PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Craig Little (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Manny Machado (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Manny Machado has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Craig Little's chin.

Little
vs
Machado

178 cm
23
134 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

165 cm
22
142 lbs
9 - 5 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Decent elbows
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Craig Little!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Manny Machado!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Jack Bonds and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Little misses with an uppercut
and Machado counters with a stiff right hand.
Little looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Machado is fending him off so far but Little persists. Nope, Machado circles away and we're back to standing.
Machado throws a lazy right hand but Little sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

Little looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Machado!
Machado gets back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Machado is looking to improve his position.

Little is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Machado is just riding it out for now. Little eventually gives up the hold.
Machado won't allow Little to pass to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Little decides to stand up.
Machado misses with the combination.
Machado lands a jab-cross combination.
Machado lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Little at a distance.
Machado defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Little.
Machado looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Machado defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Little.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Craig Little. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Machado connects with a body shot.
Little tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Machado paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Machado ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Machado scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Little doesn't seem bothered though.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Machado throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Little feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Machado looking to hit a scissor sweep but Little is one step ahead there.
Machado is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Little is trying to get back to full guard.
Machado wants to control but Little is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Machado throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Machado postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Little to stand up.
Machado connects with a solid leg kick.
Machado scores with a sloppy right hand. Little should have avoided that one.

Little shoots in and gets a takedown into Machado's guard.
Little really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Little wants to stand and escape but instead Machado has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Machado trying to control the position from guard on top but Little is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Machado stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Little swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Little keeping moving, preventing Machado from controlling successfully.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Little is looking to stand back up but Machado counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Little.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Machado looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Manny Machado dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Little is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Machado thuds a left hand into Little's body.
Little tries to clinch
and Machado cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

Little shoots in and gets a takedown into Machado's guard.
Machado seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Little would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Little wants to pass the guard but Machado is keeping the position.
Machado trying to keep a closed guard but Little is proving a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Little stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Machado swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Machado working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Little doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Little manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Little keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Machado's head.

Little decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Machado, up you get!
Machado keeps the fight on the outside.
Little avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Manny Machado is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Machado connects with a body shot.
Little slips a straight right by Machado.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice uppercut there from Machado.
Little dives in and grabs Machado's left leg, looking for a takedown. Machado pushes down on Little's head and hops out.
Little uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Machado.
Little tries for a takedown but Machado circles away easily
enabling Machado to counter with a crisp jab.
Little takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
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 throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Little on the side of the head.

Little is rocked!
Little doesn't manage to clinch there - Machado circles away.
Oh Little is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!

Machado pushes Little up against the cage in a clinch.
Machado misses with a punch to the body.
Little tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Little looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Machado misses with a knee strike.
Little seems to have got his legs back now.
Machado tries to work over Little's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Little tries to pull guard but Machado holds him up against the cage and eventually Little drops back down to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Craig Little. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Little fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Nice body punch from Machado - that landed with a thud.
Little is trying to drag Machado to the mat but Machado just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Little misses with some punches.
Machado prevents a takedown attempt there.

Machado's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Machado lands a right hook to the body.
Little throws a combination that misses
and Machado cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Machado rushes Little and presses him up against the cage.
Little comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Machado with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Little misses with an elbow over the top.

Machado pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Machado lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Machado listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Craig Little seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Little decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Little trying to control from Machado's half guard. Machado has other ideas though and has regained full guard.

Machado throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Little stands and steps away. Machado gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Little shoots for a double leg takedown but Machado sprawls well. He's pushed Little's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Little tries to clinch but Machado moves away
and Machado counters with a left to the body.
Machado swats away the attempt to clinch by Little.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Manny Machado will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Good shot there by Machado.
Little dives in and grabs Machado's left leg, looking for a takedown. Machado pushes down on Little's head and hops out.
Little shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Machado as he avoids it easily.
Little moves in looking to clinch but Machado pushes him off.
Machado lands a right hook to the body.
Machado scores with a one two! Little had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Little shoots and misses
and Little takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Craig Little. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Machado punishes Little's body with a nice straight punch.
Machado misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
The fight stays on the outside here - Machado looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Little fails with the takedown
and Machado counters with a stiff right hand.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Machado scores with a hook to the body. Little takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Machado misses with a jab, cross combination.
Craig Little is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Little has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Machado keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
A decent looking cross lands there for Machado.
Little walks straight into a right hand from Machado - that's dropped him! Machado jumps into mount and starts pounding away - can he finish?! More strikes go undefended and the referee has to dive in to save Little from any more punishment! Little complains about the stoppage but falls over as he tries to stand back up, so it was clearly a good stoppage.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:21 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Manny Machado!
Manny Machado decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.