PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Emre Polatkan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ricardo Machado (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Polatkan
vs
Machado

180 cm
26
197 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

180 cm
21
196 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Dangerous knees
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

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 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Emre Polatkan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Ricardo Machado!
The judges for this bout are Winston Howard, Skip Squint and John Mangel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Machado throws a right and a left that Polatkan avoids nicely.
Machado throws a right and a left that Polatkan avoids nicely.
Polatkan misses with a low kick as Machado jumps back.
Machado throws a right and a left that both miss.
Machado scores with a punch to the head.
No joy there for Machado, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Machado scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

It looks like Emre Polatkan has been cut.
Polatkan bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Polatkan misses with a low kick.

Polatkan clinches with his opponent.
Nice body punch from Machado.
Polatkan tries to land a knee to the head but Machado blocks with his arms.
Polatkan working Machado over with knees to the body.
Machado looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Polatkan landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.

Polatkan breaks from the clinch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Machado misses the shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Machado throws an overhand right that lands on Polatkan's shoulder, as Polatkan tries to avoid the shot.
No joy there for Machado, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Machado throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Polatkan wants to clinch.

Polatkan gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Polatkan with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Polatkan breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Polatkan tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Machado paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Machado lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Machado.
Polatkan throws a combination that misses
and Machado counters with a straight right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Machado is defended easily by Polatkan.

Polatkan moves into the clinch successfully.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Polatkan tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Polatkan breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Machado works the jab nicely.
Sloppy strikes from Machado. Those never looked like landing.
Sloppy strikes from Machado. Those never looked like landing.
Machado pushes Polatkan away with a front kick.
Polatkan is breathing heavily.
Machado throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Polatkan fails with an attempt to clinch.
Machado throws a series of punches but Polatkan moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Machado scores with a nice right hand.
Machado lands a nice shot to the body.
Machado tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Polatkan is able to avoid easily.
Polatkan circles away from the clinch attempt

and Polatkan counters by clinching up.
Machado lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Polatkan keeps control of Machado as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Machado wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Polatkan has him pressed against the cage.
Machado goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Knees in the clinch landing for Polatkan.
Polatkan taking a breather.
Polatkan fails to pull guard.
Machado tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Polatkan's elbow.
Polatkan lands a nice knee to the body.
Polatkan jumps guard but Machado stands there with Polatkan around his waist. Polatkan gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Machado has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Machado jumps guard but Polatkan stands there with Machado around his waist. Machado gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Machado tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Polatkan's elbow.

Polatkan breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Polatkan tries to clinch there but Machado circles away.
Machado misses with a straight left.
Machado throws a series of punches but Polatkan moves out of range.
Machado throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Machado tries to clinch there but Polatkan circles away.
Machado looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Emre Polatkan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ricardo Machado.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
That kick from Machado tenderised Polatkan's leg. Polatkan is trying to keep his angry face on.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ricardo Machado dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Emre Polatkan's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Polatkan wants to clinch up but Machado keeps it at a distance.
Machado throws a series of punches but Polatkan moves out of range.
Machado fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Polatkan checks it well.
Polatkan misses with a hook. Machado ducked under it nicely.
Polatkan needs to keep his hands up - Machado had a free shot at his head there.
Polatkan throws a shot from downtown. Machado moves away and avoids it.
Machado misses with a wild combination.
Polatkan throws a leg kick but Machado sees it coming and moves out of range.
Machado pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Machado displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Polatkan throws out the jab.
Machado with a body punch. A glancing blow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Machado takes a swing at Polatkan's ribcage but misses.
Machado throws a sloppy head kick and Polatkan moves out of range easily.
Machado closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Polatkan fails with an attempt to clinch.
Nice defenses there by Polatkan.
Machado throws a low kick but Polatkan moves out of range easily.
Polatkan motions for Machado to come forward. Polatkan throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Machado fails to land the takedown.
A punch combination from Machado misses.
Ricardo Machado seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Machado darts in trying to clinch
and Polatkan counters with a nice leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Polatkan thumps Machado with a low kick.

