PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Albert Ashton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lyoto Machida (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lyoto Machida will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Ashton
vs
Machida

178 cm
26
190 lbs
10 - 8 - 0

190 cm
23
199 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Solid boxing
KO power

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

Milwaukee's Best Nutrition 158 Muscle Bulk $21

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 10 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Albert Ashton!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Lyoto Machida!
The judges for this bout are John Mangel, Donatello Bradman and Bruno Hogan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ashton fails with an attempt to clinch.
Machida swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Albert Ashton seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Machida swats away the attempt to clinch by Ashton.
Ashton has a takedown stuffed.

Machida closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Machida lands in his opponent's guard.

Ashton is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Machida pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ashton is keeping the position for now.
Ashton controls Machida momentarily but Machida frees himself.
Machida wants to control from the top but Ashton keeps moving.

Ashton is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Machida wanted to stand there but Ashton had control of the position.
Ashton is trying to control the position but Machida postures up.

Ashton 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. Machida manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Machida stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ashton swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Machida with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Ashton keeping moving, preventing Machida from controlling successfully.

Ashton is looking for a triangle but Machida pushes his legs off easily.

That's two 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.

Ashton 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 must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Ashton looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Ashton is breathing heavily.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Ashton looking for subs off his back but Machida has passed one foot through into half guard.
Machida stalling.
Ashton wants to improve his position but Machida is controlling well.

Ashton actively working from the bottom here.
Machida content to control rather than advance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ashton slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Machida slips nicely into half guard.
Machida sitting and controlling from the half guard.

Ashton looking for submissions off his back.
Machida sitting and controlling from the half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Machida is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Machida controlling the pace.

Ashton actively working from the bottom here.

Ashton looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Machida wants to take a breather but Ashton is having none of it.
Ashton is trying to get back to full guard.
Machida winds up and cracks Ashton with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Machida prevents Ashton from improving his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Lyoto Machida will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Ashton tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Machida paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Machida lands with a nice combination. Ashton backs away looking to recover.
Ashton defending well as Machida loads up on a big left hand.
Machida throws a body kick that misses.
Machida circles away from the clinch attempt.

Machida pushes Ashton up against the cage in a clinch.
Machida lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Ashton or not.
Ashton tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Ashton is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Machida is defending well for now.
Machida takes a knee right on the jaw!

It looks like Lyoto Machida has been cut.
Ashton tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Machida avoids it.
Machida slowing the pace effectively.
A short left from Machida.
Ashton with a knee to the head.
Machida content to slow the pace in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Machida stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Machida avoiding damage as Ashton throws knees to the body.
Machida prevents Ashton from breaking the clinch.
Ashton tries to land a knee to the head but Machida blocks with his arms.
Ashton throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Ashton wants a takedown.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Machida blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Machida prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Albert Ashton. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ashton wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Ashton is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Machida gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Machida's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Ashton takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Machida stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
The crowd are getting on Machida's back here. They're not happy about his lack of aggression in the clinch.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Lyoto Machida.
Ashton looks to clinch
and Machida counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Nice body punch from Machida.

Ashton tries to keep at a distance but Machida has taken the fight into the clinch.
Machida on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Ashton pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Ashton throws a knee to the head but misses.
Ashton is trying to force a seperation but Machida has the dominant position.
Ashton tries for a takedown but Machida manages to get underhooks.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Ashton is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Machida has Ashton pushed against the cage.

Machida gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Machida in particular looking to stall.
Ashton trying to hold on to Machida's head to control him but Machida postures up.
Ashton is staying active underneath Machida, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Ashton is looking to control Machida's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Ashton avoid being mounted?
Ashton gets full guard.
Ashton might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Ashton is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Machida is aware though and is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Machida not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Machida makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Machida trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Ashton is looking for a triangle but Machida pushes his legs off easily.
Machida cracks Ashton with a solid left hand.
Machida trying to control the position from guard on top but Ashton is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Machida advances position into side control!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Machida cracks Ashton with a big elbow.
Machida works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Ashton is trying to improve his position.
Machida trying to control the action but Ashton is working from the bottom.
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 cut man is working on Lyoto Machida's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Ashton tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Machida counters with a good low kick that Ashton was not able to check.
Machida pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Machida scores with a one two! Ashton had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Ashton tries to clinch but Machida moves away
and Machida counters with a nice uppercut.
Machida circles away from the clinch attempt
and Machida counters with a one-two to the body.
Ashton tries to clinch up
and Machida counters with a straight right hand.

Machida moves into range and clinches up with Ashton.
Machida avoids the elbow strike from Ashton, against the cage.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Ashton.
Machida blocks an elbow strike from Ashton.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ashton is trying to drag Machida to the mat but Machida just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Ashton wants a takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ashton tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Machida just stands there and leans against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Albert Ashton. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ashton throws an elbow that misses.
Machida blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Machida blocks the elbow strike.
Ashton is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Machida pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Machida pressing his opponent against the cage.
Ashton working aggressively here.
Machida avoids the elbow strike from Ashton, against the cage.
Ashton looking for a takedown.
Ashton misses with an elbow over the top.

Machida has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Ashton is trying to keep an underhook but Machida manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Ashton wants to improve his position but Machida is controlling well.
Lyoto Machida has got the better of the ground game so far.
Machida looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Machida scoring with strikes to the body and head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ashton looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Machida is controlling the pace.

Machida escapes and gets back to his feet.
Decent striking displayed by Machida there.
Ashton closes the distance but Machida moves to the side
and Machida counters with a nice uppercut.

Machida throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Ashton was covering up waiting for the punch and Machida finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Machida stays in close to Ashton's body and controls the position.

Ashton looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Machida controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Albert Ashton has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ashton looking to hit a scissor sweep but Machida is one step ahead there.
Machida pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ashton is keeping the position for now.
Machida showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

Ashton is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Ashton throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Lyoto Machida is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Machida looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Ashton throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Machida sitting in guard here, content to control.

Ashton is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Ashton is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Machida defends well.
Machida works a leg free and moves into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lyoto Machida comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Machida has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 John Mangel scores the fight 27:30
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 27:30
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 27:30

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