PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Manny Machado (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dan Malurky (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Malurky has chosen I'm On a Boat as his entrance music. Malurky has a niggling injury. He would have liked to come in 100% fit but that's not always possible. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Machado
vs
Malurky

165 cm
24
142 lbs
10 - 10 - 0

175 cm
30
147 lbs
19 - 5 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Dangerous knees
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Charlie Wang's Tattered Rags & 95% Laundry

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Manny Machado!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Dan Malurky!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Machado is looking to clinch.
Malurky looks winded!
Malurky cracks Machado with an open hand slap.
Malurky misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Machado.
Malurky stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Malurky wants it to stay on the feet.
Machado tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Malurky manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Machado is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Machado tries to clinch up but Malurky circles away and keeps his distance.
Machado tries to close the distance and clinch up but Malurky swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Malurky throws out a powerful jab.
Machado wants to clinch.
Malurky takes a body punch but keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Malurky throws a right hand that Machado ducks under and follows up with a left that Machado also avoids with ease.
Malurky keeps the fight on the outside.
Machado wants to clinch up but Malurky keeps it at a distance.
Machado tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Malurky paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Machado closes the distance but Malurky moves to the side
letting Malurky counter with a right hand.
A looping hook to the body misses from Machado. Malurky does a little dance to reset his feet.
Manny Machado seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Malurky thuds a left hand into Machado's body.
A big left from Machado misses.
Malurky throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Machado tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Malurky paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Machado instigates a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Machado stalls.

Machado successfully pulls guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Machado lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Malurky!
Machado looking to control and managing it successfully.
BOOM! Machado connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Malurky holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Machado tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Malurky manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Malurky is looking to improve his position.
Machado is keen to just control but Malurky is a slippery customer.
Well, if Machado is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Machado is thwarting Malurky's attempts to control the position.
Well, if Machado is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Manny Machado has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Malurky swats away the attempt to clinch by Machado.
Machado tries to clinch there but Malurky circles away.
Malurky swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Machado wants to clinch up but Malurky keeps it at a distance.

Machado closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Malurky quickly recovers to half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Machado connects with a nice short shot to Malurky's temple.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Machado is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Machado connects with a nice short shot to Malurky's temple.
Machado seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Manny Machado 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.

Nice takedown defense from Malurky. No joy for Machado on that attempt.

Machado closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Machado is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Malurky is defending well for now.
Machado is pushing Malurky up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Machado misses with some punches.
Malurky is breathing heavily.
Machado misses with the head strike.
Machado stops a takedown attempt from Malurky.
Machado is trying to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Malurky jumps guard and drags Machado to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Malurky thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Machado trying to control but Malurky is working from the bottom.
Machado working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Machado slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

We're going to have a standup here because Manny Machado wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Machado forces Malurky back against the cage and clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Machado can't find room to land a body shot as Malurky controls the action.

Malurky pulls Machado into guard.
Machado landing with the ground and pound.
Machado connects with a couple of short punches.
Machado sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Machado working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Malurky's head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Machado throws a big right hand that misses.
Machado not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Machado working some strikes from top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Malurky escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Machado gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Machado stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Machado doesn't manage to clinch there - Malurky circles away.
Machado shoots in for a double leg but Malurky sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Jab from Machado.
Malurky fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Machado doesn't manage to clinch there - Malurky circles away.
Machado doesn't manage to clinch there - Malurky circles away.

Malurky tries to keep at a distance but Machado has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Machado's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Malurky tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Machado was well out of range. Poor timing from Malurky.
Malurky leaves Machado with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Manny Machado. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Malurky gets tackled into the cage by Machado. Machado maintains the clinch.
Machado scores a nice knee to the body.
Machado tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Malurky smiles and moves away.
Machado wants to clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Machado uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Malurky.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Manny Machado 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!

Machado doesn't manage to clinch there - Malurky circles away.
Machado tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Malurky connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Machado lands a nice looking body shot.
A big right from Malurky misses.
Machado gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Malurky makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Machado wants to clinch.
Machado tries to clinch but Malurky moves out of range.
Malurky takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Malurky takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Machado shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Malurky as he avoids it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Malurky tries to bum rush Machado with a series of wild strikes but Machado uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Machado swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Dan Malurky is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Machado dives in and scores a takedown into Malurky's guard.
Manny Machado overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Malurky is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Machado wants to control from the top but Malurky keeps moving.

Machado got a little sloppy there for a moment and Malurky has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Machado has managed to get both his arms back between Malurky's legs - danger averted.
Machado slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Machado scoring with some ground and pound.
Dan Malurky has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Machado controlling from the top position.
Machado wants to control from the top but Malurky keeps moving.
Machado with a flurry of punches that miss.
Machado throws an elbow that misses. Malurky uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Machado's guard. Nice move by Malurky!
Machado has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Machado is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Manny Machado is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

We're going to have a standup here because Manny Machado wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Machado tries to close the distance and clinch up but Malurky swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Manny Machado is winning the standup battle so far.
Machado wants to clinch
and Malurky counters with a right hand to the body.
Machado wants to clinch.
Machado tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Malurky paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Malurky looks to land a right hand but Machado moved out of range.
Malurky keeps the fight on the outside.
Machado throws a body punch but Malurky moves out of range.
Malurky avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Machado shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Malurky sprawls well. Malurky wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Machado gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Manny Machado. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Machado moves to clinch but Malurky breaks away
and Malurky counters with a nice low kick that buckles Machado's knee momentarily.
Machado tries to clinch but Malurky is having none of it.
Malurky has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
No joy there for Malurky, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Machado doesn't manage to clinch there - Malurky circles away.
Machado tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Malurky paws at him with a jab and circles away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Manny Machado showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Machado 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:27
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Manny Machado!
A very excited looking Manny Machado made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.