PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Cowboy Sanchez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rob Salek (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Sanchez might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Naughty By Nature - O.P.P.. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Sanchez
vs
Salek

170 cm
22
140 lbs
5 - 10 - 0

160 cm
23
137 lbs
8 - 20 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

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 5 - 10 - 0, fighting out of London, Cowboy Sanchez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 20 - 0, fighting out of London, Rob Salek!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Sam Margolis and Chris Edwards.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sanchez scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Sanchez wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Salek, who protects the arm well.

Sanchez swings around for an armbar but Salek sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Sanchez's guard.
Sanchez looking to hit a scissor sweep but Salek is one step ahead there.
Sanchez managing to control the position.
Sanchez doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Sanchez has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Sanchez bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Salek's guard.
Salek is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Sanchez wants to stand but Salek is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salek is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Sanchez trying to control but Salek is working from the bottom.
Sanchez wanted to stand there but Salek had control of the position.
Sanchez is breathing heavily.
Salek keeping moving, preventing Sanchez from controlling successfully.

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.

Salek uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Sanchez looks for a takedown but Salek sprawls well.

Salek moves into the clinch successfully.

Salek manages to break the clinch.

Salek has taken the fight to the clinch.
Sanchez looking for a takedown.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Salek.
Sanchez takes an elbow to the temple.

Salek has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Sanchez clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Sanchez is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Salek.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez trying to control the hands but Salek won't let him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Sanchez is keeping busy.
Sanchez controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.
Sanchez tries to escape but Salek has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Sanchez trying to control the hands but Salek breaks the grip.
Salek controlling from the back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Salek throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.

Salek clinches up with Sanchez and pushes him back against the cage.

Salek breaks the clinch.
Salek throws a quick inside leg kick.
Sanchez looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Sanchez looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Salek is fending him off so far but Sanchez persists. Nope, Salek circles away and we're back to standing.

Salek has closed the distance and engaged Sanchez in a clinch.
Sanchez has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Salek is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cowboy Sanchez. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Salek escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Salek decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Sanchez wants to stand back up but Salek manages to pass into side control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Salek prevents Sanchez from escaping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Salek stands up and beckons Sanchez to his feet.

Sanchez forces Salek back against the cage and clinches.
Salek has Sanchez pressed against the cage, preventing Sanchez from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Sanchez missing with knees to the body.

Salek has picked Sanchez up - he's going for a ride! Salek dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Sanchez is looking to control Salek's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Sanchez avoid being mounted?

Sanchez looking for submissions off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez gets back to full guard.
Sanchez wants to stand up but Salek is controlling him.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Sanchez is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Salek defends well.
Sanchez not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Salek has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Sanchez is proving hard to escape from.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sanchez working for a triangle but Salek defends it easily.
Salek is looking to stand up but Sanchez won't let him.
Sanchez is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Sanchez wants to sweep here but Salek controlling him for the moment.
Salek must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Salek prevents Sanchez from getting back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Sanchez working a defensive guard here.

Sanchez working for a triangle but Salek defends it easily.
Sanchez looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Salek puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Sanchez gets full guard.
Sanchez is trying to keep Salek in close.
Salek preventing the sweep.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rob Salek showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Sanchez avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Sanchez doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Salek counters with a leg kick.

Salek drives through with a takedown into guard.
Sanchez bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Salek's guard.

Sanchez is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Salek is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Salek has escaped and now he's on top!

Salek gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Salek thumps Sanchez with a low kick.
Sanchez fails with the takedown

and Salek counters by moving into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sanchez pulls Salek into guard.

Sanchez is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Sanchez wants to sweep but no luck.
Salek wants to stand but Sanchez is controlling his posture from full guard.

Salek stands up and waves to Sanchez to follow him.
Sanchez circles away from the clinch attempt.
Sanchez tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Salek counters by moving into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez working hard to break the clinch.
Sanchez is trying to break free.
Sanchez fails to pull the fight into his guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cowboy Sanchez. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Sanchez manages to break the clinch.
Sanchez gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Salek counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Salek.

Salek pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Salek looks to land a combination but Sanchez avoids it well.
Sanchez tries to clinch up

and Salek counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sanchez manages to get to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

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

Salek decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Sanchez, up you get!
Cowboy Sanchez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Sanchez misses with a takedown attempt
and Salek makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Salek misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Salek connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Sanchez scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Sanchez swinging wildly here.
Sanchez tries to clinch

and Salek counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez tries to score a body lock takedown but Salek shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Salek breaks the clinch.
Sanchez clinches but Salek breaks the clinch

and Salek counters by clinching up.
Sanchez tries to pull guard but Salek won't allow it.
Sanchez fails to pull guard.
Sanchez tries to pull guard but Salek won't allow it.
Salek prevents Sanchez from breaking the clinch.
Salek throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Sanchez blocks it with crossed arms.
Sanchez jumps guard but Salek stands there with Sanchez around his waist. Sanchez gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Sanchez wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Sanchez fails to pull guard.
Come on Salek - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sanchez misses with a hook to the ribs.
Rob Salek is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Sanchez tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Salek avoids it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rob Salek comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Salek has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 James Atkins scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rob Salek!