to standing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Halsti tries for a takedown but Machado sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Machado seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Halsti dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Machado looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Machado connects with a body shot that sends Halsti's belly button to the back.
Halsti takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Machado throws a body punch but Halsti moves out of range.
A shot to the body from Machado misses
and Halsti counters with a nice body shot.
Machado throws a left and a right that both miss
and Halsti counters with a nice uppercut.
Machado takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Machado looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Machado checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
A quick step to the side and Machado tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Halsti on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Halsti tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Machado was well out of range. Poor timing from Halsti.
It looked like Machado was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Halsti.
Machado chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Halsti can pounce on him.
Halsti lands a really nice looking cross but Machado seems unphased.
Halsti is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Machado.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Halsti takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Wanderson Machado is winning the standup battle so far.
Halsti uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Machado.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Halsti gets cracked there but stands up to it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Machado misses with a head kick.
Nice shot by Machado.

Machado lands a big head kick that sends Halsti tumbling to the mat! Machado takes a step backwards and waves Halsti back to his feet - he wants the finish!

Halsti is rocked!
Machado lands with a jab that stuns his opponent. Halsti is looking to close the distance but Machado sees it coming and throws a beautiful knee! Halsti crumbles to the mat and that's all she wrote! Let's hope Halsti is OK because that was naaaaaasty!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:36 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Knee). Wanderson Machado!
Wanderson Machado retains his light heavyweight title!
Wanderson Machado seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.