PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Kylian Kirkham (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Julio Sanchez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kylian Kirkham could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Julio Sanchez's chin.

Kirkham
vs
Sanchez

175 cm
21
161 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

170 cm
19
162 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Enjoys gardening

Empire Threads

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 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Kylian Kirkham!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Julio Sanchez!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, Columbo Gatti and Joseph Jones.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sanchez closes the distance and clinches.
Sanchez is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Kirkham gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Kirkham wants to break free but Sanchez has control.

Sanchez turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Sanchez manages to end up in side control.
Kirkham is looking for a sweep.

Sanchez tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Sanchez wants to control but Kirkham is keeping him busy.

Sanchez is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Kirkham is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kirkham is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Sanchez's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanchez sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Kirkham defending well though.
Kirkham is looking to improve his position.
Kirkham controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Kirkham tries to get to full guard but Sanchez has control of the leg.
Kirkham is not content to let Sanchez control the position.
Kirkham knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Sanchez on the ground.

Sanchez is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Kirkham sees it coming and defends easily.
Sanchez works his foot free and advances to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Kirkham is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Sanchez can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Kirkham is looking to escape.
Sanchez is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Kirkham is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

Sanchez is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Kirkham has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Kirkham!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sanchez has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Kirkham can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Sanchez controls Kirkham momentarily but Kirkham frees himself.

Sanchez is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Kirkham is aware though and is defending well.

Sanchez has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Kirkham can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Kirkham has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Kirkham wants to pass the guard but Sanchez is keeping the position.
Kirkham sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kirkham pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sanchez is keeping the position for now.

Sanchez escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Kirkham gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Kirkham stays in close to Sanchez's body and controls the position.

Sanchez looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Sanchez had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Kirkham defends it easily.
Sanchez looks gassed!
Kirkham stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sanchez swivels though and keeps the full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Julio Sanchez 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.

Kirkham throws a right and a left that both miss.
Sanchez blocks a low kick nicely.
Kirkham lands a glancing blow to the side of Sanchez's head.
Kirkham throws a series of punches but Sanchez avoids them all with ease.
Sanchez fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Kirkham misses with an uppercut.
Kylian Kirkham is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kirkham fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Kirkham throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Sanchez sees it coming and avoids it easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kirkham throws a hook but Sanchez avoids it easily.

Kirkham gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Sanchez trying to control but Kirkham is working from the bottom.
Kirkham bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Sanchez's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kirkham trying to control the position from guard on top but Sanchez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Sanchez is on top in guard.
Sanchez trying to control but Kirkham is working from the bottom.

Sanchez thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Sanchez throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Sanchez looking to sit in guard and control but Kirkham gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Sanchez keeping full guard, as Kirkham tries to pass.
Sanchez wants to sweep here but Kirkham controlling him for the moment.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Sanchez shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Kirkham as he jumps to the side.
Kirkham swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Sanchez takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Sanchez takes one on the button.
Kirkham misses the shot to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kirkham lands a two punch combo.
Kirkham misses with a few strikes there.
Kirkham misses with a wild combination.
Kylian Kirkham seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sanchez shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Kirkham but Kirkham pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Kylian Kirkham has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Julio Sanchez.

Sanchez gets the takedown into side control.
Kirkham tries to improve position but can't.
Kirkham wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

Sanchez is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Kirkham is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Kirkham tries to bench press Sanchez off him but Sanchez keeps the position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sanchez working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Sanchez working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Sanchez is looking to take a break and control but Kirkham is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Sanchez is trying to get an arm triangle but Kirkham is defending well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Julio Sanchez will probably get the nod - 10:9.
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!

Some wild striking there from Kirkham.
Kirkham misses with an uppercut. Sanchez saw that one coming.
Kirkham misses with a looping left.
Sanchez shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Kirkham but Kirkham pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Sanchez slips a jab and a cross from Kirkham.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sanchez avoids a punch combination nicely.
Kirkham swings for the body but Sanchez moves out of range.
Kirkham misses with an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kirkham takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Kylian Kirkham is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Kirkham looks to land a combination but Sanchez avoids it well.
Sanchez shoots in and drives through. Kirkham sprawls well.
Kirkham throws an overhand right that lands on Sanchez's shoulder, as Sanchez tries to avoid the shot.
Sanchez dodges the punch combination from Kirkham.
Sanchez ducks under a wild hook from Kirkham.

Sanchez gets a takedown into half guard.
Sanchez wants to pass to mount but Kirkham is defending the position.
Kirkham on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Kirkham tries to get out of the position.

Sanchez is working for a submission here. He's got hold of the far side arm and he's looking for a kimura. He's cranking on the arm and he's got it! Kirkham is tapping out! Ouch, that looked like it hurt!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:02 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Julio Sanchez!