PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Brett Henderson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lyoto Machida (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Henderson
vs
Machida

199 cm
20
211 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

183 cm
19
210 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Prefers ground

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Likes ground

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Brett Henderson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Lyoto Machida!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Yves DeLean and Dillan Fox.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Henderson clinches.
Machida unloads a knee to the mid-section. Henderson lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Henderson is trying to break the clinch but Machida has him pressed against the ropes.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

Henderson breaks from the clinch.

Henderson scores a takedown into full mount!

Henderson is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Machida has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Machida!
Henderson will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Henderson working for a triangle but Machida defends it easily.

Henderson throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Machida must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Machida tries to stand but Henderson is controlling from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henderson is trying to control the position but Machida postures up.
Machida wants to pass the guard but Henderson is keeping the position.
Henderson wants to stand up but Machida is controlling him.
Machida has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Henderson is proving hard to escape from.
Henderson manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Henderson is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Machida can't stay in a position like this for much longer.

Henderson swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Machida is now in Henderson's guard. A big mistake from Henderson there, giving up the dominant position!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Machida trying to control the position from guard on top but Henderson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Machida thows a big elbow that misses.
Machida stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Henderson swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Machida stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Machida lands a high kick!
Henderson avoids the head kick by Machida.

Machida closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Henderson regains half guard.
Henderson is breathing heavily.
Machida lands with a punch from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Machida tries to stand but can't do so whilst Henderson controls his leg.

Henderson looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Machida stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Henderson fails in his attempt to clinch.

Machida shoots in and bounces Henderson off the ropes to secure the takedown into guard.

Machida decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Henderson is looking to clinch but Machida is avoiding it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Henderson throws a series of punches but Machida moves out of range.
Machida swats away the attempt to clinch by Henderson.
Henderson tries to close the distance and clinch but Machida swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Henderson doesn't manage to clinch there - Machida circles away.
Henderson drops his hands momentarily and Machida takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Henderson has his takedown stuffed
and Machida counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Machida misses with a two punch combination.
Henderson looks to clinch
and Machida counters with a left and a right that stings Henderson.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Henderson clinches but Machida breaks the clinch

and Machida counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Henderson's guard now.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Machida postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lyoto Machida dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Machida lands a nice shot that snaps Henderson's head back.
Henderson clinches but Machida breaks the clinch
and Machida counters with a series of strikes. Henderson will be more careful next time no doubt.

Machida has taken the fight to the clinch.
Henderson landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Henderson manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Henderson wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Machida pushes off an throws an elbow but Henderson leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the ropes.
Nice elbow from Henderson.
Henderson is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Machida tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Machida manages to break the clinch.
Brett Henderson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Machida will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Henderson wants to clinch

and Machida counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Machida.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Machida drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Henderson dives on top into guard.
Henderson trying to control the position from guard on top but Machida is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Henderson wants to pass the guard but Machida is keeping the position.
Henderson pushes down on Machida's leg and manages to get into half guard.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

Henderson seems to be working for a kimura but Machida defends the submission attempt.
Henderson wants to advance to full mount but Machida doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Machida wants to stand up but Henderson is controlling him.
Henderson wants to control from the top but Machida keeps moving.
Machida looking to hit a scissor sweep but Henderson is one step ahead there.
Machida avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Machida wants to stand up but Henderson is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Machida stuffs the takedown.
Henderson takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Machida with a nice cross.
Henderson clinches but Machida breaks the clinch

and Machida counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Henderson is looking to control Machida's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Henderson avoid being mounted?
Machida trying to control the action but Henderson is working from the bottom.
Henderson is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Machida wants to stand but Henderson has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Machida winds up and cracks Henderson with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Henderson trying to control here.
Machida thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Henderson's head.
Henderson wants to improve his position but Machida is controlling well.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Henderson tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Machida counters with a takedown into side control.
Henderson taking a bit of punishment here - Machida scoring with strikes.
Machida working away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lyoto Machida showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Machida throws a right hand that Henderson ducks under and follows up with a left that Henderson also avoids with ease.

Henderson closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
Henderson wants to stall.
Machida misses with a knee to the head.
Henderson lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Machida tries a knee to the head but Henderson blocks it.
Machida is trying to stall.
Henderson has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Machida avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Machida tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Machida looking to throw knees to the head but Henderson is blocking nicely.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Machida has Henderson pushed against the ropes.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A battle for position here, against the ropes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Machida can't break the clinch.

Machida breaks the clinch.

Machida shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Machida showed some decent athleticism there.
Henderson is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Henderson wants to control but Machida passes into side.
Henderson taking punishment in the form of punches.
Henderson tries to bench press Machida off him but Machida keeps the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Machida decides to stand up, so the ref orders Henderson to his feet.
Machida scores with a hook to the body. Henderson takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Machida lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Henderson at a distance.

Machida shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Henderson is desperately trying to improve his position but Machida has a good base and remains in mount.
Machida cracks Henderson with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Henderson keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Henderson wants to control but Machida is having none of it.
Machida putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Machida landing punches.
Henderson bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!

Henderson drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Machida manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Henderson has Machida in his guard.

Henderson looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Machida passes into half guard.
Henderson is trying to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Machida lands strikes from half guard.
Machida lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Brett Henderson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Machida blocks the strikes from Henderson.
Machida is looking to take a break and control but Henderson is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Machida decides to return to a standing position.
Machida misses with a series of wild punches.
Lyoto Machida is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Machida shoots in for a takedown but Henderson shows good takedown defense.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lyoto Machida comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Machida winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Trevor Gratis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lyoto Machida!