PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between I Am (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Manny Machado (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Am kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Mobb Deep - Shook Ones Part II. Manny Machado told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Am
vs
Machado

175 cm
30
165 lbs
12 - 4 - 0

175 cm
35
164 lbs
25 - 13 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Sin City Allstars

Revolution Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, I Am!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 25 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Manny Machado!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Edson Gomes and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Am uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Machado has time to react.
Machado misses with a jab, cross combination.
A little feinted left hand from Am on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Machado fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Am fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Machado looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Am uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Machado.
Am throws a front kick aimed at Machado's knee but Machado avoids it well.
I Am seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Am throws a body punch but Machado moves out of range.
A bone on bone clash there as Am blocks the leg kick.
Am looks to land a body kick but Machado moved away.
Am looks to land a left hand but Machado moved out of range nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Machado lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Machado misses with an uppercut.
Am appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Am avoids the body shot from Machado.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Am fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Machado throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Am misses with a straight right.
A combination from Machado does no damage.
Am tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Machado was well out of range. Poor timing from Am.
Am dives in and grabs Machado's left leg, looking for a takedown. Machado pushes down on Am's head and hops out.
Machado fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Am on the side of the head.
Machado takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Am misses the shot to the body.
Machado takes a swing at Am's ribcage but misses.
Machado motions for Am to come forward. Machado throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
We've been hearing reports that Am has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Machado swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Am counters with a low kick, right behind Machado 's knee.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Am misses with a leg kick

and Machado counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Machado breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Manny Machado is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Am swings for the body but Machado moves out of range.
Am throws a shot to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Machado ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Machado scores with a jab to the jaw.
Donk. Machado catches Am right on the button with a cross.
Machado throws a hook but Am blocks it.
Am throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Am uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Machado.
As Machado backs away, Am returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Am is looking to land body kicks.
A slow jab from Am misses its intended target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Am throws a leg kick that misses.
Am bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Machado's head.
Am jabs at Machado's body.
Sloppy strikes from Am. Those never looked like landing.
Machado doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Am looks to land a combination but Machado avoids it well.
Am goes for a double leg but Machado avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Machado continues to drive forward.
Am misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Machado.
Am tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Machado was well out of range. Poor timing from Am.
Nice shot lands for Machado.
Am misses with a head kick.
Machado looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Machado dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Am misses with a two punch combination.
Am connects with a single shot there.
Am blocks a jab.
Am drops down looking for a counter takedown but Machado sprawls and moves away.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A shot to the body from Am misses
and Machado counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Nice body punch from Machado.
Sloppy strikes from Machado. Those never looked like landing.
The fighters circling - Machado throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Am throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Am swings for the body but Machado moves out of range.
Am takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Am misses with a combination
and Am takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Manny Machado will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Machado lands a right hook to the body.
Am digs a good hook to Machado's body.
Machado lands an overhand right.
Machado tries to clinch but Am moves out of range.
Am misses with a combination
and Machado counters with a stiff right hand.
A shot to the body from Machado misses
and Am counters with a series of strikes. Machado will be more careful next time no doubt.
Am shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Machado as he avoids it easily.
I Am is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Am defending well as Machado loads up on a big left hand.
Am appears to be looking for a big counter.
Machado ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Am moves away.
Am scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Am connects with a body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Am lands a two punch combo.
Machado misses with a double jab.
Am swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Machado tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Am was well out of range. Poor timing from Machado.
Machado throws a body punch but Am moves out of range.
Machado throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Am tests Machado's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Am swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Am is looking to wear down Machado with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Machado lands a nice looking body shot.
Machado just misses with a punch to the body.
Am misses with a low kick as Machado jumps back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Machado fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Am looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Am misses with a straight right.
Machado misses with an uppercut. Am saw that one coming.
Machado ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Machado staying out of range there.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Am misses with an uppercut. Machado saw that one coming.
Sloppy strikes from Machado. Those never looked like landing.
Am feints and then cracks Machado's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Machado down.
Machado blocks the body kick.
Machado wants to counter with a clinch but Am pushes him away.
Machado clobbers Am with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Am swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Machado avoids the body shot from Am.
Machado is looking for the big counter here.
Am lands with a thumping leg kick.
Machado throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Am stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Am misses with a series of wild punches.
Machado displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Am throws out the jab.
Machado's coach down at Heart Cave (8 elites, 4 double-elites, 1 triple) was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Machado's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Machado tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Am was well out of range. Poor timing from Machado.
Machado throws an off balance right hand
and Am counters with an outside leg kick.
Am falls off balance throwing a combination
and Machado makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Am takes one on the chin but keeps coming.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Machado thows a leg kick but Am checks it

so Am counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Machado is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Machado looking to control.
Machado bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Am's guard.

Machado content to stall in guard here.

Am working for a triangle but Machado defends it easily.
Am keeping moving, preventing Machado from controlling successfully.
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 I Am will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Am throws a jab when Machado was well out of range.
Machado takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Machado throws a series of punches but Am moves out of range.
As Machado looks to move away, Am throws a big counter combo but Machado just gets out of the way.
Machado ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Am moves away.
Am misses with a hook.
Machado let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Machado changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Machado slips a jab from Am.
Machado misses the shot to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Machado checks a leg kick.
Machado keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Am misses the shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Am uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Machado.
Machado throws a low kick, looking for Am's leg but Am calmly moves out of range.
Am takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Machado takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Jab by Am.
Machado misses with a hook. Am ducked under it nicely.
Am displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Am swinging wildly here.
Am lands a leg kick that knocks Machado off balance momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Am swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Machado avoids a punch combination nicely.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Machado swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Am can't find room to land a body shot as Machado controls the action.

Am drags the fight down to the ground.
Am working a defensive guard but Machado manages to pass into side control anyway.
Machado laying and praying for a moment but Am takes advantage and regains half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Am is looking to improve his position.

Machado stands up from half guard.
Am misses with a takedown attempt - Machado sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Am uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Machado.
Machado misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Am.
It looked like Am was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
A low kick from Am is predictable there
and Am takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Am ducks under a wild hook from Machado.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Machado misses with a right hand
and Am counters with a straight right hand.
A looping hook to the body misses from Machado. Am does a little dance to reset his feet.
Machado throws a right and a left that both miss.
Machado throws a body shot but no joy.
Machado misses with a body shot.
I Am is winning the standup battle so far.
Machado takes a swing at Am's ribcage but misses.
Am misses with a low kick.
Am ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Am scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Machado doesn't seem bothered though.
Am misses with a right hand
and Machado counters with a left to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to I Am.
I think Am 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 29:28
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 29:28
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... I Am!
I Am is the new lightweight champion!
A loyal slave to those sponsorship dollars, I Am made sure he mentioned Sin City Allstars, along with how happy he was to win his fight.