PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Zaid Al Balushi (ranked 1333 p4p, 1507 weight class) and Tim Sanchez (ranked 168 p4p, 184 weight class). Sanchez has chosen I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Al Balushi
vs
Sanchez

180 cm
27
155
6 - 2 - 0

179 cm
26
157
8 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Voodoo Nutrition
Urban Fighter

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 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Zaid Al Balushi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Tim Sanchez!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Hirohito Nitta and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Al Balushi keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Al Balushi swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Sanchez wants to slow Al Balushi down by chopping away at his legs.
Al Balushi lands a really nice looking cross but Sanchez seems unphased.
Al Balushi attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Al Balushi throws a wild body kick that Sanchez sees coming a mile off.
Sanchez looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Al Balushi throws a low kick but Sanchez avoids it.
Sanchez looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Al Balushi closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Sanchez.
Al Balushi lands a two punch combo.
An inside leg kick from Al Balushi misses.
Al Balushi is looking to slow Sanchez down with leg kicks.
A left lands for Al Balushi.
Sanchez jabs Al Balushi right on the nose. Al Balushi blinks but takes it well.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Al Balushi wants to land a leg kick but Sanchez is out of range.
Sanchez only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Al Balushi motions for Sanchez to come forward. Al Balushi throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Al Balushi moves out of range as Sanchez strikes.

Al Balushi moves into the clinch.
Sanchez working hard to break the clinch.
Sanchez lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Al Balushi landing knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Al Balushi lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Al Balushi lands a nice elbow.
A short right from Al Balushi on the inside.
Al Balushi struggles to land a body shot inside as Sanchez controls his hands.
I was talking to Al Balushi's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Al Balushi utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Al Balushi tries to work over Sanchez's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Al Balushi lands an elbow that stopped Sanchez in his tracks for a moment.
Sanchez dodges an elbow strike from Al Balushi.
Al Balushi blocks a body shot from Sanchez.
A nice left hand lands by Sanchez.
Sanchez misses with a punch on the inside.
Sanchez takes an elbow to the forehead.

Sanchez's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Sanchez lands a nice hook to Al Balushi's body. Al Balushi takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sanchez blocks a low kick nicely.
Good work by Al Balushi as he checks the leg kick.
Zaid Al Balushi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sanchez swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Al Balushi motions for Sanchez to come forward. Al Balushi throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Al Balushi throws a low kick but Sanchez avoids it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez throws a jab but it's blocked by Al Balushi.
Al Balushi misses with a looping left.
Sanchez lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Al Balushi tries to score with a low kick but Sanchez moves his leg out of the way.
Sanchez fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Al Balushi on the side of the head.
Jab from Sanchez.
Sanchez smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Sanchez's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Al Balushi connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Sanchez scrambles back to his feet.
Al Balushi wants to land a leg kick but Sanchez is out of range.

Al Balushi moves into the clinch.
Al Balushi misses with an elbow strike.
Al Balushi lands an elbow just above Sanchez 's eye.
Sanchez can't break the clinch.
A short body shot lands from Sanchez as the two fighters clinch.
Al Balushi missing with knees to the body.

Sanchez breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Sanchez lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.

Al Balushi forces Sanchez back against the cage and clinches.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Al Balushi throws a right hand that misses
and Sanchez counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Al Balushi thinking.
Sanchez uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.

Al Balushi forces Sanchez back against the cage and clinches.
Sanchez tries a body shot but Al Balushi blocks it.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Al Balushi.
Al Balushi throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Sanchez blocks it with crossed arms.
Al Balushi lands a damaging elbow.
Sanchez is trying to break the clinch but Al Balushi is controlling him.
Al Balushi tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Sanchez avoids it.
Sanchez misses with a hook to the ribs.
Sanchez letting Al Balushi take a breather here.
Sanchez tries a body shot but Al Balushi blocks it.

