PBP Commentary

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

Sanchez
vs
Sotto Jr

188 cm
32
158 lbs
30 - 16 - 2

176 cm
27
146 lbs
16 - 10 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

GREEN!160
Perkele!

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 4 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 30 - 16 - 2, fighting out of Montreal, Diego Sanchez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Umberto Sotto Jr!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Jack Bonds and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sotto Jr misses with a hook. Sanchez ducked under it nicely.
Sanchez ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Sotto Jr moves away.
Sanchez misses with a kick to the body.
Sotto Jr throws a leg kick but Sanchez checks it.
Sotto Jr throws the left hand but Sanchez avoids the punch easily.
Sotto Jr throws a body kick that misses
and Sanchez counters with a stiff right hand.
Sotto Jr throws a good cross that connects.
Sanchez really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Sanchez thows a left - swing and a miss!
Sanchez throws a lazy uppercut
and Sanchez takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Sotto Jr takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Sanchez on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Sotto Jr slips under a jab.
Sanchez misses with a few strikes 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!
Nice defenses there by Sotto Jr.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Sotto Jr.
A nice leg kick lands there from Sotto Jr.
A clash of legs there as Sanchez blocks the low kick.
The fighters circling - Sanchez throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanchez digs a good body shot into Sotto Jr's ribs.
Sanchez throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Sanchez misses with a kick to the body.
Sotto Jr lands a lovely overhand right.
Sotto Jr goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Sanchez fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Sotto Jr has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Sanchez staying out of range there.
Sanchez bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
A combination from Sotto Jr does no damage.
Sanchez misses with a two punch combination.
A telegraphed right hand from Sanchez misses the target.
We've been informed that Sotto Jr has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Sotto Jr misses with a low kick.
Sotto Jr misses with a wild combination.
Sotto Jr looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sotto Jr avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sanchez fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Sotto Jr manages to avoid it.
Sotto Jr throws a right hand that Sanchez ducks under and follows up with a left that Sanchez also avoids with ease.
Sotto Jr throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Sanchez sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Sotto Jr throws a leg kick that misses.
Sotto Jr ducks right into an uppercut from Sanchez.
Good exchange - Sanchez coming out on top.
Sanchez misses with a jab, cross combination.
Sotto Jr's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Sanchez connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Sotto Jr scrambles back to his feet.

Sotto Jr shoots in and bounces Sanchez off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Sotto Jr looking to pass the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sotto Jr wants to control from the top but Sanchez keeps moving.
Sanchez wants to control the position but Sotto Jr says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Sotto Jr is trying to control. Sanchez wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Sotto Jr is thwarting Sanchez's attempts to control the position.
Sotto Jr is pressing down on Sanchez's thigh, looking to free his foot. Sanchez is holding on for now.
Sanchez preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Sotto Jr perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
We've been hearing good reports from Sanchez's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.

Sotto Jr seems to be looking for submissions.
Sotto Jr is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Sanchez connects with a right hand. Sotto Jr shakes it off.
Sotto Jr misses with the combination.
Sanchez throws out a leg kick but Sotto Jr moves out of range and Sanchez only half commits.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Umberto Sotto Jr will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Sanchez swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Sanchez fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Sotto Jr crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Sanchez - the referee stops the clock and Sotto Jr gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Sanchez. Sotto Jr manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Sanchez steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Sotto Jr. That one must have hurt.
Sotto Jr misses with the body kick
and Sanchez counters with a left to the body.
Diego Sanchez is winning the standup battle so far.
Sanchez looks to land a combination but Sotto Jr avoids it well.
Sanchez misses with a low kick.
Sanchez throws a hook but Sotto Jr blocks it.
Nice jab there from Sanchez.
Sanchez misses with a body kick.
Sotto Jr darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Sloppy strikes from Sotto Jr. Those never looked like landing.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sanchez ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Sotto Jr connects with a body shot that sends Sanchez's belly button to the back.
Sotto Jr takes one on the button.
Sotto Jr feints a jab promting Sanchez to slip. Sotto Jr then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Sanchez slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanchez lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.

Sotto Jr is rocked!
Sotto Jr staying out of range there.
Sotto Jr is still on wobbly legs! Can Sanchez finish him?
Sanchez throws a shot from downtown. Sotto Jr moves away and avoids it.
Sanchez is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Sanchez throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Sotto Jr seems to have recovered his senses.
Sanchez misses with a hook.
Sotto Jr swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Sanchez lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Sanchez.
Sotto Jr looks to throw a body kick
and Sanchez counters with a nice body kick.
Sanchez avoids a punch combination nicely.
Sotto Jr displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Sanchez throws out the jab.
Sotto Jr finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Sanchez displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Sotto Jr throws out the jab.
A low kick from Sotto Jr misses
and Sanchez counters with a big right hand! Oh Sotto Jr is in trouble here! Sanchez follows up with more strikes and that's it! The ref has stopped it!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:58 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Diego Sanchez!
After winning the bout, Diego Sanchez thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.