PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jose Sanchez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pelle Paniikki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sanchez comes to the cage accompanied by PELIMUSA. Paniikki has chosen N'sync - Bye Bye Bye as his entrance music. There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Sanchez
vs
Paniikki

178 cm
29
153 lbs
18 - 11 - 2

165 cm
31
155 lbs
18 - 21 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Insanely flexible

BJJ Red Belt
World class boxer
Good gas tank

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 18 - 11 - 2, fighting out of Amsterdam, Jose Sanchez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 21 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Pelle Paniikki!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Arvi Lind and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sanchez throws a poor cross that misses
and Paniikki counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Paniikki takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Left hook, right uppercut from Sanchez.
Sanchez looks to land a body kick but Paniikki moved away.
Paniikki looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Sanchez is fending him off so far but Paniikki persists. Nope, Sanchez circles away and we're back to standing.
A head kick from Sanchez lands but Paniikki takes it in his stride.
Sanchez tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Paniikki was well out of range. Poor timing from Sanchez.
Sanchez throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Sanchez misses with a jab, cross combination.
Sanchez scores with a head kick.
Paniikki tries to score a power double leg takedown but Sanchez sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Paniikki somewhat.

Paniikki shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Sanchez napping and manages to drive through into side control!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sanchez tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Paniikki wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Paniikki goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Sanchez rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Paniikki's guard! Nice work there by Sanchez!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanchez working some strikes from top position.
Sanchez has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Paniikki is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Sanchez will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Sanchez throws a strike but Paniikki rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Paniikki wants to pass the guard but Sanchez is keeping the position.
Sanchez manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

Sanchez looking for a guillotine from mount but Paniikki is having none of it.
Sanchez landing strikes from the mount and Paniikki is in trouble!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez is landing with some decent strikes but Paniikki is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Paniikki tries to reverse the position but Sanchez maintains control.
Sanchez with shots to the head and body - Paniikki looks very uncomfortable down there.
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!
Paniikki regains half guard.
Paniikki is looking for a sweep. Sanchez is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Sanchez is working for a submission of some sort.

Paniikki is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Sanchez pulls his head out easily.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Sanchez prevents Paniikki from improving his position.
Sanchez scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Paniikki works his way to full guard. Good work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Paniikki is looking for a triangle but Sanchez pushes his legs off easily.
Sanchez trying to control but Paniikki is working from the bottom.

Paniikki has an active guard here but Sanchez has managed to pass into half guard.
Sanchez working over Paniikki with some ground and pound. Paniikki looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

Paniikki is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Sanchez pulls his head out easily.
Sanchez working over Paniikki with some ground and pound. Paniikki looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

Paniikki looking for submissions off his back.
Paniikki is refusing to be controlled, as Sanchez sits in half guard.
Sanchez is nestled in close to Paniikki, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez trying to control from half guard but Paniikki is working away.

Paniikki is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Sanchez pulls his head out easily.
Sanchez working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sanchez with the ground and pound but Paniikki uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Sanchez throws a big elbow that misses.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Sanchez's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Sanchez postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Paniikki working for a triangle but Sanchez defends it easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Paniikki is looking for a triangle here but Sanchez uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Sanchez wants to control but Paniikki is keeping him busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Sanchez changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Paniikki looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Sanchez cracks Paniikki with a big right hand but Paniikki just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Jose Sanchez overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Sanchez lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Sanchez works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Sanchez working the ground and pound.

Paniikki is rocked!
Sanchez working the ground and pound.
Paniikki is still in real trouble! Can Sanchez finish him?
Paniikki is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Sanchez off and has taken his back!

Sanchez defends a prolonged rear naked choke attempt and turns nicely into his opponent'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 wants to control from the top but Paniikki keeps moving.
Sanchez lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Paniikki had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Sanchez defends it easily.
Paniikki seems to have recovered his senses.

Paniikki working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Sanchez has passed into half guard!
Sanchez is looking to advance position but Paniikki won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Paniikki tries to roll over but Sanchez keeps him under control.
Sanchez slips a nice elbow through Paniikki's hands, connecting with Paniikki's forehead.

Sanchez is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Paniikki has hold of Sanchez's hands but Sanchez slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Paniikki taking some punishment here, with Sanchez in his half guard.
Sanchez is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Sanchez works over Paniikki with some ground and pound from guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Paniikki has his foot on Sanchez's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Sanchez works his way back into a safe position though.
Sanchez with a nice head shot there.

Sanchez is posturing up here but Paniikki has hold of an arm and he's gone for an armbar! Sanchez tries to roll out but it's too tight and Sanchez has to tap! Slick submission there by Paniikki!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:27 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Pelle Paniikki!
After the big win, Pelle Paniikki made sure to do all the important stuff like thanking his sponsors CEC Nutrition Q160 and telling the interviewer how much he loves him.