PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Vasilios Nicko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marucio Machida (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Nicko
vs
Machida

176 cm
28
165 lbs
11 - 8 - 1

175 cm
25
160 lbs
10 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Tokyo Defiance

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 8 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Vasilios Nicko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Marucio Machida!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Shirou Masuda and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Machida shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Nicko's guard.
Nicko trying to keep a closed guard but Machida is proving a slippery customer.
Nicko is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Nicko has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Machida can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Nicko wants to sweep here but Machida controlling him for the moment.

Nicko has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Machida can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Machida decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nicko throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Machida counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Nicko is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Machida defends well.

Nicko throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Nicko tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Machida trying to control the position from guard on top but Nicko is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Machida really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Nicko. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Nicko wants to sweep but no luck.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

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

Nicko looking for a guillotine here but Machida defends easily.
Nicko is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Nicko is working hard here to advance position.
Machida wants to control from the top but Nicko keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Machida seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Marucio Machida wasn't active enough on the ground.
A shot to the body from Nicko misses
and Machida counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Nicko walks into a straight right hand from Machida.
Nicko misses with a left hand

and Machida counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Nicko wants to sweep but no luck.

Nicko is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Machida defends well.

Nicko looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Machida passes into side control.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Machida wants to control but Nicko is keeping him busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nicko is looking for a sweep.

Machida decides to stand back up. Machida steps back and let's Nicko get back to his feet.
Nice straight punches there by Machida. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Machida.
Nicko has a takedown stuffed.
Nicko 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.
Nicko swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Machida counters with a nice body shot.
Machida keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Nicko scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Nicko is breathing heavily.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Machida regains half guard.
Machida is trying to get back to full guard.
Machida is looking to escape.
Machida wants to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Machida shoots in and gets a takedown into Nicko's guard.
Nicko is looking to sweep but instead, Machida has passed into half guard.
Marucio Machida has got the better of the ground game so far.

Nicko looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Machida is thwarting Nicko's attempts to control the position.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Nicko is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Nicko works his way to full guard. Good work.

Nicko working for a triangle but Machida defends it easily.
Machida trying to control but Nicko is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nicko looking for a sweep. Not yet Nicko, not yet.
Nicko is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Nicko is working for a submission of some sort.

Nicko is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Machida has managed to free his arm - good work.
Nicko works his way into full mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Nicko working for a submission but Machida is keeping him at bay.
Machida is trying desperately to improve position.
Machida is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.

Nicko looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.

Nicko is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Machida has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Nicko moves to take his opponent's back.
Nicko avoiding Machida 's attempts to control his hands.

Machida is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nicko is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Machida tries to break free.

Nicko is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Machida has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
Machida looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Nicko struggling to keep hold of the position.

Machida preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Nicko.
Machida rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Machida trying to control here.
Machida looks like he's trying to stand up.
Machida is pressing down on Nicko's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Machida is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Nicko is controlling him.
Nicko tries to free his leg and advance position but Machida is retaining full guard.
Nicko sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Machida's guard.

Machida is defending against the submission attempts here by Nicko.
Nicko is looking to advance position but Machida won't allow it.

Nicko seems to be looking for submissions.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vasilios Nicko dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Nicko falls off balance throwing a combination

so Machida counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Nicko 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.

Nicko looking for a triangle here. Machida is fighting it but it looks tight! Nicko pulls the arm across and this one won't last much longer! Nope, Machida is tapping out - this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:32 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Choke). Vasilios Nicko!