PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Benos machida (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bruce Sanders (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

machida
vs
Sanders

175 cm
24
154 lbs
8 - 2 - 0

166 cm
24
163 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Good knees
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

[JMFC] Blueprint Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Benos machida!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Bruce Sanders!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Alexandre Firmino and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
machida throws a head kick that half lands.

machida gets a takedown into half guard.
machida frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
The referee warns Sanders that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Sanders tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
machida landing shots from mount.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
machida prevents Sanders from getting the reversal.
machida working the ground and pound effectively.
Sanders really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
machida lands a nice shot to the head.
Sanders tries to get back to half guard but can't.
machida pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
machida lands with some strikes.

machida wants to finish this one by submission but Sanders is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from machida.
machida is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Sanders regains half guard.
machida throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Sanders gets back to full guard.

Sanders working for a triangle but machida defends it easily.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
machida is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
machida pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sanders is keeping the position for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Sanders looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
machida throwing strikes but missing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanders utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
machida postures up.
machida loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Sanders can't keep his opponent in guard - machida advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

machida is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Sanders doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time machida.
Sanders taking some punishment here, with machida in his half guard.
Sanders tries to get to full guard but machida has control of the leg.
Sanders is staying active underneath machida, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Sanders is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
machida tries to pass to full mount but Sanders defends it.
Sanders is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Sanders changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. machida tries to avoid it but Sanders manages to keep hold of a leg and drag machida to the ground. machida escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
machida avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Sanders lands with a cross.
machida tries to close the distance and clinch but Sanders swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Sanders lands a really nice looking cross but machida seems unphased.
A swing and a miss from Sanders.
Sanders changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. machida tries to avoid it but Sanders manages to keep hold of a leg and drag machida to the ground. machida escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Sanders looks gassed!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
machida takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
machida with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Nice takedown defense from Sanders. No joy for machida on that attempt.
Sanders swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
machida pulls out of a head kick attempt.
machida fails to land the takedown.
machida uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Sanders.
machida tries to clinch up.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sanders throws a series of punches but machida moves out of range.
machida gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Sanders tries to bum rush machida with a series of wild strikes but machida uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
machida lands with a slapping head kick.
machida fails in his attempt to clinch.
machida ducks under a wild hook from Sanders.
Sanders swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
machida cracks a nice hook into Sanders's ribs.
Sanders misses with an uppercut. machida saw that one coming.
Sanders misses with an uppercut.
Sanders circles away from the clinch attempt.
machida throws a shot from downtown. Sanders moves away and avoids it.
Bruce Sanders is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
machida pushes Sanders away with a front kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
machida throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Sanders is breathing heavily.
Sanders rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but machida moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Sanders throws a jab when machida was well out of range.

machida moves into the clinch.
machida landing knees to the head.
machida landing knees to the body.
Knees in the clinch landing for machida.
machida landing knees to the body.
machida landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
machida landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
machida lands a nice knee to the body.
machida lands a knee to the body.
machida landing some nice looking knees to the body.
machida landing some nice looking knees to the body.
machida lands a knee to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
machida lands a knee to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
machida lands a nice elbow.
machida lands a knee to the body.
machida connects with a nasty looking knee right to Sanders's face.
machida unloads a knee to the mid-section. Sanders lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
machida landing some nice looking knees to the body.
machida scores a nice knee to the body.
machida scores with a knee to the head.
Sanders is trying to break the clinch but machida has him pressed against the cage.
machida throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
machida creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Sanders wants a takedown but no success here.
machida landing knees to the head.
machida tries to land knees in the clinch but Sanders avoids the damage to the body.
Sanders is working for takedown but machida is calmly controlling the position for now.
machida lands a nice elbow.
machida missing with knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanders wants to break free but machida has control.
machida crunches a lovely knee into Sanders's ribcage.
Sanders is looking to break free of the clinch but machida has double underhooks.
machida keeps control of Sanders as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
machida throws an elbow that misses.
Sanders is trying to break the clinch but machida has him pressed against the cage.
machida missing with knees to the body.
machida misses with a knee to the head.
machida trying to land knees to the body.
Sanders wants to break free but machida has control.
Sanders wants to get back to striking at distance but machida won't allow it.
machida missing with knees to the body.
machida throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Sanders blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Sanders tries to break the clinch but machida is controlling the position.
Sanders wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Sanders wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

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.
machida lands an elbow inside.
machida comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
machida connects with a nasty looking knee right to Sanders's face.
machida missing with knees to the body.
Sanders tries to break the clinch but machida is controlling the position.
Sanders tries to break the clinch but machida is controlling the position.
Sanders tries to break the clinch but machida is controlling the position.
Sanders avoiding damage as machida throws knees to the body.
Sanders is working for takedown but machida is calmly controlling the position for now.
Benos machida has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bruce Sanders.
machida lands an elbow that stopped Sanders in his tracks for a moment.
machida tries to land knees in the clinch but Sanders avoids the damage to the body.
machida lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Sanders tries to pull guard but machida holds him up against the cage and eventually Sanders drops back down to his feet.
machida throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Sanders blocks it with crossed arms.
machida gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Sanders.
Sanders wants to break the clinch but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Benos machida dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action!

A slow jab from Sanders misses its intended target.
machida fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Sanders throws a right and a left that both miss.
machida ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
machida moves away from the strike by Sanders.
machida tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
machida works Sanders's body with a nice hook.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice sprawl there from Sanders as machida shoots in.
Sanders misses with a looping left.
Sanders might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
machida takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
machida walks into a straight right hand from Sanders.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanders shoots and misses
and machida counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Sanders is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
machida tries to clinch there but Sanders circles away.
machida ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
machida slips a jab from Sanders.
machida lands a nice leg kick that just misses Sanders's sensitive parts.
Sanders doesn't succeed with the takedown
and machida counters with a left to the body.
machida lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

machida scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

machida is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Sanders knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
machida is looking to take a break and control but Sanders is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
machida tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Sanders is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on machida's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Sanders manages to get to full guard.

Sanders escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. machida gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Sanders escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. machida gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
machida wants to pass the guard but Sanders is keeping the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
machida working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
machida looking to pass the guard.
machida trying to control the position from guard on top but Sanders is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sanders looking to hit a scissor sweep but machida is one step ahead there.

Sanders is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Sanders throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Sanders keeping moving, preventing machida from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
machida wants to pass the guard but Sanders is keeping the position.
machida throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Sanders working for a triangle but machida defends it easily.
machida pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sanders is keeping the position for now.
Sanders working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from machida.

Sanders working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. machida doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Oh but Sanders is tightening it up a little... machida has to be careful here... He's got his foot tucked under now, this looks tight! machida reacted too slowly and this one could be over in a matter of seconds! YES! machida taps out! nice BJJ there by Sanders!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Choke). Bruce Sanders!
Bruce Sanders is the new lightweight champion!