PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Cung Lau (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Efrain Sanchez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Lau
vs
Sanchez

180 cm
30
155 lbs
14 - 12 - 0

173 cm
21
151 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Dangerous knees
Very strong

Good wrestler
Brawler
Powerful

KAISER

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Cung Lau!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Efrain Sanchez!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Ryoma Takatsuka and Josh West.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sanchez shoots in and drives through. Lau sprawls well.
Horrible takedown by Sanchez or perhaps it was just good defense by Lau which made him look bad.
Sanchez with a lazy takedown attempt
and Lau counters with a stiff right hand.
Cung Lau has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Efrain Sanchez.
Lau tries a head kick but it misses.
Sanchez shoots and misses
and Lau counters with a slapping leg kick.
Lau leaves Sanchez with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Sanchez.
Sanchez takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Sanchez tries for a takedown but Lau sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Lau has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lau is trying to break free.
Sanchez is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Lau is defending well.

Lau escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Sanchez is defended easily by Lau.

Lau closes the distance and clinches.
Sanchez is looking to break free of the clinch but Lau has double underhooks.
A frustrated look appears on Lau's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Sanchez tries to break the clinch but Lau is controlling the position.
Sanchez is looking for a takedown.

Lau's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Sanchez shoots in for a takedown but Lau shows good takedown defense.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lau tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Lau scores with a leg kick.
Sanchez shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Lau but Lau pushes him off and we're back to square one.
A head kick from Lau lands but Sanchez takes it in his stride.
Cung Lau is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Sanchez dives in and scores a takedown into Lau's guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Sanchez prevents Lau from getting back to his feet.
Sanchez tries to free his leg and advance position but Lau is retaining full guard.
Lau is looking to stand up but Sanchez isn't so interested in that idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

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

Lau pushes Sanchez up against the cage in a clinch.

Sanchez pulls guard.
Sanchez not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Sanchez wants to get back to his feet but Lau is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Lau wants to stand but Sanchez has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Lau stands up and waves to Sanchez to follow him.
The fight stays on the outside here - Lau looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Lau moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Lau displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Sanchez.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lau turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cung Lau dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Sanchez.
Sanchez doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Lau counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Sanchez is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Sanchez fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Cung Lau has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Efrain Sanchez.
Sanchez tries for a takedown but Lau circles away easily

and Lau counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Lau escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Lau throws a nice inside leg kick.
Sanchez looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Lau is fending him off so far but Sanchez persists. Nope, Lau circles away and we're back to standing.
Lau tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Sanchez manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Lau instigates a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sanchez gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Sanchez must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Lau wants to stand up but Sanchez is controlling him.
Sanchez is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sanchez tries to free his leg and advance position but Lau is retaining full guard.
Lau is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Sanchez slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Sanchez shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Lau sprawls well. Lau wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Sanchez gets slowly back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Lau pinned against the cage. Lau gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Lau tries to clinch there but Sanchez circles away.
Sanchez shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Lau counters with an inside leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lau throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Sanchez's head.
Lau stuffs the takedown.
Lau tries to clinch but Sanchez moves out of range.
Sanchez throws a leg kick
and Lau counters with a leg kick.
Lau fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Sanchez has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Sanchez tries for a takedown but Lau circles away easily
and Lau counters with a nice leg kick.
Lau tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Sanchez paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Lau is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Lau looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez throws a leg kick that is checked
and Lau counters with an inside leg kick.
Lau defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Sanchez.
Sanchez shoots in and drives through. Lau sprawls well.
Sanchez fails to land the takedown.
Sanchez is breathing heavily.
Lau fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Sanchez.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A slapping leg kick lands for Lau.

Lau moves into the clinch successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cung Lau dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Sanchez stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Lau.

Lau clinches up against the cage.

Lau escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sanchez takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Sanchez takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Sanchez fails to land the takedown.
Sanchez misses with an uppercut
and Lau makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Sanchez shoots in but Lau avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Lau showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Sanchez.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lau tries to clinch up but Sanchez circles away and keeps his distance.
Lau looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Lau moves in looking to clinch but Sanchez pushes him off.
Sanchez tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Lau swivels and escapes.
Cung Lau has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Efrain Sanchez.
Sanchez shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Lau as he jumps to the side.
Lau with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Lau tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Lau thumps Sanchez with a low kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Lau fails in his attempt to clinch.
Lau is looking to clinch.
Sanchez shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Cung Lau is winning the standup battle so far.
Lau throws out a powerful jab.

Lau fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Sanchez, pushing him back against the cage.

Lau breaks the clinch.
Lau lands a leg kick that knocks Sanchez off balance momentarily.
Both fighters circling a little - Lau finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Efrain Sanchez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lau scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Sanchez shoots and misses
and Lau counters with a head kick. That will keep Sanchez thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Sanchez takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Lau defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Sanchez.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Sanchez.
Cung Lau is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Sanchez takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Lau tries to clinch but Sanchez moves out of range.
Sanchez fails with the takedown
and Lau counters with a low kick, right behind Sanchez 's knee.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lau tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Sanchez manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Lau throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Sanchez.

Lau takes the fight into the clinch.

Lau manages to break the clinch.
Lau tries to clinch but Sanchez moves out of range.
Lau tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Horrible takedown by Sanchez or perhaps it was just good defense by Lau which made him look bad.
Lau connects with an inside leg kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cung Lau showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Lau, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Roger Salmon scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 30:27
Judge Josh West scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cung Lau!