PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Diego Sanchez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tom Delong (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sanchez comes to the cage accompanied by Higher Brain Pattern. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Sanchez
vs
Delong

178 cm
25
173 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

190 cm
18
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Diego Sanchez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tom Delong!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Wesley Smith and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sanchez gets a takedown into half guard.
Sanchez content to control rather than advance.
Delong is trying to escape back to his feet but Sanchez uses the scramble to pass into side control.
Sanchez controlling the position.

Sanchez decides to stand back up. Sanchez steps back and let's Delong get back to his feet.
Delong tries to close the distance and clinch but Sanchez swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Sanchez fails in his attempt to clinch.
Delong tries to clinch there but Sanchez circles away.
Sanchez fails to land with a series of punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanchez fails to land the takedown.
Delong tries to clinch up

and Sanchez counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Sanchez.
Delong gets through Sanchez's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Sanchez throws a head punch that misses.
Sanchez tries to break the clinch but Delong is controlling the position.

Sanchez drags the fight down to the ground.
Delong is looking to stand up but Sanchez won't let him.
Delong is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Sanchez wants to sweep here but Delong controlling him for the moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Delong wants to stand but Sanchez has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Delong wants to stand and escape but instead Sanchez has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Sanchez stands up from Delong's guard - Sanchez perhaps looking for a knockout.
Delong looks gassed!
Sanchez circles away from the clinch attempt
and Sanchez counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Sanchez shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Delong but Delong pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Delong displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Sanchez.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Diego Sanchez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sanchez tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Delong paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Delong wants to clinch
and Sanchez counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Delong tries to clinch but Sanchez moves away
and Sanchez counters with a straight right hand.
Delong keeps the fight on the outside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Delong keeps the fight on the outside.
Delong tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Sanchez counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Sanchez.
Sanchez trying to control the position from guard on top but Delong is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Sanchez controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Delong is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Sanchez dives into side control.

Sanchez decides to take the fight back to the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez fails in his attempt to clinch.
Sanchez tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Delong swivels and escapes.
Sanchez fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Delong looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

Sanchez moves into the clinch successfully.
Sanchez has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Delong is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Delong fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Sanchez wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Delong misses with a short punch on the inside.

Sanchez breaks the clinch.
Sanchez is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Sanchez closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Sanchez wants to stall.
Delong pushes off an throws an elbow but Sanchez leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Sanchez drags the fight down to the ground.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sanchez controlling Delong's posture.
Sanchez throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Diego Sanchez dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Sanchez doesn't manage to clinch there - Delong circles away.
Sanchez tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Delong paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Delong fails with an attempt to clinch.

Sanchez tries to keep at a distance but Delong has taken the fight into the clinch.
Sanchez blocks an uppercut.
Delong misses with the head strike.

Sanchez pulls guard successfully.

Sanchez is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Sanchez pushes a forearm under Delong's chin to create some space. He's escaped his hips and pivoted quickly for an armbar! Can he extend the arm? Yes, Delong is tapping out! Damn, that was fast!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:47 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Diego Sanchez!