PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kyle Norris (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and LHYOTO MACHIDA (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Norris
vs
MACHIDA

180 cm
22
200 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

188 cm
22
205 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Kyle Norris!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, LHYOTO MACHIDA!
The judges for this bout are Dillan Fox, Gregory Folan and Yves DeLean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
MACHIDA shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Norris but Norris pushes him off and we're back to square one.

MACHIDA gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Norris tries to pull guard but MACHIDA holds him up against the cage and eventually Norris drops back down to his feet.
MACHIDA lands an elbow that stopped Norris in his tracks for a moment.
MACHIDA connects with a nasty looking knee right to Norris's face.

MACHIDA manages to break the clinch.
MACHIDA keeps the fight on the outside.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Norris crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from MACHIDA - the referee stops the clock and Norris gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says MACHIDA. Norris manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
MACHIDA keeps Norris at a distance using the push kick.

Norris looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
MACHIDA holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.

Norris seems to be working for a kimura but MACHIDA defends the submission attempt.
Norris is looking to stall here but MACHIDA recovers full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
MACHIDA looking to hit a scissor sweep but Norris is one step ahead there.
Norris stops MACHIDA from standing up.
MACHIDA is wriggling around but Norris manages to pass to half guard.
MACHIDA is looking for a sweep. Norris is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Norris looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

MACHIDA looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Norris fails with a takedown attempt.
Norris misses with a takedown
and MACHIDA counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Norris is lucky that one didn't land flush.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kyle Norris. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Norris is breathing heavily.
MACHIDA is looking to clinch.
MACHIDA moves in looking to clinch but Norris pushes him off.
Horrible takedown by MACHIDA or perhaps it was just good defense by Norris which made him look bad.
MACHIDA fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A head kick from MACHIDA lands but Norris takes it in his stride.

Norris darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Norris lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Norris throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Norris stands up and beckons MACHIDA to join him on the feet.
Norris throws a right and a left that MACHIDA avoids nicely.
LHYOTO MACHIDA seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
MACHIDA goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
MACHIDA looks to land a combination but Norris avoids it well.
MACHIDA thuds his shin into the meat of Norris's side.
Norris tries for a takedown but MACHIDA circles away easily
and MACHIDA counters with a series of strikes. Norris will be more careful next time no doubt.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by MACHIDA!
Norris throws a sloppy head kick and MACHIDA moves out of range easily.
MACHIDA connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Norris's hands.

MACHIDA has Norris up against the cage in a clinch.
Norris tries to land knees in the clinch but MACHIDA avoids the damage to the body.

MACHIDA breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
MACHIDA throws a head kick that Norris semi-blocks.
Norris fails with an attempt to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

The fight stays on the outside here - MACHIDA looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
MACHIDA lands with a nice combination. Norris backs away looking to recover.
MACHIDA scores with a punch to the head.
MACHIDA scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Norris swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and MACHIDA counters with a right hand to the body.

Norris bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Norris tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
MACHIDA struggling a bit here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Norris trying to control the position but MACHIDA is working away.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Norris is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. MACHIDA knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
MACHIDA can't do much from the bottom here.
MACHIDA is being controlled here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Norris lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Norris lands a decent elbow from side control.
MACHIDA is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Norris is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Norris dominating with strikes here.

Norris gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!

Norris shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Norris is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but MACHIDA is surviving well by controlling Norris's body position as best he can.
The referee warns MACHIDA that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
MACHIDA keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Norris controlling from mount.
Norris in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
MACHIDA tries to lock up and control but Norris gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Norris landing shots from mount.
Norris controlling the pace for now.
Norris dominating with strikes here.
MACHIDA is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Norris tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kyle Norris dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

MACHIDA throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Kyle Norris is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Norris feints and as MACHIDA raises his hands in defense, Norris changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Norris is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
MACHIDA wants to get back to his feet but Norris is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Norris controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
MACHIDA working a defensive guard here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
MACHIDA wants to get back to his feet but Norris is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
MACHIDA really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Norris. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Norris pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. MACHIDA is keeping the position for now.
MACHIDA is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

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.
Norris controls from within his opponent's guard.
MACHIDA trying to keep a closed guard but Norris is proving a slippery customer.
MACHIDA can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Norris controls the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Norris postures up.

MACHIDA looking for a guillotine here but Norris defends easily.
MACHIDA working a defensive guard but Norris manages to pass into side control anyway.
MACHIDA is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's four 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.
Norris trying to control the position but MACHIDA is working away.
MACHIDA tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Norris wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
MACHIDA is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
MACHIDA manages to get to full guard.
Norris advances to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kyle Norris showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Norris 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 Dillan Fox scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kyle Norris!