PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ivo Lens (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Fellacio Sanchez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). 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.

Lens
vs
Sanchez

167 cm
23
152 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

166 cm
24
157 lbs
11 - 8 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Decent wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Ivo Lens!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Fellacio Sanchez!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Marco Blurström and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lens shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Sanchez as he jumps to the side.
Sanchez tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Lens was well out of range. Poor timing from Sanchez.

Lens closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Sanchez to the mat! Sanchez manages to get full guard.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Lens cracks Sanchez with a solid left hand.
Sanchez utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Sanchez keeping moving, preventing Lens from controlling successfully.
Lens being controlled here momentarily.
Sanchez really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Lens. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Lens advances position into side control!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lens thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Lens has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Lens trying to control the position but Sanchez is working away.
Sanchez is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
The ground and pound from Lens seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Sanchez tries to improve position but can't.
Sanchez is not content to let Lens control the position.
Lens lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Sanchez down.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez taking a bit of punishment here - Lens scoring with strikes.
Lens creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Sanchez sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Lens tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Sanchez is pushing Lens's head away, looking to escape. Lens manages to hold on to the position though.
Lens throws an elbow but Sanchez slips to the side and avoids it well.
Lens wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sanchez keeps working.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sanchez wants to control but Lens postures up.
Sanchez avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Lens.
Lens trying to control the action but Sanchez is working from the bottom.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Sanchez can do anything to dispel that myth.
Sanchez is trying to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez is not content to let Lens control the position.
Sanchez stuck in half guard on the bottom here.
Lens advances to full mount.

Lens looking to secure an arm triangle but Sanchez defends it well.
A nice elbow there by Lens.
Sanchez regains half guard.
Lens wants to control but Sanchez is keeping him busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lens tries to pass to full mount but Sanchez defends it.
Lens is taking a breather. Sanchez says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Sanchez is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Lens seems to be working for a kimura but Sanchez defends the submission attempt.
Sanchez trying to control from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lens missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Lens trying to control from half guard but Sanchez is working away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ivo Lens dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Sanchez gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Lens throwing strikes from guard but Sanchez blocks nicely.
Sanchez wants to sweep but no luck.
Lens trying to control the position from guard on top but Sanchez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sanchez is trying to control the position but Lens postures up.
Lens trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Lens wants to control from the top but Sanchez keeps moving.

We're going to have a standup here because Ivo Lens wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Lens shoots for a double leg takedown but Sanchez sprawls well. He's pushed Lens's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanchez scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Lens uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Sanchez.
Nice body kick from Sanchez.
Sanchez avoids the body shot from Lens.
Sanchez throws a hook but Lens avoids it easily.
Sanchez jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Sanchez avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Lens tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sanchez swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Lens tries to clinch up but Sanchez circles away and keeps his distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Lens sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Sanchez misses with an uppercut. Lens saw that one coming.
Nice takedown defense from Sanchez. No joy for Lens on that attempt.
Sanchez throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Ivo Lens seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sanchez leaves Lens with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ivo Lens. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lens looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Sanchez is fending him off so far but Lens persists. Nope, Sanchez circles away and we're back to standing.

Sanchez gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Lens is fighting to break Sanchez's control of his arms but Sanchez is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lens trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Lens loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Ivo Lens overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Lens slips nicely into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lens sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Sanchez defending well though.
Sanchez is looking to improve his position.

Lens is working for a submission of some sort.
Lens is looking to take a break and control but Sanchez is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Lens is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lens not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Lens working over Sanchez with some ground and pound. Sanchez looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Lens seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Sanchez does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Lens trying to pass the guard but Sanchez defending well.
Lens prevents Sanchez from improving his position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lens moves nicely into side control.

Lens has hold of Sanchez's arm here. He's working for an Americana. It looks like he might have it! Sanchez tries to escape but he's just digging himself in deeper - Lens cranks the arm and Sanchez screams in pain! The ref makes a decision and ends the fight before the tap - no complains from Sanchez, who is just happy to have his arm attached to his body.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:56 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Americana). Ivo Lens!