PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Craig Little (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Manny Machado (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Little
vs
Machado

178 cm
24
134 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

165 cm
23
142 lbs
10 - 6 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Decent elbows
Cardio machine

BJJ Brown Belt
Dangerous knees
Granite chin

Charlie Wang's Tattered Rags & 95% Laundry

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Craig Little!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Manny Machado!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Frank Antenori and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Machado tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Little swivels and escapes.
Machado lands a jab.
Machado thuds a left hand into Little's body.
Machado is trying hard to land a takedown here. Little sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Little closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Machado to the mat! Machado manages to get full guard.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Little prevents Machado from getting back to his feet.
Little has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Machado keeping moving, preventing Little from controlling successfully.
Machado working a defensive guard here.
Little slips nicely into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Little trying to control the pace.
Machado is not content to let Little control the position.
Little works his foot free and advances to mount.
Little tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Little trying to control but he's not successful this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Little prevents Machado from getting the reversal.
Machado is squirming around, avoiding Little's attempts to control the action.
Little will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Machado is looking to improve his position but Little isn't that keen on the idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Little avoids the attempt from Machado to control.

Little wants to finish this one by submission but Machado is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Little.
Little trying to control but Machado is having none of it.
Machado is wriggling around trying to escape.
Little looking to finish with strikes here!
Little raining down hammerfists from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Machado tries to hold on but Little pushes him away.
Machado squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Little really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Little takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Machado is working to get back to half guard.
Little can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Machado is looking to escape.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Little lands a heavy elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Craig Little dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Machado lands an overhand right.
Machado throws a left and a right that both miss

and Little counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Machado misses with a punch to the body.

Little gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Little content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Craig Little overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Machado is looking for a sweep. Little is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Machado is trying to control but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Machado blocking the ground and pound attempt from Little.
Machado is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Little's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Little's back!
Machado throwing wild punches that miss their target.
Little covers up after that shot from Machado.
Machado throwing damaging strikes from the back! Little could be in trouble here!
Little tries to break free.
Machado struggling to keep hold of the position.
Little wants to escape the position but for the time being he's just trying to control the pace.
Little tries to escape the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Machado trying to control.
Machado struggling to land strikes to the head as Little covers up.
Little tries to roll but Machado sticks to his back.
Machado doesn't have the hooks in and Little manages to turn into his guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Machado controls Little momentarily but Little frees himself.
Little slips nicely into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Machado is looking to control Little's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Machado avoid being mounted?
Little looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Little is looking to stall here but Machado recovers full guard.
Little keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Machado's head.
Little throws an elbow that misses. Machado uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Little's guard. Nice move by Machado!
Little looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Machado puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Machado is trying to control. Little wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Machado stalling away here and it's allowed Little to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Little has control of Machado's left arm, preventing Machado from doing any damage.

Little working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Machado doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Machado manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Little managing to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Craig Little will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Machado fails with the takedown.
Machado tries to close the distance and clinch up but Little swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Machado wants to clinch but Little slips to the side

and Little counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Machado actively working from the bottom here.
Little content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Machado tries to get to full guard but Little has control of the leg.
Little is trying to control the action in half guard but Machado is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Craig Little wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Machado shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Machado showed some decent athleticism there.
Machado lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Machado throws a strike but Little avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Little controlling Machado's posture.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Machado's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Machado with a flurry of punches that miss.
Machado throws a strike but Little rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Machado trying to keep a closed guard but Little is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Machado had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Little defends it easily.

Machado throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Little escapes and throws Machado's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Machado tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Little wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Manny Machado has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Machado sneaks back into half guard.

Machado has one foot on Little's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Little throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Machado's waist but Machado gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Little off to one side.
Little avoids a punch combination nicely.
Machado swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Machado feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Littles jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!

Little closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Machado prevents the takedown attempt.
Little avoiding damage as Machado throws knees to the body.
A frustrated look appears on Machado's face as he tries to break the clinch.
A short uppercut from Machado.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Machado is pressed up against the cage. Little has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Machado down to the mat. Machado avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Craig Little. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Little pushes Machado up against the cage in a clinch.
Craig Little is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Machado tries a body shot but Little blocks it.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Manny Machado.
I think Little has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Craig Little!
A victorious Craig Little thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.