PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Nikolai Kuznetsov (ranked 1175 p4p, 1296 weight class) and Seiryu Machida (ranked 179 p4p, 200 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Kuznetsov
vs
Machida

178 cm
38
186
26 - 21 - 0

192 cm
34
187
22 - 10 - 4

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 26 - 21 - 0, fighting out of London, Nikolai Kuznetsov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 22 - 10 - 4, fighting out of Las Vegas, Seiryu Machida!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Leandro Rodrigues and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A swing and a miss from Kuznetsov.
Kuznetsov throws a poor cross that misses
and Machida counters with a stiff right hand.
Kuznetsov misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Machida throws out a counter right but Kuznetsov avoids it with no problem.
Kuznetsov has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Machida avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
A shot to the liver by Kuznetsov. Beautiful body shot.
Kuznetsov throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Kuznetsov throws a jab when Machida was well out of range.
Machida replies with a solid counter kick to the body but Kuznetsov blocks it well.
Machida jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Kuznetsov misses with a right hand
and Machida counters with a nice body shot.
Kuznetsov takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Kuznetsov lands a leg kick that knocks Machida off balance momentarily.
Kuznetsov throws a lazy head kick
and Machida cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Kuznetsov throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kuznetsov looks to score with a jab to the body but Machida is just out of range.
Machida scores with a nice right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kuznetsov throws a hook to the side of Machida's head but Machida sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Machida throws out a counter right but Kuznetsov avoids it with no problem.
Kuznetsov throws an off balance right hand
and Machida connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Kuznetsov tried to score with a low kick but Machida checks it.
Kuznetsov rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Machida moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Kuznetsov ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Machida moves away.
Kuznetsov throws a nice head kick!
Machida misses with a looping right.
Machida pushes Kuznetsov away with a front kick.
Machida keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Kuznetsov.
Kuznetsov swings away with a body shot that misses
and Kuznetsov takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Kuznetsov tries to bum rush Machida with a series of wild strikes but Machida uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Machida follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.
Machida avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Machida throws out a counter right but Kuznetsov avoids it with no problem.
Kuznetsov throws a shot from downtown. Machida moves away and avoids it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kuznetsov scores with a body shot.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kuznetsov misses with a left hand
and Machida counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Kuznetsov is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Machida's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
Kuznetsov bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Machida's head.
Kuznetsov scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
A big left from Kuznetsov misses.
Kuznetsov looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Machida drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Kuznetsov moves out of range as Machida throws a body kick.
Kuznetsov on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Machida showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Kuznetsov.
Machida is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Kuznetsov throws a right hand that misses
and Machida counters with a nice uppercut.
Kuznetsov throws the left hand but Machida avoids the punch easily.
Machida slips a jab from Kuznetsov.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kuznetsov cracks Machida with an open hand slap.
Kuznetsov misses the jab.
Machida wants to counter the offense by Kuznetsov and move into the clinch position.
Machida scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
A combination from Kuznetsov does no damage.
Kuznetsov swings for the body but Machida moves out of range.
Machida was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
Kuznetsov throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Machida looks like he wants to counter punch here.
A slow jab from Kuznetsov misses its intended target.
Kuznetsov uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Machida.
Machida misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Kuznetsov.
Machida moves away from the strike by Kuznetsov.
Machida has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Machida connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Machida moves in looking to clinch but Kuznetsov pushes him off.
Kuznetsov misses with a straight left.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kuznetsov lands with a shot to the body.
Kuznetsov goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Nikolai Kuznetsov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
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!
Kuznetsov fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Machida manages to avoid it.
Machida connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Kuznetsov uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Machida.
An attempted straight right counter from Kuznetsov misses the target.
Machida avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Machida misses with an attempted mid kick.
Kuznetsov throws the left hand but Machida avoids the punch easily.
Kuznetsov throws a lazy uppercut
and Machida counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Kuznetsov - that will leave a mark!
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Machida - that will leave a mark!
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A big left from Kuznetsov misses.
Kuznetsov looks to land a combination. Machida sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Nikolai Kuznetsov dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Machida with a hook.
Kuznetsov scores with a nice strike.
Kuznetsov tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Machida was well out of range. Poor timing from Kuznetsov.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Machida. Kuznetsov shrugs it off though.
A swing and a miss from Kuznetsov.
Kuznetsov thuds a left hand into Machida's body.
Kuznetsov throws a right and a left that both miss.
Machida is looking to clinch but Kuznetsov is avoiding it.
Kuznetsov throws an off balance right hand
enabling Machida to counter with a crisp jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Machida uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Kuznetsov.
Kuznetsov fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Machida manages to avoid it.
Machida misses with a right hand
and Kuznetsov counters with a nice leg kick.
Kuznetsov swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Machida counters with a nice right hand that sends Kuznetsov toppling to the canvas! Kuznetsov scrambles and gets back to his feet - can Machida finish him?!

Kuznetsov is rocked!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Machida circles and sees the opportunity to plant his feet and throw a really nice straight left hand that drops Kuznetsov to the canvas! Kuznetsov doesn't know where he is but he's trying to survive - Machida keeps piling on the pressure and forces the referee to step in! This one is aaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:05 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Seiryu Machida!
Seiryu Machida tried to hype himself up post fight but didn't word it too well and it ended up with him sounding like a bit of a tool.