Sanchez breaks from the clinch.
Al Balushi throws a chopping leg kick but Sanchez manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Al Balushi misses with a leg kick.
Al Balushi throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Sanchez thuds his right hand into Al Balushi's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Nice uppercut there from Sanchez.
Sanchez throws a jab when Al Balushi was well out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
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!
Al Balushi throws a leg kick that misses.
Sanchez blocks the body kick.
Al Balushi lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Sanchez circles away quickly and effectively.
Al Balushi ducks under a wild hook from Sanchez.
Al Balushi scores with a jab.
Sanchez uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Al Balushi.
Sanchez throws a leg kick but Al Balushi moved away.
Al Balushi ducks under a wild hook from Sanchez.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Al Balushi.
A telegraphed right hand from Sanchez misses the target.
Al Balushi throws a looping overhand right but Sanchez ducks down to avoid it.
Al Balushi has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Sanchez.
Al Balushi looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Sanchez throws a leg kick that misses.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Al Balushi rushes Sanchez and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Sanchez tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Al Balushi's elbow.
Sanchez working some nice short punches in the clinch.
A nice left hand lands by Al Balushi.
Sanchez tries to circle away but Al Balushi has him pinned against the cage.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Zaid Al Balushi will probably get the nod.
That's time! Al Balushi's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Sanchez scores with a nice head shot.
Al Balushi feints and then cracks Sanchez's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Sanchez down.
Sanchez misses with a straight right.
Al Balushi walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Sanchez checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Sanchez ducks right into an uppercut from Al Balushi.
Nice uppercut there from Al Balushi.
Sanchez moves into range and connects with a jab.
Sanchez thows a left - swing and a miss!
Al Balushi moves in looking to clinch but Sanchez pushes him off.
Al Balushi throws a leg kick which misses Sanchez's front leg but catches the back leg as Sanchez tries to avoid it.
Al Balushi uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Sanchez.
Good standup being displayed there by Sanchez as he connects with a hook.
Sanchez slips under a jab from Al Balushi.
A chopping leg kick lands by Al Balushi.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Al Balushi tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Al Balushi plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Sanchez takes one to the side of the head.
Al Balushi lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Al Balushi moves out of range as Sanchez strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Al Balushi looks to throw a body kick
and Sanchez counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Al Balushi has managed to clinch.
Sanchez wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Al Balushi has him pressed against the cage.
Al Balushi blocks a body shot from Sanchez.
Al Balushi misses with a hook from the clinch.
Al Balushi doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Al Balushi doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Al Balushi throws an elbow but it misses.
Al Balushi throws an elbow that misses.
Al Balushi misses with some punches.
Sanchez looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Al Balushi lands an elbow just above Sanchez 's eye.

It looks like Tim Sanchez has been cut.
Sanchez pushes Al Balushi back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Sanchez takes an elbow to the forehead.
A nice left hand lands by Sanchez.
A short right from Sanchez on the inside.

Al Balushi is rocked!
Al Balushi throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Sanchez blocks it with crossed arms.
Oh Al Balushi is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Zaid Al Balushi has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Al Balushi comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Al Balushi seems to have got his legs back now.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Al Balushi pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Al Balushi using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Sanchez misses with a body punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Al Balushi misses with a body punch.
Sanchez avoids the elbow strike from Al Balushi, against the cage.
Al Balushi tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Sanchez lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Al Balushi crunches a lovely knee into Sanchez's ribcage.
Sanchez throws a head punch that misses.
Al Balushi lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

Sanchez breaks from the clinch.
Al Balushi is looking to clinch but Sanchez is avoiding it.
Sanchez swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Al Balushi uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
The fighters circle momentarily. Sanchez darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Al Balushi moves out of range of the body kick.

Al Balushi gets a clinch.
Sanchez tries to circle away but Al Balushi has him pinned against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Sanchez's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Sanchez wants to break the clinch but can't.
Sanchez goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A head punch on the inside from Sanchez fails to land.
Sanchez is trying to break free.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Sanchez.
Al Balushi takes a shot to the head.
Sanchez lands a right hand that snaps the head of Al Balushi backwards.
Al Balushi lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Al Balushi stalls.
Al Balushi keeps control of Sanchez as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Sanchez breaks the clinch.

Al Balushi has taken the fight to the clinch.
Al Balushi unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Al Balushi misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Sanchez takes a knee to the side of the body.
Sanchez is breathing heavily.
Sanchez takes an elbow to the forehead.
Still in the clinch, Al Balushi scores with a nice short uppercut.
Al Balushi landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sanchez avoids a wild elbow strike from Al Balushi.
Al Balushi lands a nice shot to the body.
Al Balushi blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Sanchez wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Al Balushi creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Sanchez's defenses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez wants to get back to striking at distance but Al Balushi won't allow it.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Sanchez.
Sanchez on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Al Balushi throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Sanchez misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Al Balushi creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Sanchez's defenses.
Al Balushi tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A frustrated look appears on Sanchez's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Sanchez blocks an elbow strike from Al Balushi.
Al Balushi struggles to land a body shot inside as Sanchez controls his hands.
Sanchez blocks the elbow strike.
Al Balushi has Sanchez pressed against the cage.

