PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Chico Sanchez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Uthe Haas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Haas's choice of entrance music: 2cztery7 - Rozpoznaj. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Uthe Haas was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Sanchez
vs
Haas

185 cm
26
109 lbs
9 - 7 - 0

174 cm
27
160 lbs
5 - 5 - 0

Great wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Powerful takedowns
Lethal high kicks
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Chico Sanchez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Uthe Haas!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sanchez pushes Haas up against the cage in a clinch.
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.
Haas managing to block the knees to the body from Sanchez.
Haas misses with a hook from the clinch.
Haas is trying to break the clinch but Sanchez is controlling him.
Haas swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Sanchez tries to circle away but Haas has him pinned against the cage.
Haas tries to break free but Sanchez pushes him back against the cage.
Sanchez controlling the action here for a moment.
Sanchez pressing his opponent against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Haas misses with a hook from the clinch.
Sanchez lands with a left to the head.

Sanchez manages to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Haas stuns Sanchez with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Chico Sanchez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sanchez tries to clinch but Haas is having none of it.
Haas feints the counter takedown.
The fight stays on the outside here - Sanchez looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Sanchez shoots in but Haas avoids the takedown attempt easily.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Haas enables Sanchez to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Haas manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sanchez preventing the sweep.
Sanchez trying to control the position from guard on top but Haas is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sanchez is stalling in the full guard.
Sanchez won't allow Haas to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Haas is trying to keep Sanchez in close.
Haas looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sanchez is one step ahead there.
Haas keeps trying to improve his position.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Haas can't keep his opponent in guard - Sanchez advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Haas wants to improve his position but Sanchez is controlling well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Haas on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Haas works his way to full guard. Good work.
Sanchez trying to control but Haas is working from the bottom.
Haas looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sanchez is one step ahead there.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Haas is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Sanchez sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Haas seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Haas keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Sanchez fails with an attempt to clinch.
Sanchez tries for a takedown but Haas circles away easily

and Haas counters with a single leg into guard. Sanchez didn't expect that.
Sanchez keeping moving, preventing Haas from controlling successfully.
Haas working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sanchez trying to control the position.
Haas trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Uthe Haas will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Sanchez shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Haas defends it nicely.
Haas feints the counter takedown.
Haas scores with a jab to the jaw.
Haas swings for the body but Sanchez moves out of range.
Sanchez tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Haas counters with a nice double leg into side control. Sanchez won't be happy with that.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Haas wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sanchez keeps working.
Sanchez wants to control but Haas postures up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sanchez is not content to let Haas control the position.
Haas throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Haas looking to control but instead Sanchez has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.

Haas is looking for a kimura but Sanchez is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Haas to get the leverage.

Haas is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Sanchez sees it coming and defends easily.
Haas looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Haas wants to control but Sanchez is keeping him busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Haas is working for a submission of some sort.
Haas stops Sanchez from getting back to his feet.
Sanchez won't allow Haas to pass to mount.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Sanchez throws a right and a left that Haas avoids nicely.

Sanchez instigates a clinch.
Haas tries to work over Sanchez's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Haas misses with a short punch on the inside.
Sanchez avoiding damage.
Haas can't find room to land a body shot as Sanchez controls the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Haas's elbow.
Sanchez will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Haas up against the cage.
Haas goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Haas misses with a body punch.

Sanchez pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Sanchez wants to clinch up but Haas keeps it at a distance.
Haas stuffs the takedown.

Haas closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Sanchez manages to create a bit of space in order to work his way back to his feet. Haas keeps hold of his opponent and drives him back against the cage.
Sanchez blocks a body shot from Haas.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Haas misses with some punches.
Haas misses with a punch to the body.

Sanchez breaks from the clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sanchez stuns Haas with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Chico Sanchez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Haas changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Haas lunges at Sanchez with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Sanchez's hand.

Sanchez closes the distance and clinches.
Haas wants to break the clinch but can't.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Sanchez.
Sanchez blocking some punches.

Sanchez escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Uthe Haas seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A punch combination from Sanchez misses.
Haas keeps the fight on the outside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Uthe Haas will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

A looping hook to the body misses from Haas. Sanchez does a little dance to reset his feet.
Haas misses with an uppercut.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Haas, right into the meat.
Sanchez shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Haas sprawls well. Haas wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Sanchez gets slowly back to his feet.
Haas sizes up Sanchez with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.

Haas closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Haas lands in his opponent's guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Haas trying to control but Sanchez is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Haas slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Sanchez is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Haas is controlling him.
Sanchez will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Haas looking to sit in guard and control but Sanchez gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Haas trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Sanchez works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Haas wants to control but Sanchez is keeping busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Haas is pressing down on Sanchez's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Sanchez works over Haas with some ground and pound from guard.
Haas trying to control the position.
Sanchez stopping the sweep attempt from Haas.
Haas keeping moving, preventing Sanchez from controlling successfully.
Haas tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Sanchez looking to pass the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Sanchez trying to control the position from guard on top but Haas is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Sanchez fails with a takedown attempt.
Haas feints the counter takedown.
Uthe Haas is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Haas circles away from the clinch attempt

and Haas counters with a single leg into guard. Sanchez didn't expect that.
Uthe Haas has got the better of the ground game so far.
Haas wants to pass the guard but Sanchez is keeping the position.
Haas slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez working a defensive guard here.
Haas wants to pass the guard but Sanchez is keeping the position.
Chico Sanchez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Sanchez is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Haas is controlling him.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Haas seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

And that's the end of the fight!
Uthe Haas comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Haas winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 29:30
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Uthe Haas!
Uthe Haas decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.