PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between John Lineker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ippo Makunouchi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ippo Makunouchi is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Lineker
vs
Makunouchi

177 cm
21
166 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

170 cm
29
160 lbs
12 - 12 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
World class MT
Insanely flexible

Powerful takedowns
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

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 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, John Lineker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 12 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ippo Makunouchi!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Emerson Jorge and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lineker throws a low kick but Makunouchi moves out of range easily.
Lineker throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Makunouchi's head.
Lineker throws a nice head kick!
Decent striking displayed by Makunouchi there.
Lineker throws a low kick but it's checked well by Makunouchi.
Ippo Makunouchi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lineker fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Makunouchi has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Some wild striking there from Makunouchi.
Lineker tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A head kick from Lineker lands but Makunouchi takes it in his stride.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Makunouchi moves out of range of the leg kick from Lineker.
Makunouchi missing with a left hand there. Lineker was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Lineker blocks a jab.
Good leg kick by Lineker there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lineker avoids the body shot from Makunouchi.
Lineker tried to score with a low kick but Makunouchi checks it.
Makunouchi throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
A swing and a miss from Makunouchi.
Lineker lands with a slapping head kick.
Makunouchi digs a good body shot into Lineker's ribs.
Lineker throws out a leg kick but Makunouchi moves out of range and Lineker only half commits.
Lineker fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Makunouchi.
Makunouchi thows a body shot but no joy.
Some wild striking there from Makunouchi.
Lineker throws a low kick but Makunouchi moves out of range easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lineker dodges the punch combination from Makunouchi.
Makunouchi throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Lineker counters with a head kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Makunouchi fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Lineker attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Makunouchi misses with a double jab.
Makunouchi stuns Lineker with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Lineker misses with a head kick.
Lineker throws the kick towards the body but Makunouchi avoids it.
Makunouchi misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Lineker.
Lineker tries to land a leg kick but Makunouchi saw it coming and moves away.
Sloppy strikes from Makunouchi. Those never looked like landing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice defenses there by Lineker.
Lineker swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Makunouchi is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Lineker rather than just go for the knockout.
Lineker on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Lineker with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Makunouchi throws a body punch but Lineker moves out of range.
Makunouchi loads up on a big right hand but Lineker slips the punch.
Makunouchi lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Lineker circles away quickly and effectively.
Makunouchi throws a jab but it's blocked by Lineker.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Lineker, right into the meat.
A head kick misses from Lineker.
Makunouchi throws a jab but it's blocked by Lineker.
Makunouchi swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes from Makunouchi. Those never looked like landing.
Lineker pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Nice body kick from Lineker.
Makunouchi fails to land with a series of punches.
Makunouchi looks winded!
Lineker scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Lineker buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Lineker pushes Makunouchi away with a front kick.
Makunouchi takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Lineker connects with a solid leg kick.
Lineker cracks the inside of Makunouchi's front leg.
Lineker lands with a thumping leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Makunouchi tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Lineker was well out of range. Poor timing from Makunouchi.
Makunouchi lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Lineker pivots, looking for a leg kick but Makunouchi is out of range and Lineker settles back down.
Lineker lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Lineker uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Makunouchi.
Lineker will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Makunouchi misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Lineker.
Lineker throws a low kick but Makunouchi moves out of range easily.
Lineker is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Lineker throws a head kick that misses.
Makunouchi misses with a body shot.
Lineker ducks under a wild hook from Makunouchi.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lineker throws a push kick but Makunouchi slaps the foot to one side.
Lineker avoids a punch combination nicely.
Makunouchi throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Lineker sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Lineker throws a head kick that misses.
Lineker tries to work over Makunouchi's front leg with a kick but Makunouchi checks it.
Makunouchi swinging wildly here.
Lineker keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Makunouchi misses the shot to the body.
Lineker takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Lineker scores with a leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Makunouchi punishes Lineker's body with a nice straight punch.
Makunouchi steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Lineker. That one must have hurt.
