PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Darren Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lyoto Machida (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Smith
vs
Machida

183 cm
22
215 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
21
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

Firebird Designs
Non-Stop Nutrition

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Darren Smith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Lyoto Machida!
The judges for this bout are John Roberts, Reed Andrews and Alyssa Summers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Machida fails to land with a series of punches.
Smith lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Machida closes the distance and clinches up with Smith, looking for a takedown. Machida pushes Smith against the cage but Smith circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Machida tries to clinch there but Smith circles away.
Machida works Smith's body with a nice hook.
Smith lands a nice looking kick to the body. Machida takes a step back to recover.
Machida lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Smith backs up against the cage.
Machida is looking to clinch.
Machida misses with a hook.
Machida thows a body shot but no joy.
Lyoto Machida seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Smith takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Smith lands with a nice body kick.
A solid body kick from Smith.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Smith, right into the meat.
Machida looks gassed!

Smith scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Machida tries to improve position but can't.
Smith working the ground and pound from side control.
Smith working the head with strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Machida is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Smith has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Smith has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Smith working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Machida takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Machida takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Machida is trying to get back to his feet.
Smith throwing shots but missing, from side control.

Smith thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Smith prevents Machida from escaping the position.
An elbow from Smith crashes against the mat.
Machida tries to buck Smith off but Smith is having none of it.
Machida gets back to half guard.
Machida avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Smith.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Smith is pressing down on Machida's thigh, looking to free his foot. Machida is holding on for now.
Machida is trying to stand up here but Smith is controlling him well.
Smith thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Smith is trying to work for a kimura but Machida is defending well.

Machida pushes Smith off and gets back to his feet.
Machida shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Smith counters with a thumping low kick.
Machida tries to clinch up but Smith circles away and keeps his distance.
Machida with a lazy takedown attempt
and Smith finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Darren Smith has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lyoto Machida.
Smith keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Machida.
A combination from Smith does no damage.
Smith avoids a punch combination nicely.
A jab from Machida misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Machida wants to clinch
and Smith counters with a slapping leg kick.
Machida tries to clinch but Smith moves away
and Smith counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Smith connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Machida sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Machida shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Smith counters with a body kick that stops Machida in his tracks momentarily.
Machida throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Smith avoids the head kick by Machida.
Smith keeps the fight on the outside.
Machida moves in looking to clinch but Smith pushes him off.
Smith misses with the combination.
Smith showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Machida.
Smith slips a jab and a cross from Machida.
Machida misses with a takedown
and Smith counters with a three punch combo that has Machida backing up. Machida nods at Smith to acknowledge the strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Machida fails with the takedown
and Smith counters with a solid body kick.
Machida looks to clinch
and Smith counters with a nice body kick.

Smith rushes Machida and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Smith manages to break the clinch.
Smith throws out a loose jab but Machida uses good head movement to avoid it.
Smith throws a series of punches but Machida avoids them all with ease.
Smith pushes Machida away with a front kick.
Machida fails to land with a series of punches.
Smith throws a nice inside leg kick.

Smith rushes Machida and presses him up against the cage.

Smith manages to break the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Smith. Machida shrugs it off though.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Smith throws a nice inside leg kick.
Machida misses with a series of wild punches.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Smith. Machida shrugs it off though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Darren Smith 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.

Machida gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Smith counters with an outside leg kick.
Darren Smith is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Machida misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Smith lands a nice leg kick that just misses Machida's sensitive parts.
Machida throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Smith connects with a solid leg kick.
Machida throws a right and a left that both miss.
Machida with a poor takedown
and Smith counters with a good low kick that Machida was not able to check.
Smith chopping away at his opponent's legs.

Smith drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Smith passes Machida's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Smith working over Machida with some ground and pound. Machida looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Smith lands with a punch from half guard.
Smith seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Machida taking some punishment here, with Smith in his half guard.
Machida pushes Smith off looking to stand but Smith dives back in and keeps control.
Smith wants to free his trapped foot but Machida is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Machida with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Smith working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Smith sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Machida defending well though.
Smith wants to pass to mount but Machida is defending the position.
Smith scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Machida regains full guard. Nicely done.
Smith postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

Smith drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Smith jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Smith throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Smith loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Smith trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Machida escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Smith gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Machida wants to stand up but Smith is controlling him.

Machida wriggles free and stands up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith fakes the leg kick and cracks Machida in the body.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Smith.
Smith scores with a kick to the body.
Smith thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Machida if he has to take too many more of those.

Smith rushes Machida and presses him up against the cage.
Machida is trying to break the clinch but Smith has him pressed against the cage.

Smith breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Machida lands a nice shot that snaps Smith's head back.
Smith lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Machida ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Smith moves away.
Smith keeps Machida at a distance using the push kick.
Smith showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Machida.
Machida throws a combination. Smith tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Machida scores with a three punch combo!
Smith fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Machida checks it well.
Machida clinches but Smith breaks the clinch
and Smith counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Machida with a poor takedown
and Smith counters with a slapping leg kick.
Darren Smith has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lyoto Machida.
Machida gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Smith makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Smith feints and then cracks Machida's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Machida down.
Smith throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Machida looks to land a combination but Smith avoids it well.
Smith throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Machida closes the distance but Smith moves to the side

and Smith counters with a single leg into guard. Machida didn't expect that.

Machida kicks Smith off and gets to his feet.
Machida tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Smith paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Machida shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Smith counters with a nice leg kick.
Machida tries for a takedown but Smith circles away easily
and Smith counters with a thumping low kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith dodges the punch combination from Machida.
Smith scores with a leg kick.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Smith misses with a straight right.
Smith fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Machida.
Machida ducks under a wild hook from Smith.
Machida throws a lazy uppercut

and Smith counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Smith wants to free his trapped foot but Machida is holding on for dear life with his legs.

Smith is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Machida is defending against the submission attempts here by Smith.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Machida kicks Smith off and gets back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Darren Smith dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Smith scoring well with a low kick there.
Machida misses with a takedown
and Smith counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Machida with a lazy takedown attempt
and Smith counters with a good, hard body kick but Machida shrugs it off.

Machida moves into the clinch.
Machida is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Smith gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Darren Smith has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lyoto Machida.
Machida is trying to break free.
Machida taking a break, stalling in the clinch.

Smith breaks from the clinch.
Smith thows a body shot but no joy.
Machida keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Smith.
Machida slips a jab from Smith.
Machida takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
A chopping leg kick lands by Smith.

Smith shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Smith was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Smith lands a big shot there that rocks Machida but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

Machida is rocked!
Smith looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Machida is still in real trouble! Can Smith finish him?
Smith postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Machida looks a forlorn figure.
Smith lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Smith landing strikes from the mount.
Smith with the ground and pound from mount.

Smith working for a guillotine from mount but Machida is in no mood to give up.
Machida is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Machida is working to get back to half guard.
Smith lands a heavy elbow.
Machida taking shots to the head.
Smith scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Machida?
Smith lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Machida hang on?

Smith working from mount. He moves in close and looks like he might be going for an arm triangle... He's hopped off to the side and he's transitioned into an Anaconda choke. Machida turning a nasty shade of purple. He's refusing to tap but he's gone! He's out! The ref rips Smith off and cradles Machida's limp body as Smith celebrates with his corner.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:02 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Anaconda Choke). Darren Smith!