PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between John Slade (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Oscar Sanchez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Slade
vs
Sanchez

182 cm
22
199 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

180 cm
29
185 lbs
14 - 8 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, John Slade!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Oscar Sanchez!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Anni Minnemäki and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sanchez scores with a spinning back kick!
Sanchez uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Slade.
Slade throws a poor cross that misses
and Sanchez counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Slade throws a poor cross that misses

so Sanchez counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Sanchez throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Sanchez trying to control the position from guard on top but Slade is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sanchez with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Slade is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Sanchez is controlling him.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanchez working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Sanchez works over Slade with some ground and pound from guard.

Slade scrambles and gets back to his feet.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Sanchez.
Sanchez is looking to clinch but Slade is avoiding it.
John Slade is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Sanchez fails with an attempt to clinch.
Sanchez gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sanchez gets a double leg takedown into Slade's guard.
Sanchez trying to control but Slade is working from the bottom.
Sanchez wants to pass the guard but Slade is keeping the position.
Slade looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sanchez is one step ahead there.
Sanchez throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Slade wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Slade working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Sanchez.
Sanchez loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Sanchez loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Sanchez trying to control but Slade is working from the bottom.
Slade wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Slade misses with a lunging right hand
and Slade takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Sanchez.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Sanchez rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Slade counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Sanchez takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Slade connects with a nice looking jab.
Sanchez dives in and grabs Slade's left leg, looking for a takedown. Slade pushes down on Sanchez's head and hops out.
John Slade has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Oscar Sanchez.
Slade getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Slade throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Slade takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Sanchez connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Sanchez bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sanchez tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Slade counters with a right hand to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that John Slade will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Sanchez shoots for a double leg takedown but Slade sprawls well. He's pushed Sanchez's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Slade swats away the attempt to clinch by Sanchez.
Slade throws a hook to the side of Sanchez's head but Sanchez sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Sanchez steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Slade.
Slade scores with a jab to the head.
Slade scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Sanchez doesn't seem bothered though.
Slade slips a jab and a cross from Sanchez.
Slade misses with a lunging right hand

and Sanchez counters with a shoot takedown. Slade fights it but they end up in guard.

Slade pushes Sanchez off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanchez works Slade's body with a nice hook.
Slade is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Sanchez scores with a hook.
Sanchez bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Sanchez throws a sloppy body shot
and Slade counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Sanchez is breathing heavily.
Slade throws a right hand that Sanchez ducks under and follows up with a left that Sanchez also avoids with ease.
Slade throws a right hand that misses

and Sanchez moves into the clinch.

Slade escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nice defenses there by Sanchez.
Sanchez takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Slade wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Slade connects with a body shot that sends Sanchez's belly button to the back.
Slade lands a really nice looking cross but Sanchez seems unphased.
Slade will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Slade changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Sanchez showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Slade.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Slade lands an overhand right.
Slade throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Sanchez on the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez slips under a jab from Slade.
Sanchez throws a poor cross that misses
letting Slade counter with a right hand.
Slade misses with a hook

so Sanchez counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Slade pushes Sanchez off and gets back to his feet.
Slade stuffs the takedown.
Slade comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Slade throws a looping overhand right but Sanchez ducks down to avoid it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Slade misses the jab.
Slade throws a series of punches but Sanchez moves out of range.
Slade throws a nice looking combination but Sanchez bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Sanchez closes the distance looking to clinch
and Slade counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Slade swings for the body but Sanchez moves out of range.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sanchez bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Slade's head backwards.
Slade cracks Sanchez with a good jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Slade dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. And we move into the final round!

Slade moves out of range of the body kick.
Slade misses with a lunging right hand
and Sanchez makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
John Slade is winning the standup battle so far.
Sanchez tries to clinch but Slade is having none of it.
Sanchez keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Slade.
Slade misses with the combination.

Sanchez looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Sanchez trying to control the position from guard on top but Slade is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Slade kicks Sanchez off and gets to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Slade stuffs the takedown.
The fighters circle momentarily. Slade darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Sanchez is defended easily by Slade.
Sanchez takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Sanchez tries to clinch but Slade is having none of it.
Sanchez takes a swing at Slade's ribcage but misses.
Sanchez takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez shoots in but Slade avoids the takedown attempt easily.
John Slade has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Oscar Sanchez.
Sanchez fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
A looping hook to the body misses from Slade. Sanchez does a little dance to reset his feet.
Sanchez throws a right hand that misses
and Slade counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Slade tests Sanchez's chin there with a solid looking shot.
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 tries for a takedown but Slade sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Sanchez slips under a jab from Slade.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Slade missing with a left hand there. Sanchez was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Sanchez closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Slade misses with an uppercut. Sanchez saw that one coming.
Sanchez tries to close the distance and clinch up but Slade swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Sanchez fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Slade avoids it really well and circles away.
Sanchez takes one to the chin there.
Slade misses with a right hand
and Sanchez counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Slade throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Sanchez manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Slade on his heels. He'll look to pass Slade's guard now, I'm sure.
Sanchez throws and elbow that misses. Slade uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Sanchez's guard. Nice move by Slade!

Slade stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Oscar Sanchez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Slade lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Sanchez has a takedown stuffed.
Slade connects with a body shot that sends Sanchez's belly button to the back.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Slade showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Slade, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:27
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Slade!