Makunouchi is breathing heavily.
Makunouchi pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Makunouchi closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Lineker throws a low kick, looking for Makunouchi's leg but Makunouchi calmly moves out of range.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Lineker throws a leg kick that misses.
Lineker misses with a head kick.
Lineker throws a nice inside leg kick.
Lineker throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Makunouchi throws a big shot that misses.
Lineker connects with a leg kick. Makunouchi looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lineker throws a head kick that misses.
Lineker lands a head kick!
Lineker's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Makunouchi connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Lineker scrambles back to his feet.
Lineker connects with a high kick.
Lineker avoids a punch combination nicely.
Makunouchi looks to throw the jab but Lineker is out of range.
Makunouchi misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Lineker.
Lineker throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Makunouchi's head.
Lineker throws a push kick but Makunouchi slaps the foot to one side.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lineker slips a jab and a cross from Makunouchi.
Lineker uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Makunouchi.
Lineker will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Ippo Makunouchi is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Makunouchi looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Lineker keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Makunouchi.
Makunouchi avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Makunouchi cracks a nice hook into Lineker's ribs.
Makunouchi getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sloppy strikes from Makunouchi. Those never looked like landing.
Makunouchi swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Makunouchi missing with a left hand there. Lineker was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Lineker dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Makunouchi!
Makunouchi tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Lineker throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Lineker avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
A jab from Makunouchi does it's job there.
Makunouchi throws a jab when Lineker was well out of range.
Lineker connects with an inside leg kick.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Lineker pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Makunouchi looks to land a combination but Lineker avoids it well.
Makunouchi's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Makunouchi takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Lineker scores with a leg kick.
Lineker slips a jab and a cross from Makunouchi.
Lineker scores with a leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lineker looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Lineker dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Makunouchi. That did some damage!
Lineker throws a head kick that misses.
Lineker cracks the inside of Makunouchi's front leg.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Lineker, right into the meat.
A solid body kick from Lineker.
Makunouchi on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Lineker connects with a high kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Lineker fakes the leg kick and cracks Makunouchi in the body.
Lineker throws a push kick but Makunouchi slaps the foot to one side.
Makunouchi throws a lazy uppercut
and Lineker counters with an inside leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Makunouchi blocks a head kick by Lineker.
Makunouchi chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Lineker can pounce on him.
Good leg kick by Lineker there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Makunouchi steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Lineker. That one must have hurt.
Lineker scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Lineker lands a nice leg kick that just misses Makunouchi's sensitive parts.
Lineker keeps Makunouchi at a distance using the push kick.
Nice body kick there by Lineker.
Makunouchi takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Lineker is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Makunouchi can do to turn this around?
Lineker fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Makunouchi.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Makunouchi sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Lineker moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Lineker chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Lineker throws a leg kick which misses Makunouchi's front leg but catches the back leg as Makunouchi tries to avoid it.
Lineker fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Makunouchi takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Lineker connects with an inside leg kick.
Lineker throws a nice outside leg kick.
Makunouchi throws a left and a right that both miss
and Lineker counters with a nice low kick that buckles Makunouchi's knee momentarily.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Makunouchi takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lineker throws a front kick that sends Makunouchi stumbling back into the cage.
John Lineker is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
A chopping leg kick lands by Lineker.
Lineker lands with a kick to the ribs.
A head kick misses from Lineker.
A combination from Makunouchi does no damage.
Makunouchi missing with a left hand there. Lineker was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Makunouchi throws out a loose jab but Lineker uses good head movement to avoid it.
Makunouchi swings and misses with a hook to the body.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
A swing and a miss from Makunouchi.
Makunouchi blocks a head kick by Lineker.
Ippo Makunouchi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Lineker fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Makunouchi.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Lineker showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Lineker has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 30:27
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 30:27
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Lineker!
An out of breath John Lineker thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.