PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rafael Sanchez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Victor Salbahis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Sanchez
vs
Salbahis

190 cm
25
290 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

192 cm
25
275 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Rafael Sanchez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Victor Salbahis!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Salbahis tries to land a front kick but Sanchez steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Sanchez swats away the attempt to clinch by Salbahis.
Salbahis fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Sanchez is out of range.
Sanchez throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Sanchez is looking to score with low kicks.
Sanchez fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Salbahis has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Salbahis checks the leg kick nicely there.
Salbahis chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Sanchez can pounce on him.
Salbahis is looking to land body kicks.
Sanchez lands with a thumping leg kick.
Salbahis looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
The fight stays on the outside here - Salbahis looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Salbahis blocks a head kick by Sanchez.
Sanchez swats away the attempt to clinch by Salbahis.
Salbahis throws a head kick but Sanchez moves out of range.
Sanchez throws a push kick but Salbahis slaps the foot to one side.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salbahis tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Salbahis throws a body kick that misses.
Sanchez tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.

Salbahis clinches with his opponent.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

Salbahis breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Sanchez takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Salbahis tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Salbahis checks a low kick from Sanchez.
Salbahis throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Sanchez misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Salbahis moves into the clinch successfully.
Sanchez is looking to control Salbahis's arms but Salbahis gets an underhook and turns him. Now Sanchez has his back to the cage.
The referee calls for Sanchez to work.
Salbahis misses with a hook from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A right hand to the body from Salbahis.
Salbahis pushes Sanchez back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sanchez wants to stall.
Sanchez is breathing heavily.
Salbahis using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Sanchez has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Salbahis misses with a short punch on the inside.
Salbahis misses with a body punch.
Sanchez is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Salbahis doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Salbahis has Sanchez pressed against the cage, preventing Sanchez from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Salbahis lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Salbahis working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Victor Salbahis dominated that round.
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. This is the final round!

Salbahis closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Salbahis can't find room to land a body shot as Sanchez controls the action.
Salbahis tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Sanchez taking a breather.
Salbahis prevents Sanchez from breaking the clinch.
Salbahis with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Salbahis tries to land a knee to the head but Sanchez blocks with his arms.
Salbahis can't find room to land a body shot as Sanchez controls the action.

Salbahis escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Salbahis scores with the left hand. Sanchez knows he should have avoided that one.
Salbahis misses with a head kick.
Salbahis on the wrong end of a nice hook.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Salbahis tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Salbahis looks to throw the jab but Sanchez is out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Sanchez.
Salbahis throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Sanchez wants to slow Salbahis down by chopping away at his legs.
Sanchez pivots, looking for a leg kick but Salbahis is out of range and Sanchez settles back down.
Sanchez throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Salbahis is looking to chop away at Sanchez's legs.
Salbahis moves out of range of the leg kick from Sanchez.
Sanchez throws a leg kick but Salbahis sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Salbahis throws a sloppy head kick and Sanchez moves out of range easily.
Sanchez checks a low kick from Salbahis.
Salbahis takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Salbahis is breathing heavily.
Sanchez misses with a leg kick.
Sanchez moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Sanchez thumps Salbahis with a low kick.
Salbahis tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Rafael Sanchez is winning the standup battle so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sanchez throws a head kick that half lands.
Sanchez throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Sanchez avoids the head kick by Salbahis.
Salbahis fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
A lazy body kick from Salbahis
and Sanchez counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Sanchez throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Sanchez lands with a kick to the ribs.
Sanchez throws a leg kick but Salbahis moved away.
Sanchez dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Salbahis. That did some damage!
Salbahis wants to clinch.
Sanchez throws a leg kick that misses.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Sanchez dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Salbahis gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Sanchez counters with a head kick. That will keep Salbahis thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

And that's the end of the fight!
Rafael Sanchez showed his dominance in that final round.
I have no idea who won that fight. Let's wait and see whether the judges are as confused as me! Time for a split decision perhaps?!. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight for Rafael Sanchez!
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight for Rafael Sanchez!
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight for Rafael Sanchez!

Rafael Sanchez wins by unanimous decision!
A victorious Rafael Sanchez thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.