PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Joe Son (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lyoto Machida (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Joe Son has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Son
vs
Machida

188 cm
25
195 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

185 cm
25
215 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Heavy handed

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 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Joe Son!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Lyoto Machida!
The judges for this bout are Chris Saunders, Ryoma Takatsuka and Roger Salmon.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Son misses with an attempted mid kick.
Machida circles away from the clinch attempt
and Machida counters with a stiff right hand.
Son thows a body shot but no joy.
Son tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Machida connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Machida doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Machida stuffs the takedown attempt from Son. Son gets slowly back to his feet.
Son misses with a body kick.
Machida circles away from the clinch attempt
and Machida counters with a straight right hand.
Son darts in trying to clinch
and Machida counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Son tries to clinch up
and Machida counters with a stiff right hand.
Joe Son seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Son tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Machida counters with a nice uppercut.
Nice takedown defense from Machida. No joy for Son on that attempt.
Son tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Machida manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Son closes the distance looking to clinch
and Machida counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Both fighters circling a little - Son finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Son tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Machida counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
A punch combination from Son misses.
Son tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Machida counters with a nice body shot.
Son fails with an attempt to clinch.
Son moves to clinch but Machida breaks away
and Son takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Son wants to clinch but Machida slips to the side
and Machida counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Machida circles away from the clinch attempt
and Machida counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Son wants to clinch but Machida slips to the side
and Machida counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Son doesn't manage to clinch there - Machida circles away.
Son looks to clinch
and Machida counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Son fails in his attempt to clinch.
Son tries to clinch up but Machida circles away and keeps his distance.
Son connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Machida's hands.
Machida circles away from the clinch attempt
and Machida counters with a nice uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Son doesn't manage to clinch there - Machida circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Son looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Son moves into the clinch.
Machida takes a knee to the side of the body.
Machida looks winded!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Son misses with an elbow strike.
Son creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Son with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Machida is trying to break the clinch but Son has him pressed against the cage.
Machida is trying to break free.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Son prevents Machida from breaking the clinch.
Son wants to take the fight to the mat but Machida manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joe Son. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Machida working hard to break the clinch.
Son blocks an uppercut.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Son 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.

Son misses with a straight left.
Son looks to clinch
and Machida counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Son throws a jab when Machida was well out of range.
Son moves to clinch but Machida breaks away
and Machida counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Son tries to clinch
and Machida counters with a nice uppercut.
Son tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Machida cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Son thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Machida if he has to take too many more of those.
Machida avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Machida is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Machida avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Son wants to clinch.
Son tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Machida paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Son is looking to clinch.
Son tries to close the distance and clinch but Machida swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Son tries to clinch but Machida moves away
enabling Machida to counter with a crisp jab.
Son tries to clinch but Machida is having none of it.
Son tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Son wants to clinch but Machida slips to the side
and Machida counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Son shoots in looking for a takedown but Machida manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Son's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Son wants to clinch but Machida slips to the side
and Machida counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Son fails with an attempt to clinch.
Son darts in trying to clinch
and Son takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Machida keeps the fight on the outside.
Son throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Machida's waist but Machida gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Son off to one side.
Machida swats away the attempt to clinch by Son.
Son darts in trying to clinch
and Machida makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Son shoots for a double leg takedown but Machida sprawls well. He's pushed Son's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joe Son. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Son tries to score a power double leg takedown but Machida sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Son somewhat.
Machida on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Son throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Son throws the left hand but Machida avoids the punch easily.
Son tries to clinch
and Machida counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Son scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Machida doesn't seem bothered though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Son darts in trying to clinch
and Machida counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Machida has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Machida there as he acknowledges the shot.
Son 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.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Machida circles away from the clinch attempt
and Machida counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Son tries to clinch but Machida moves away
and Machida connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Son tries to clinch but Machida is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Son dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Son wants to clinch
and Machida counters with a straight right hand.
Joe Son is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Son wants to clinch
and Machida counters with a left to the body.
Son tries to clinch up.
Son darts in trying to clinch
and Machida counters with a nice uppercut.
Son looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Son tries to clinch up
and Machida counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Lyoto Machida is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Son shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Son darts in trying to clinch
and Machida counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Son moves into the clinch.
Machida wants to break the clinch but can't.
Son keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Machida's efforts to push away.
Machida tries to break the clinch but Son is controlling the position.
Machida is trying to force a seperation but Son has the dominant position.
Machida is trying to break the clinch but Son has him pressed against the cage.
Machida wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Machida wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Son looking to stall.
A frustrated look appears on Machida's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Machida tries to break free but Son pushes him back against the cage.
Machida is struggling to control the position.
Son is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Machida is defending well for now.
Son tries for a takedown. No joy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joe Son. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Son jumps guard but Machida stands there with Son around his waist. Son gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Machida blocking some punches.
Machida blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Son keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Machida's efforts to push away.
Son tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Machida avoids it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Son tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Son crunches a lovely knee into Machida's ribcage.
Machida pressing his opponent against the cage.
Machida prevents a takedown attempt there.
Son tries to land a knee to the head but Machida blocks with his arms.
Joe Son has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Machida is trying to push Son away but Son has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Machida is trying to force a seperation but Son has the dominant position.
Machida is trying to break free.
Son keeps control of Machida as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Machida is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Machida wants to break the clinch but can't.
Joe Son is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Son tries to work over Machida's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Son jumps guard but Machida turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Machida tries to circle away but Son has him pinned against the cage.
Machida wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Machida working hard to break the clinch.
Machida blocks an elbow strike from Son.
Machida is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Son here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
Son throws a knee to the head but misses.
Son looking to throw knees to the head but Machida is blocking nicely.
Machida blocks the elbow strike.
Son looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Machida is looking to break free of the clinch but Son has double underhooks.
Machida is trying to break the clinch but Son is controlling him.
Lyoto Machida has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Son blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Lyoto Machida.
Well Son 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 Chris Saunders scores the fight 30:28
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 29:28
Judge Roger Salmon scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joe Son!