PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Samuel Sanchez (ranked 1394 p4p, 2238 weight class) and Noah Ortega (ranked 186 p4p, 288 weight class). Noah Ortega has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Sanchez
vs
Ortega

185 cm
28
180
14 - 12 - 0

183 cm
27
174
8 - 13 - 0

Great wrestler
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Heavy handed

Fantasy Threads

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 14 - 12 - 0, fighting out of New York, Samuel Sanchez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Noah Ortega!
The judges for this bout are Lou da Vinci, Joseph Jones and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sanchez lands a body shot.

Ortega closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Ortega missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Sanchez avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Ortega.
Sanchez desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Ortega has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Sanchez is refusing to be controlled, as Ortega sits in half guard.
Ortega seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Ortega trying to control from half guard but Sanchez is working away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ortega sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Sanchez defending well though.
Sanchez is looking for a sweep. Ortega is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Ortega wants to free his trapped foot but Sanchez is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Ortega not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanchez trying to hold on to Ortega's head to control him but Ortega postures up.
Ortega throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Sanchez is staying active underneath Ortega, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Ortega trying to control the pace.
Ortega is trying to control the action in half guard but Sanchez is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Ortega is thwarting Sanchez's attempts to control the position.
Ortega wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sanchez keeps working.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Ortega connects with a body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Ortega looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Sanchez is fending him off so far but Ortega persists. Nope, Sanchez circles away and we're back to standing.
Ortega slips a straight right by Sanchez.
Sanchez pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Samuel Sanchez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sanchez throws a lazy right hand but Ortega sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Sanchez lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Ortega avoids the head kick by Sanchez.
Ortega swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Ortega staying out of range there.

Ortega drives through with a takedown into guard.
Ortega wants to pass the guard but Sanchez is keeping the position.
Ortega wants to control from the top but Sanchez keeps moving.
Sanchez seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Ortega stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sanchez swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ortega slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Ortega working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Sanchez prevents Ortega from improving position.
Sanchez tries to buck Ortega off but Ortega is having none of it.
Ortega tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.

Ortega is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Sanchez has escaped the position, nice work there.
Ortega throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Ortega wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sanchez keeps working.
Ortega working the head with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ortega trying to control the position but Sanchez is working away.
Ortega working away.
Sanchez is trying to improve his position.
Sanchez is not content to let Ortega control the position.
Ortega tries to advance to mount but can't.
Sanchez regains half guard, as Ortega was trying to land strikes.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ortega throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Sanchez is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Noah Ortega dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Sanchez defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Ortega.
Sanchez bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Ortega's head backwards.
Sanchez misses with a looping right.
Sanchez is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Ortega.
No joy there for Ortega, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Ortega tries to clinch but Sanchez is having none of it.
Sanchez is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Sanchez fails with the takedown.
Ortega throws an overhand right that lands on Sanchez's shoulder, as Sanchez tries to avoid the shot.
Sanchez throws a lazy right hand but Ortega sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Ortega throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ortega just misses with a punch to the body.
Ortega lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Ortega pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Ortega on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
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!
Sanchez throws the left hand but Ortega avoids the punch easily.
Sanchez moves out of range as Ortega strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanchez throws a head kick but Ortega moves out of range.
Sanchez throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Sanchez misses with a straight right.
Samuel Sanchez is winning the standup battle so far.
A slow jab from Ortega misses its intended target.
Ortega looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Ortega fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Sanchez manages to avoid it.
Sanchez is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.

Sanchez moves into the clinch successfully.
Sanchez pushes Ortega back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Sanchez misses with a punch on the inside.
Ortega has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Sanchez avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Sanchez stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
A right handed body shot lands from Ortega.
Ortega is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Sanchez pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Samuel Sanchez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Noah Ortega.
Sanchez gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Ortega.
Sanchez lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Sanchez throws a punch but it's blocked by Ortega.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ortega wants a takedown.
Sanchez tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Ortega taking a breather.
Sanchez working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ortega throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.

Sanchez is fighting off a takedown attempt but Ortega is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Sanchez to the mat. Sanchez regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Sanchez is pulling down on Ortega's head to control his posture.
Sanchez lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Sanchez postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sanchez is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Sanchez works over Ortega with some ground and pound from guard.
Noah Ortega has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ortega looking for a sweep. Not yet Ortega, not yet.
Ortega working a defensive guard but Sanchez passes into half guard.

Ortega looking for submissions off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ortega trying to control from the bottom.
Sanchez scoring with strikes to the body and head.
The fighters are battling for position here. Ortega manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Ortega escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Sanchez gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Sanchez lands a couple of digs.
Ortega throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Sanchez landing some decent shots from guard.
Sanchez is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Ortega is trying to control the position but Sanchez postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Ortega thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Ortega being controlled here, momentarily.
Sanchez has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Ortega is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Sanchez makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Ortega wants to sweep here but Sanchez controlling him for the moment.
Ortega controls Sanchez momentarily but Sanchez frees himself.

Ortega has an active guard here but Sanchez has managed to pass into half guard.
Ortega manages to get to full guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Samuel Sanchez dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. 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.

Sanchez misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Ortega with a body punch. A glancing blow.

Sanchez is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Ortega's half guard.
Sanchez is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Ortega trying to control from the bottom.
Ortega tries to get to full guard but Sanchez has control of the leg.
Sanchez lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Ortega wants to get back to full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ortega is staying active underneath Sanchez, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Sanchez scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

Ortega is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Sanchez pulls his head out easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ortega has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Sanchez is working away from the top position though.
Ortega manages to get to full guard.
Ortega lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Sanchez keeping full guard, as Ortega tries to pass.
Sanchez looking to hit a scissor sweep but Ortega is one step ahead there.
Ortega is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ortega trying to control the position from guard on top but Sanchez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ortega trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Ortega passes into half guard.
Ortega thows a huge punch but Sanchez dodges it nicely.

Ortega is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Ortega is looking for a kimura but Sanchez is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Ortega to get the leverage.
Sanchez trying to control but Ortega postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ortega not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez has hold of Ortega's hands but Ortega slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Ortega missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Sanchez is defending against the submission attempts here by Ortega.
Sanchez keeping hold of Ortega's head, controlling as best he can.
Ortega perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Ortega sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Sanchez defending well though.
Sanchez is positioning himself well to prevent Ortega advancing to mount.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

Ortega seems to be looking for submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Ortega thows a huge punch but Sanchez dodges it nicely.
Ortega is just content to waste time from the top position. Sanchez takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Ortega lands a couple of elbows.
Sanchez keeping moving, preventing Ortega from controlling successfully.
Sanchez avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Ortega won't allow Sanchez to sweep him here.
Ortega sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Sanchez's guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Ortega is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Ortega is keen to just control but Sanchez is a slippery customer.

And that's the end of the fight!
Noah Ortega comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Ortega 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 Lou da Vinci scores the fight 28:29
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 28:29
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Noah Ortega!
During a confident post fight interview, Noah Ortega thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.