PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Alan Sanford (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mark Lopez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mark Lopez will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Sanford
vs
Lopez

193 cm
18
177 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

176 cm
25
165 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alan Sanford!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mark Lopez!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lopez misses with a double jab
and Sanford counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Lopez scores with a three punch combo!
Lopez misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Lopez gets a clinch.
Sanford fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Sanford tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Lopez smiles and moves away.

Lopez moves into the clinch successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Lopez's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Lopez misses with a jab, cross combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lopez scores with a jab to the body.
Lopez connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Lopez misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Lopez scores with a nice right hand.
Sanford avoids a kick to the body.
Sanford went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Lopez lands a jab-cross combination.
Lopez throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Sanford went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Sanford throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Lopez tries a head kick but it misses.
Lopez keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alan Sanford. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Lopez moves into the clinch.
Sanford really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Lopez working hard to break the clinch.
Lopez is looking to control Sanford's arms but Sanford gets an underhook and turns him. Now Lopez has his back to the cage.

Lopez pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Mark Lopez is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sanford blocks the body kick.
Sanford appears to be looking for a big counter.
Lopez misses with a body kick.

Lopez fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Sanford, pushing him back against the cage.
Lopez has Sanford pressed against the cage, preventing Sanford from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Lopez breaks from the clinch.
Lopez throws a nice inside leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopez scores with a head kick.
Lopez tries a head kick but it misses.
Nice body kick there by Lopez.
Lopez throws a head kick but Sanford moves out of range.
Sanford blocks a head kick by Lopez.
As Lopez backs away, Sanford returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Lopez waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Sanford.
Sanford went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Lopez scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
A big left from Lopez misses.
Lopez tries a head kick but it misses.
Sanford went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Nice takedown defense from Lopez. No joy for Sanford on that attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lopez scores with a head kick. Sanford tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Lopez throws a head kick that misses
and Sanford counters with a left to the body.
Lopez looks winded!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Lopez scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

Lopez takes the fight into the clinch.
Sanford is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Lopez is trying to stall.
Lopez tries to break free but Sanford pushes him back against the cage.
Sanford tries to pull guard but Lopez won't allow it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Sanford decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Lopez has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Sanford lands with a punch from half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Lopez kicks off Sanford and gets to his feet.
Sanford swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Lopez moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Lopez misses with a series of wild punches.
Lopez tries to land a body kick
and Sanford makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Lopez takes the fight into the clinch.
Lopez is trying to break the clinch but Sanford has him pressed against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanford tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Lopez just stands there and leans against the cage.

Lopez breaks from the clinch.
Lopez rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Sanford moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Lopez dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Sanford. That did some damage!

Lopez has taken the fight to the clinch.
Lopez wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Sanford has him pressed against the cage.
A nice left hand lands by Lopez.
Sanford is looking to break free of the clinch but Lopez has double underhooks.
Lopez tries to circle away but Sanford has him pinned against the cage.

Lopez escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Lopez clinches up with Sanford and pushes him back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lopez has had enough of the clinch but Sanford keeps him there for the moment.
Lopez has had enough of the clinch but Sanford keeps him there for the moment.
Sanford tries to pull guard but Lopez won't allow it.
Sanford letting Lopez take a breather here.
Sanford jumps guard but Lopez stands there with Sanford around his waist. Sanford gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alan Sanford. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sanford looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Sanford jumps guard but Lopez turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
A frustrated look appears on Sanford's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Lopez lands an elbow that stopped Sanford in his tracks for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Lopez breaks from the clinch.
Lopez scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Mark Lopez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lopez lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Sanford fails in his attempt to clinch.
Lopez misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Alan Sanford is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Both fighters circling a little - Lopez finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Sanford blocks a head kick by Lopez.
Lopez throws a head kick that misses.
Sanford scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Lopez lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Sanford backs up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Lopez gets a clinch.
Lopez looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Sanford is trying to break free.
Lopez is trying to break the clinch but Sanford has him pressed against the cage.

Lopez breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Lopez displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Sanford throws out the jab.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Lopez wants to break the clinch but can't.

Sanford successfully pulls guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Lopez showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Lopez lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Lopez connects with a body shot that sends Sanford's belly button to the back.
Lopez looks to land a combination but Sanford avoids it well.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Sanford crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Lopez - the referee stops the clock and Sanford gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Lopez. Sanford manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.

Lopez has closed the distance and engaged Sanford in a clinch.

Lopez's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Sanford gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lopez moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.

Lopez takes the fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lopez is pushing Sanford up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Sanford is looking to break free of the clinch but Lopez has double underhooks.
Lopez lands a big knee! That's hurt Sanford! Oh, he's all over the place! Lopez lands another knee that sends Sanford to the floor and the referee steps in to end the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:34 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Mark Lopez!