PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ruth Ginsberg (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rickson Machida (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rickson Machida will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Ginsberg
vs
Machida

177 cm
18
155 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

185 cm
18
164 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ruth Ginsberg!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rickson Machida!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Matheus Silva and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ginsberg fails to land with a series of punches.
Ginsberg blocks a head kick by Machida.
Machida slips a jab and a cross from Ginsberg.
Machida misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Ginsberg shoots in and bounces Machida off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Machida looking for a sweep. Not yet Machida, not yet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Ginsberg gets to his feet - Machida follows without any prompting.
Ginsberg swats away the attempt to clinch by Machida.
Machida blocks a head kick by Ginsberg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ginsberg keeps the fight on the outside.
Machida wants to clinch.
Machida misses with a double jab
and Ginsberg counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Rickson Machida seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ginsberg lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Machida backs up against the cage.
Machida showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Ginsberg.
Ginsberg throws a shot from downtown. Machida moves away and avoids it.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Ginsberg, right into the meat.

Ginsberg moves into the clinch.
Come on Ginsberg - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Knees in the clinch landing for Machida.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Machida is trying to break the clinch but Ginsberg has him pressed against the cage.
Machida is trying to break free.
Machida tries to stall but Ginsberg uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Ginsberg scores with a shot to the side of Machida's head.
Ginsberg keeps control of Machida as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Machida is looking to control Ginsberg's arms but Ginsberg gets an underhook and turns him. Now Machida has his back to the cage.
Ginsberg lands a body punch.
Ginsberg leaning his opponent against the cage.
Ginsberg gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.
Ginsberg prevents Machida from breaking the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ginsberg can't get the takedown.
Machida tries to score a body lock takedown but Ginsberg shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Ginsberg keeps control of Machida as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Machida wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Ginsberg has him pressed against the cage.
Machida has had enough of the clinch but Ginsberg keeps him there for the moment.
Machida wants to break the clinch but can't.

Ginsberg manages to break the clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Ginsberg looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Ginsberg throws a hook to the side of Machida's head but Machida sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

Ginsberg scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Ginsberg working the ground and pound but Machida is defending the strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Machida is trying to improve his position.
Ginsberg controls the position.
Machida is trying to buck Ginsberg off.
Machida looks gassed!
Ginsberg taking a breather here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ruth Ginsberg dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Ginsberg throws a low kick but it's checked well by Machida.

Ginsberg closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Machida to the mat! Machida manages to get full guard.
Ginsberg tries to stand but Machida is controlling from the bottom.
Ginsberg has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Ginsberg 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.
Ginsberg trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Machida manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Machida tries to control but Ginsberg wriggling away.
Machida is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Ginsberg is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Ginsberg tries to reverse the position but Machida maintains control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Ginsberg is working hard here to advance position.
Ginsberg tries to lock up and control but Machida gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ginsberg trying desperately to get to his feet.
Machida looking to control but Ginsberg is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Ginsberg is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Machida sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Ginsberg squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Ginsberg is trying desperately to improve position.

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.
Machida tries to control but Ginsberg wriggling away.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ginsberg is in all sorts of trouble here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ruth Ginsberg dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Machida fails to land with a series of punches.
Machida misses with a leg kick

and Ginsberg counters with a nice double leg into side control. Machida won't be happy with that.
Machida wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Machida being controlled for a moment.

Ginsberg decides to stand back up. Ginsberg steps back and let's Machida get back to his feet.
Ruth Ginsberg is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ginsberg throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Machida makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Machida misses with a double jab

and Ginsberg counters with a takedown into side control.

Ginsberg has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

Ginsberg decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Ginsberg controlling the action here.
Machida is trying to stand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ginsberg wants to take a breather but Machida is having none of it.
Ginsberg is controlling the pace.
Ruth Ginsberg overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Machida kicks Ginsberg off and gets back to his feet.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Machida!

Machida gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ginsberg gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Ginsberg misses with a double jab
and Machida counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Ginsberg thinking.
Ginsberg connects with a solid leg kick.
Machida darts in trying to clinch

and Ginsberg counters by moving into the clinch.
Ginsberg goes for a takedown in the clinch but Machida prevents it.
Machida wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Machida is looking to break free of the clinch but Ginsberg has double underhooks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Machida wants to get back to striking at distance but Ginsberg won't allow it.
Ginsberg is stalling here.
Machida wants to break the clinch but can't.
Rickson Machida has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Machida tries to score a body lock takedown but Ginsberg shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Machida tries for a takedown but Ginsberg manages to get underhooks.

Ginsberg breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Ginsberg closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Ginsberg will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Machida up against the cage.
Machida is trying to break free.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Machida misses with a knee strike.
Ginsberg blocks an elbow strike from Machida.

Machida escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A nice inside leg kick there by Ginsberg. That's going to slow Machida down.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ruth Ginsberg showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Ginsberg 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 Matheus Silva scores the fight 30:27
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ruth Ginsberg!