PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Hector Sanches (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ainakea Onakea (ranked 0 p4p, 0 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.

Sanches
vs
Onakea

175 cm
23
140 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

170 cm
19
144 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Hector Sanches!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Ainakea Onakea!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Onakea dodges the punch combination from Sanches.
Onakea throws a hook but Sanches avoids it easily.
Onakea wants to clinch up but Sanches keeps it at a distance.
Onakea shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Sanches sprawls well. Sanches wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Onakea gets slowly back to his feet.
Onakea stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Onakea wants it to stay on the feet.
Ainakea Onakea seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A jab from Onakea does it's job there.
Sanches keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Sanches throws a head kick that misses.
Onakea connects with a body shot.
Onakea needs to keep his hands up - Sanches had a free shot at his head there.
Sanches misses with a jab to the body

and Onakea counters by clinching up.
Onakea stops a takedown attempt from Sanches.
Sanches dodges an elbow strike from Onakea.

Sanches manages to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanches lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Sanches misses with a low kick as Onakea jumps back.
Nice body punch from Sanches.
Sanches misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hector Sanches. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sanches throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Onakea.

Sanches closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Onakea did well to prevent Sanches getting side control.
Onakea is trying to maintain the position but Sanches is very close to passing his half guard.
Sanches prevents Onakea from standing back up.

Onakea pushes Sanches off and gets back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanches shoots for a double leg takedown but Onakea sprawls well. He's pushed Sanches's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Sanches throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Sanches misses with a few strikes there.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Onakea is defended easily by Sanches.
Onakea jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Onakea swinging wilding here.
Onakea tries to clinch up but Sanches circles away and keeps his distance.
Nice takedown defense from Onakea. No joy for Sanches on that attempt.
Sanches misses with a wild body shot.

Onakea takes the fight into the clinch.
Onakea controlling the action here for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sanches pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Onakea connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
A punch lands to the side of Sanches 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Onakea fails with an attempt to clinch.
Onakea doesn't manage to clinch there - Sanches circles away.
Onakea jabs at Sanches's body.
Onakea is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Onakea misses with a series of wild punches.
Sanches tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Onakea swivels and escapes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Onakea stuffs the takedown.
A punch combination from Onakea misses.
Onakea stuffs the takedown attempt from Sanches. Sanches gets slowly back to his feet.
Sanches is breathing heavily.
Onakea is looking to clinch.
No luck for Sanches with that takedown attempt.
Onakea is looking to clinch.
Sanches misses with an uppercut. Onakea saw that one coming.
Nice straight punches there by Onakea. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Onakea.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Onakea fails with the takedown.
Onakea avoids the head kick by Sanches.
Onakea takes a swing at Sanches's ribcage but misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ainakea Onakea 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.

Onakea tries to clinch there but Sanches circles away.
Sanches closes this distance looking for a takedown but Onakea circles away.
Onakea moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Sanches fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Sanches swats away the attempt to clinch by Onakea.
Onakea tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sanches swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Sanches drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Onakea wants to sweep here but Sanches controlling him for the moment.
Onakea is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Onakea is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Onakea looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sanches is one step ahead there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Onakea wants to stand but Sanches is controlling the position.

Sanches drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Sanches jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Onakea is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Sanches wants to pass the guard but Onakea is keeping the position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Sanches throws a head kick but Onakea moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Onakea misses with a looping right.
Sanches misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Onakea has closed the distance and engaged Sanches in a clinch.

Sanches has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Onakea regains guard immediately.
Onakea is trying to control the position but Sanches postures up.
Onakea is trying to hold Sanches in close to prevent damage but Sanches has managed to pass into half guard.
Onakea pushes Sanches off looking to stand but Sanches dives back in and keeps control.

Sanches stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Onakea to get to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Onakea tries to clinch but Sanches moves out of range.
Onakea lands with a nice combination. Sanches backs away looking to recover.

It looks like Hector Sanches has been cut.
Sanches looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Sanches throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Onakea.
Ainakea Onakea seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Onakea with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Hector Sanches is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Onakea tries to clinch up but Sanches circles away and keeps his distance.
A head kick by Sanches misses
and Onakea counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Onakea slips a jab and a cross from Sanches.
Onakea gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Sanches counters with a shoot takedown. Onakea fights it but they end up in guard.
Onakea is looking to stand up but Sanches isn't so interested in that idea.
Onakea really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Sanches. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Onakea manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Onakea looking to control and managing it successfully.
Onakea trying to control but he's not successful this time.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Onakea tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
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 Hector Sanches will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Hector Sanches's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Onakea fails in his attempt to clinch.
Onakea cracks Sanches with a right hand to the side of the head.
Onakea doesn't manage to clinch there - Sanches circles away.

Sanches drives through with a takedown into guard.
Sanches wants to control from the top but Onakea keeps moving.
Onakea has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Sanches tries to stand but Onakea is controlling from the bottom.
Onakea looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sanches is one step ahead there.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Onakea pushes Sanches off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Onakea lands a jab to the nose.
Onakea fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Sanches manages to avoid it.
Onakea throws out a powerful jab.
Onakea doesn't succeed with the takedown

so Sanches counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Onakea takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sanches 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.
Sanches stopping the sweep attempt from Onakea.
Onakea wants to stand and escape but Sanches is having none of it.
Onakea tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Onakea keeping moving, preventing Sanches from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanches wants to stand but Onakea is controlling his posture from full guard.
Sanches being controlled here momentarily.

Sanches is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Onakea is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Onakea has escaped and now he's on top!
Sanches tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Onakea won't allow Sanches to get back to his feet.
Onakea 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.
Sanches looking for a sweep. Not yet Sanches, not yet.
Onakea must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Onakea wants to stand but Sanches has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Onakea gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Onakea tries to close the distance and clinch but Sanches swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Onakea is looking to clinch but Sanches is avoiding it.

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 Hector Sanches.
I think Sanches 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Hector Sanches!