PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mikko Alatalo (ranked 1358 p4p, 157 weight class) and John Machado (ranked 2179 p4p, 263 weight class). 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.

Alatalo
vs
Machado

202 cm
22
260 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

177 cm
35
265 lbs
15 - 7 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Excellent grappler
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

Red Light Coffeeshop
KOMBAT KLOTHING

Arcticus University: London

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Mikko Alatalo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 7 - 0, fighting out of London, John Machado!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Kenichi Hosakawa and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice cross by Machado.
Machado shoots in but Alatalo avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Machado works Alatalo's body with a nice hook.
Alatalo lands a nice hook to Machado's body. Machado takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
John Machado seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Machado closes the distance looking to clinch
and Alatalo counters with a lovely straight right hand!

It looks like John Machado has been cut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Machado is defended easily by Alatalo.
Alatalo moves forwards but Machado connects with a nice, crisp jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alatalo takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.

It looks like Mikko Alatalo has been cut.
Alatalo defending well as Machado loads up on a big left hand.
Alatalo misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Machado.
Machado misses with a body shot.
Machado shoots in but Alatalo avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Alatalo appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Mikko Alatalo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Machado.
Machado with a poor takedown
and Alatalo counters with a straight right hand.
Machado shoots in for a takedown but Alatalo shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Good leg kick by Alatalo there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Machado fails with a takedown attempt.
Alatalo keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Alatalo appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.

Machado dives in and scores a takedown into Alatalo's guard.
Alatalo will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Alatalo looking for a sweep. Not yet Alatalo, not yet.

Machado drops back looking for a leg! Alatalo is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Alatalo manages to kick Machado off! Machado jumps back into Alatalo's guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Machado is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alatalo keeping moving, preventing Machado from controlling successfully.
Alatalo trying to control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Machado thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Machado drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Machado jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Machado trying to control the position from guard on top but Alatalo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Machado preventing the sweep.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Machado passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Alatalo knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Machado on the ground.
Machado content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Machado tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Machado has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Machado tries to move to mount but Alatalo blocks the move with his legs.
Alatalo tries to get back to half guard but can't.
You can see the frustration on Alatalo's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Machado tries to move to mount but Alatalo blocks the move with his legs.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Alatalo is looking to regain half guard here but Machado keeps moving and retains side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but John Machado will probably get the nod.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Machado shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Alatalo as he jumps to the side.
Machado doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Alatalo counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Machado thinking.
Alatalo blocks a jab.
Machado feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Alatalos jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!

Machado shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Machado looking to pass the guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Alatalo tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Machado slips nicely into half guard.
Alatalo is trying to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Machado wants to work for an arm triangle but Alatalo is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Alatalo gets full guard.
Machado trying to control but Alatalo is working from the bottom.
Alatalo tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Alatalo working a defensive guard here.
John Machado has got the better of the ground game so far.
Machado engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Machado stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Alatalo swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Alatalo throws his legs up looking for a submission but Machado uses it to pass to side control.
Alatalo is not content to let Machado control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alatalo tries to bench press Machado off him but Machado keeps the position.
Alatalo prevents Machado from improving position.

Machado tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Alatalo tries to bench press Machado off him but Machado keeps the position.
Alatalo sneaks back into half guard.
Alatalo is trying to get back to full guard.
Alatalo is not content to let Machado control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Machado is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Machado is trying to control. Alatalo wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Machado is thwarting Alatalo's attempts to control the position.
Machado has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Machado trying to mount his opponent but Alatalo defends it.

Machado is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Alatalo is trying to get back to full guard.

Machado is working for a submission of some sort.
Alatalo missing with punches from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Alatalo trying to control from the bottom.

Machado is looking for a kimura here.
Machado tries to pass the half guard into mount. Alatalo knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Machado is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Alatalo defends it well.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Alatalo is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Machado is trying to work for a kimura but Alatalo is defending well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Machado showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Machado looks for a takedown but Alatalo sprawls well.
Alatalo seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Alatalo displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Machado.

Machado drives through with a takedown into Alatalo's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Machado trying to control but Alatalo is working from the bottom.
Machado won't allow Alatalo to sweep him here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Machado trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Machado won't allow Alatalo to sweep him here.

Machado drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Machado jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Alatalo has Machado pulled in close to control his posture.
Machado trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Machado preventing the sweep.

Alatalo scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Machado looks to score with a jab to the body but Alatalo is just out of range.
Good leg kick by Alatalo there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
We've been informed that Machado has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Machado fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Mikko Alatalo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mikko Alatalo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Machado.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Machado clinches.
Machado blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Alatalo has had enough of the clinch but Machado keeps him there for the moment.

Alatalo manages to break the clinch.

Alatalo gets caught napping as Machado dives in and scores a takedown. Alatalo manages to retain guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Machado wants to control from the top but Alatalo keeps moving.

Alatalo is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Machado slips nicely into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alatalo is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Machado moves nicely into side control.

Machado is trying to get an arm triangle but Alatalo is defending well.
Alatalo gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
John Machado is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Machado sitting and controlling from the half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Alatalo actively working from the bottom here.
Alatalo tries to roll over but Machado keeps him under control.
Alatalo trying to control but Machado postures up.
Alatalo wants to get back to full guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to John Machado.
I've got Machado winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Sosuke Kotani scores the fight for John Machado!
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight for John Machado!
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight for John Machado!

John Machado wins by unanimous decision!
A pretty intense looking John Machado took the opportunity post-fight to ask for a shot at the title.