Polatkan has closed the distance and engaged Machado in a clinch.
Polatkan scores with a knee to the head.
Machado tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Polatkan's elbow.
Polatkan has a couple of punches blocked by Machado.
Polatkan prevents Machado from breaking the clinch.

Polatkan pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Machado thows a leg kick but Polatkan checks it

and Polatkan moves into the clinch.
Polatkan landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Machado is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Polatkan utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Machado tries to work over Polatkan's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Polatkan has Machado pushed against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Machado takes a knee to the side of the body.

Polatkan breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Polatkan throws a jab but it's blocked by Machado.
Polatkan fails with an attempt to clinch.
Polatkan wants to clinch up but Machado keeps it at a distance.
A bone on bone clash there as Machado blocks the leg kick.
Polatkan tries to clinch up but Machado circles away and keeps his distance.

Polatkan moves into the clinch.
Machado lands a right hand.
Machado misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Polatkan manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Machado fails to pull guard.
Polatkan blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

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.
Machado misses with the head strike.
A knee to the head by Polatkan.
Polatkan blocking some punches.
Machado doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Polatkan with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Machado misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Machado takes an elbow to the forehead.
Polatkan connects with a nasty looking knee right to Machado's face.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Machado struggles to land a body shot inside as Polatkan controls his hands.
Machado is trying to force a seperation but Polatkan has the dominant position.
Machado is trying to force a seperation but Polatkan has the dominant position.
Machado fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Emre Polatkan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ricardo Machado.
Machado struggles to land a body shot inside as Polatkan controls his hands.
Machado is trying to break free.
Machado is trying to break the clinch but Polatkan has him pressed against the cage.

Polatkan breaks the clinch.
Polatkan tries to clinch up.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Polatkan, right into the meat.
Polatkan checks a leg kick nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Emre Polatkan dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Emre Polatkan's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Polatkan throws a chopping leg kick but Machado manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Machado blocks a low kick nicely.
Ricardo Machado seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Polatkan wants to clinch
and Machado counters with a nice uppercut.
Polatkan tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Machado manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Polatkan moves out of range of the leg kick from Machado.
Polatkan tries to clinch but Machado moves out of range.
Machado fails to land the takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Polatkan blocks a head kick by Machado.
Machado displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Polatkan will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Machado throws a nice looking combination but Polatkan bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A combination from Machado does no damage.
Polatkan tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Machado counters with a series of strikes. Polatkan will be more careful next time no doubt.
Machado is looking to land body kicks.
Machado lands a jab to the nose.
Machado tries to close the distance and clinch up but Polatkan swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Polatkan misses with a straight right.
Machado throws a push kick but Polatkan slaps the foot to one side.
A big left from Polatkan misses.
Emre Polatkan is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Polatkan tries to clinch but Machado is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Machado throws a combination that misses
and Polatkan counters with a good low kick that Machado was not able to check.
Good leg kick by Polatkan there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Machado checks the leg kick.
No joy there for Machado, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Polatkan cracks the inside of Machado's front leg.
Polatkan keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Polatkan is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Machado avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Machado lands with a cross.
Polatkan moves away from the strike by Machado.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Machado lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Polatkan showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Machado.
Machado clinches but Polatkan breaks the clinch

and Polatkan counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Polatkan escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Polatkan throws an overhand right that lands on Machado's shoulder, as Machado tries to avoid the shot.
Polatkan misses with a leg kick.
Good work by Polatkan as he checks the leg kick.
Polatkan wants to clinch.
Polatkan is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Machado dodges the punch combination from Polatkan.
Polatkan is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Machado.
Polatkan throws a front kick aimed at Machado's knee but Machado avoids it well.
Machado connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Machado throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Polatkan blocks the body kick.
Machado throws a leg kick but Polatkan checks it.
Polatkan tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ricardo Machado comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Machado has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Winston Howard scores the fight 28:29
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 28:29
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ricardo Machado!