PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Anderson De Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Anthony Sanchez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). De Silva kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is It's Time For War. Sanchez has chosen head up high as his entrance music. Anthony Sanchez told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

De Silva
vs
Sanchez

180 cm
22
185 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

190 cm
20
190 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Likes ground

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Anderson De Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Anthony Sanchez!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
De Silva misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
De Silva keeps the fight on the outside.

De Silva closes the distance and clinches.

Sanchez manages to break the clinch.
Sanchez misses with a takedown

and De Silva counters with a takedown into side control.
De Silva scores with a couple of short elbows.

De Silva goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Sanchez has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for De Silva but great work by Sanchez.
De Silva is looking for a sweep.
Sanchez tries to move to mount but De Silva blocks the move with his legs.
Sanchez takes a little break here. De Silva wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
De Silva is trying to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanchez advances to full mount.
Sanchez sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
De Silva is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Sanchez trying to control but he's not successful this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sanchez controlling from the full mount.
De Silva wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
What can De Silva do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
De Silva is keeping busy.
De Silva manages to reverse the position and now he's in Sanchez's guard. Nice work there by De Silva.
Sanchez is trying to control the position but De Silva postures up.
Sanchez bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in De Silva's guard.
De Silva wants to stand and escape but Sanchez is having none of it.
De Silva keeping full guard, as Sanchez tries to pass.
De Silva wants to sweep but no luck.
Sanchez pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. De Silva is keeping the position for now.
Sanchez trying to control but De Silva is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez postures up.
De Silva is breathing heavily.

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

and De Silva counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by De Silva.
De Silva postures up in Sanchez's guard and throws a big left but Sanchez blocks it.
De Silva throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Sanchez works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
De Silva thows a big elbow that misses.
De Silva knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Sanchez on the ground.
De Silva is pushing down on Sanchez's leg trying to pass to half guard. Sanchez is fighting to maintain full guard but De Silva has managed to sneak the leg through.
Sanchez is trying to control but can't.
De Silva thows a huge punch but Sanchez dodges it nicely.

De Silva seems to be working for a kimura but Sanchez defends the submission attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez trying to control but De Silva postures up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Sanchez wants to clinch but De Silva slips to the side

and De Silva decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Sanchez's guard.
De Silva stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sanchez swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Sanchez is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Sanchez manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. De Silva manages to get himself to full guard.
De Silva trying to control the position.
Sanchez stands and throws De Silva's legs to the side, diving into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anderson De Silva dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Sanchez shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has De Silva pinned against the cage. De Silva gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
De Silva circles away from the clinch attempt.
De Silva shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Sanchez but Sanchez pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Anderson De Silva is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sanchez wants to clinch

and De Silva counters with a takedown into side control.
An elbow from De Silva crashes against the mat.
Sanchez is trying to improve his position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sanchez struggling a bit here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanchez wants to get back to his feet but De Silva drags him back down.
Sanchez is trying to control De Silva's posture but De Silva avoids it.
Sanchez is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but De Silva has just dragged him back down to the mat.
De Silva creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Sanchez sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
De Silva wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sanchez keeps working.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
De Silva shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Sanchez counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
De Silva trying to control but Sanchez postures up.
Sanchez wants to lay and pray for a moment but De Silva keeps working.
Sanchez is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Sanchez tries to control but De Silva wriggling away.
De Silva is trying desperately to improve position.
Sanchez tries to control but De Silva wriggling away.
Sanchez might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control De Silva kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

Sanchez looking for a guillotine from mount but De Silva is having none of it.
De Silva is looking to improve his position but Sanchez isn't that keen on the idea.
Anderson De Silva overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Sanchez tries to control but De Silva wriggling away.
Sanchez avoids the attempt from De Silva to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Sanchez looking to control but De Silva is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
De Silva throwing hammer fists to the chest of Sanchez. What's that going to do exactly?
De Silva really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Sanchez looking to ground and pound but De Silva is blocking nicely.
De Silva is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
De Silva holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Sanchez tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Poor strikes thrown by Sanchez there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
De Silva is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anthony Sanchez showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

De Silva takes the fight into the clinch.

Sanchez manages to pull guard.
De Silva throws a strike but Sanchez rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
De Silva wants to sweep but no luck.
De Silva wants to hit a switch here but Sanchez passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for De Silva there!
De Silva really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
De Silva tries to hold on but Sanchez postures up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sanchez throws some wild stikes that De Silva manages to avoid easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
De Silva is in all sorts of trouble here.
Sanchez controlling from the full mount.
De Silva is squirming around, avoiding Sanchez's attempts to control the action.
De Silva is looking to improve his position but Sanchez isn't that keen on the idea.
De Silva wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Sanchez.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Sanchez looking to finish with strikes here!
De Silva swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Sanchez throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for De Silva because Sanchez loaded up on that one.
Sanchez takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Sanchez trying to control but De Silva is having none of it.
Sanchez sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Sanchez misses with a head shot.
Sanchez throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
De Silva tries to hold on but Sanchez postures up.
Sanchez controlling his opponent.
De Silva can't escape the position.
Sanchez tries to control but De Silva wriggling away.
De Silva is working to get back to half guard.
Sanchez trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
De Silva is trying desperately to improve position.
De Silva looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
Sanchez controls the action.
Sanchez controlling well, preventing De Silva from escaping the position.
Will Sanchez go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
De Silva is trying to break free.

And that's the end of the fight!
Anthony Sanchez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Sanchez has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29
Judge Suge Night scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Anthony Sanchez!