PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Leo Messi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Diego Sanchez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Messi
vs
Sanchez

168 cm
20
147 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

188 cm
20
144 lbs
6 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Global MMA Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the bantamweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Leo Messi!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Diego Sanchez!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Arvi Lind and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Messi fails to land the takedown.
Messi fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Sanchez checks it well.
Messi pivots, looking for a leg kick but Sanchez is out of range and Messi settles back down.
Messi misses with a wild body shot.
Messi throws a head kick that misses
and Sanchez counters with a right hand to the body.
Messi looks for a takedown but Sanchez sprawls well.
Messi shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Sanchez defends it nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Leo Messi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Messi lands with a straight right. Sanchez didn't see that one coming.
Sanchez misses with a body shot.
Messi moves out of range of the strikes.
Messi swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Messi closes this distance looking for a takedown but Sanchez circles away.
Sanchez keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A decent looking cross lands there for Sanchez.
Sanchez lands a jab to Messi's midsection.
Sanchez lands a head kick!
Messi fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Sanchez manages to avoid it.

Messi gets a double leg takedown into Sanchez's guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Sanchez trying to control the position.

Messi drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Messi jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Sanchez really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Messi. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Sanchez working a defensive guard here.
Sanchez looking for a sweep. Not yet Sanchez, not yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Messi trying to control the position from guard on top but Sanchez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Messi pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sanchez is keeping the position for now.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sanchez trying to control the position here.
Messi throwing strikes but missing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez is trying to control the position but Messi postures up.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Diego Sanchez was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Sanchez throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Messi closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Sanchez is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Messi misses with a body shot.
Sanchez throws a looping overhand right but Messi ducks down to avoid it.
Messi throws a chopping leg kick but Sanchez manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Nice cross by Sanchez.
Sanchez works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Sanchez with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Messi to score with a decent uppercut.
A head kick misses from Messi.
Messi with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Sanchez to score with a decent uppercut.
Messi misses with a right hand
and Sanchez counters with a stiff right hand.
Sanchez slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Messi lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Sanchez circles away quickly and effectively.
Messi tries for a takedown but Sanchez sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Good exchange - Sanchez coming out on top.
Sanchez wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Sanchez stuffs the takedown.
Messi throws a lazy uppercut
and Sanchez counters with an inside leg kick.
Messi is breathing heavily.
Messi misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Sanchez.
Diego Sanchez is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Messi misses with a takedown
and Sanchez makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Sanchez scores with a jab to the body.
Sanchez has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sanchez lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Messi at a distance.
Sanchez defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Messi.
Sanchez stuns Messi with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Diego Sanchez dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

A looping hook to the body misses from Messi. Sanchez does a little dance to reset his feet.
Messi's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Sanchez connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Messi scrambles back to his feet.
Messi fails with a takedown attempt.
Messi shoots in but no luck this time.
Messi swings for the body but Sanchez moves out of range.
Messi takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Sanchez scores with a nice right hand.

Messi is rocked!
Sanchez throws a jab when Messi was well out of range.
Oh Messi is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Messi is keeping his hands low and just asking to be knocked out. Sanchez Raises his leg and lands a stunning axe kick! Messi is out cold, face down on the mat!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:41 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Head Kick). Diego Sanchez! Diego Sanchez retains his bantamweight title!
Diego Sanchez decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.