PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Lyoto Machida (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Philip Go (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Machida
vs
Go

181 cm
18
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

188 cm
27
205 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Inexperienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 Tokyo, Lyoto Machida!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Philip Go!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Shigeki Sano and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Go shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Machida manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Go looking to pass the guard.
Go throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Machida works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Machida can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Go controls the pace.
Go postures up in Machida's guard and throws a big left but Machida blocks it.
Go controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Philip Go hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Machida lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Go at a distance.
Go walks into a left hand.
Philip Go seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Go fails with a takedown attempt.
Go gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Machida counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Go walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Machida wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Go shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Machida pinned against the cage. Machida gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Lyoto Machida has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Philip Go.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Go shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Machida napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Machida is not content to let Go control the position.
Machida is pushing Go's head away, looking to escape. Go manages to hold on to the position though.
Go postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Go controlling the position from side mount.
Machida is pushing Go's head away, looking to escape. Go manages to hold on to the position though.
Go controls the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Philip Go has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Go feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Machida's calf.
Machida fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Go tries for a takedown but Machida sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Go looks gassed!
Go throws a poor cross that misses
and Machida counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Machida.
Machida scores with a hook to the body. Go takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Go falls off balance throwing a combination
and Machida counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Machida connects with a right hand. Go shakes it off.
Machida lands with a cross.
Machida defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Go.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Philip Go dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Machida throws a wild body kick that Go sees coming a mile off.
Go shoots in but no luck this time.
Go misses with a double jab
and Machida counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Go tries to close the distance and clinch up but Machida swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Go misses with a takedown attempt
and Machida counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Go tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Machida counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Go is breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Machida scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Machida feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Gos jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Machida lands with a cross.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Machida fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Go looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Machida lands a jab.
Go avoids a kick to the body.
Machida scores with a shot to the body.
Machida scores with a nice right hand.
A right-left combo lands from Machida.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Machida, as that shot connected.
Machida misses with a low kick.
Machida tests Go's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Lyoto Machida is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's two 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.
Machida scores with a one two! Go had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Machida scores with a jab to the jaw.
Machida lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Go backs up against the cage.
Machida feints a jab promting Go to slip. Machida then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Go slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Machida throws a lazy head kick

and Go counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Machida is trying to stand up here but Go is controlling him well.
Go is trying to control. Machida wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Machida knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Go on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Philip Go.
Machida works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Machida jabs at Go's body.
Machida throws a body kick, spinning off balance

and Go counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Go.
Go wants to control from the top but Machida keeps moving.
Machida wants to stand and escape but Go is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Go trying to control but Machida is working from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Philip Go.
Go has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Machida finds it's way round the side to connect with Go's head.
Go gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Machida.
Machida scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Go walks forward, straight into a front kick from Machida.
Machida 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.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Philip Go showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Machida connects with a crisp jab.
Go is looking to clinch but Machida is avoiding it.
Go has a takedown stuffed.
Machida scores with a sloppy right hand. Go should have avoided that one.
Machida feints a jab promting Go to slip. Machida then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Go slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Machida jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Go takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Machida lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Lyoto Machida is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Machida throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Go shoots and misses
enabling Machida to counter with a crisp jab.
Machida lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Machida tries a low kick but Go avoids it.
Machida bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Machida lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Machida looks to land a combination. Go sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Jab from Machida.
Machida scores with a jab. Go acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Go tries to move into range but Machida moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Go walks into a straight right hand from Machida.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Machida works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
A bone on bone clash there as Go blocks the leg kick.
Go takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Machida stalks Go and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Go's face. Go staggers backwards, shaken.
Machida jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Machida jabs Go to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Machida works over Go's head and body with a nice combination.
Machida looks to land a body kick but Go moved away.
Go takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Go has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Machida changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Go takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Go misses with a hook to the body
and Machida connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Machida changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Machida scores with a hook.
A left and a right from Machida both land. Nice combination.
Machida avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Go checks a leg kick.
A right-left combo lands from Machida.
Machida throws a one two combo.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A punch lands to the side of Go 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Machida throws a head kick that misses.
Machida scores with a nice head shot.
Machida lands with an overhand left.
Machida feints a jab promting Go to slip. Machida then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Go slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Machida throws a series of strikes that have Go backpedaling.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Machida lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Lyoto Machida has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Philip Go is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Machida bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lyoto Machida showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Go 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 Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Philip Go!