Sanchez escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sanchez throws a hook but Al Balushi blocks it.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Al Balushi tries to land a leg kick but Sanchez saw it coming and moves away.
Sanchez bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Al Balushi scores with a sloppy right hand. Sanchez should have avoided that one.
Sanchez takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Sanchez slips under a jab from Al Balushi.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Zaid Al Balushi dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Tim Sanchez's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Al Balushi throws a shot to the body.
Jab from Sanchez.
Sanchez misses with a hook.
Al Balushi misses with a jab, cross combination.
Sanchez let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Al Balushi chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Al Balushi keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
An inside leg kick lands from Al Balushi.
Sanchez keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Al Balushi.
Al Balushi bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Sanchez throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Al Balushi fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Sanchez has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Sanchez blocks a low kick nicely.
Sanchez's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Sanchez lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
A swing and a miss from Al Balushi.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sanchez blocks a leg kick.
Sanchez doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Sanchez circles away from the clinch attempt.
Sanchez misses with an uppercut. Al Balushi saw that one coming.
Al Balushi moves out of range as Sanchez throws a body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanchez will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Sanchez lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Al Balushi at a distance.
Sanchez avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Sanchez keeps the fight on the outside.
Al Balushi with a nice calf kick.
Al Balushi lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Al Balushi throws a leg kick that misses.
Sanchez looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Al Balushi throws out a loose jab but Sanchez uses good head movement to avoid it.
Al Balushi shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Sanchez takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Al Balushi throws a body kick that misses.
Sanchez misses with a head kick.
Al Balushi throws a sloppy head kick and Sanchez moves out of range easily.
Tim Sanchez seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Sanchez misses with a jab, cross combination.
Al Balushi darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Sanchez takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Al Balushi checks a leg kick.
Sanchez ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Al Balushi throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Sanchez looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Al Balushi tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Sanchez manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Jab, jab by Al Balushi - just one landing.
Al Balushi fails in his attempt to clinch.
Al Balushi lands a head shot.
Sanchez takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Sanchez pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Sanchez on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Al Balushi is looking to land body kicks.
Sanchez doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Al Balushi finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Sanchez avoids the body shot from Al Balushi.
Al Balushi fails with an attempt to clinch.
Al Balushi throws a push kick but Sanchez slaps the foot to one side.
Al Balushi takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Al Balushi manages to avoid it.
Sanchez looks to land a right hand but Al Balushi moved out of range.
Al Balushi throws a hook but Sanchez blocks it.
A jab lands there for Al Balushi.
Sanchez takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Al Balushi looks to score with a jab to the body but Sanchez is just out of range.
Al Balushi throws a leg kick
and Sanchez counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Sanchez connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Al Balushi throws a nice outside leg kick.
Al Balushi scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Sanchez doesn't seem bothered though.
Al Balushi misses with a low kick as Sanchez jumps back.
Sanchez thows a left - swing and a miss!
Al Balushi scores with a spinning back kick!
Sanchez sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.

Sanchez tries to keep at a distance but Al Balushi has taken the fight into the clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sanchez is trying to break free.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Al Balushi blocks a body shot from Sanchez.

Sanchez breaks the clinch.
Sanchez checks the leg kick nicely there.
Al Balushi moves away from the strike by Sanchez.
Al Balushi is looking to slow Sanchez down with leg kicks.
Al Balushi is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Sanchez can do to turn this around?
Al Balushi looks to land a body kick but Sanchez moved away.
Al Balushi lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Sanchez connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Al Balushi's hands.
Al Balushi throws out a leg kick but Sanchez moves out of range and Al Balushi only half commits.
A nice leg kick from Al Balushi, right into the meat of the thigh.
Sanchez jabs Al Balushi right on the nose. Al Balushi blinks but takes it well.
Sanchez lands a slapping body shot.
Sanchez lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Sanchez ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Nice body kick there by Al Balushi.
Zaid Al Balushi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sanchez fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Zaid Al Balushi showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Al Balushi has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Taro Takaoka scores the fight 30:27
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Zaid Al Balushi!
After winning the bout, Zaid Al Balushi thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.