PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Gabriel Luque (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Damien Sanders (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Luque
vs
Sanders

168 cm
18
141 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

172 cm
19
143 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Determined

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 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Gabriel Luque!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Damien Sanders!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Aleksandr Martynov and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sanders misses with a head kick.
Sanders is looking to clinch.

Sanders gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Luque to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Luque showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Sanders looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Sanders scrambles and gets back to his feet.

Sanders closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Luque to the mat! Luque manages to get full guard.
Luque wants to stand up but Sanders is controlling him.
Sanders wants to stand but Luque has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Luque is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Sanders is aware though and is defending well.
Sanders trying to control but Luque is working from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Sanders closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Luque is trying to get back to his feet.

Sanders stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Sanders looks gassed!
Sanders misses with a takedown attempt

and Luque counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Sanders!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Luque controlling from mount.
Luque knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Sanders on the ground.

Luque is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!

Luque drives through with a takedown into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanders can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Luque controls the pace.
Sanders throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Sanders controls Luque momentarily but Luque frees himself.
Luque tries to free his leg and advance position but Sanders is retaining full guard.
Luque controlling from the top position.

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.

Luque stands and steps away. Sanders gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Luque bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Sanders manages to get back to half guard.
Sanders moves into full guard.
Sanders lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Luque!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Luque keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gabriel Luque dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Sanders closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Luque actively working from the bottom here.

Luque actively working from the bottom here.
Sanders lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Sanders in particular looking to stall.
Luque is trying to stand back up but Sanders is controlling him
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanders is trying to control the action in half guard but Luque is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Luque is looking for a sweep. Sanders is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Sanders shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Luque is trying to defend but Sanders finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Luque looks like he's trying to stand up.
Sanders is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Luque makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Luque.
Sanders passes Luque's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanders trying to control the action but Luque is working from the bottom.
Sanders stops Luque from getting back to his feet.
Luque wants to improve his position but Sanders is controlling well.
Sanders is taking a breather. Luque says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Luque gets back to full guard.

Sanders decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Sanders looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Luque!
Luque looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Luque manages to reverse the position and now he's in Sanders's guard. Nice work there by Luque.
Luque trying to control but Sanders is working from the bottom.
Sanders keeping full guard, as Luque tries to pass.
Sanders has a closed guard, preventing Luque from standing up.
Sanders is looking to stand up but Luque isn't so interested in that idea.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Luque has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Sanders is proving hard to escape from.
Sanders is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Sanders tries to land a sweep but no joy.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Sanders with a lazy takedown attempt

and Luque counters with a shoot takedown. Sanders fights it but they end up in guard.
Luque looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Gabriel Luque overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Sanders is trying to keep Luque in close.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Damien Sanders showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Sanders keeps the fight on the outside.

Luque feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Sanders is pulling down on Luque's head to control his posture.
Luque sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Luque trying to control but Sanders is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sanders manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Luque fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Sanders, pushing him back against the cage.
Sanders looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Luque manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Sanders wants to control from the top but Luque keeps moving.

Luque working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Sanders doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Sanders manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Sanders passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Sanders decides to stand back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanders shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Luque counters with a single leg into guard. Sanders didn't expect that.
Sanders not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Luque stands and steps away. Sanders gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Gabriel Luque is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Luque shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sanders is trying to get back to full guard.
Sanders trying to control but Luque postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Luque keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Sanders wants to control but Luque is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Luque prevents Sanders from improving his position.
Still in half guard, Luque seems content to control.
Sanders tries to roll over but Luque keeps him under control.

Sanders is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Luque pulls his head out easily.

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.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Sanders changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Luque looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

Sanders is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Luque is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Luque is pushing Sanders's head away, looking to escape. Sanders manages to hold on to the position though.
Luque is looking to regain half guard here but Sanders keeps moving and retains side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sanders content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Luque tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.
Luque can't escape the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gabriel Luque showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Luque 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 Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 29:28
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gabriel Luque!