PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Kellan Shay (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Diego Sanchez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Shay
vs
Sanchez

173 cm
20
160 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

180 cm
18
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Kellan Shay!
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, Diego Sanchez!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Chris Downing and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sanchez misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Shay tries to clinch but Sanchez is having none of it.
Sanchez has a takedown stuffed.
Sanchez shoots in for a double leg but Shay sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Kellan Shay has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Diego Sanchez.
Shay listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Shay pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Shay tries to clinch but Sanchez moves out of range.
Shay is looking to clinch.
Sanchez will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Sanchez fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Nice sprawl there from Shay as Sanchez shoots in.

Sanchez gets caught flat footed, as Shay shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Shay content to stall in guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanchez is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Shay looking to sit in guard and control but Sanchez gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Shay looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sanchez is one step ahead there.
Shay keeping moving, preventing Sanchez from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Shay looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Sanchez puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Sanchez slows the pace down in half guard.
Shay is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Shay is working hard here to advance position.
Shay is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez passes to side control.
Shay wants to get back to his feet but Sanchez drags him back down.
Sanchez trying to control the position but Shay is working away.
Shay is looking to reverse the position.
Shay knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Sanchez on the ground.
Sanchez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Shay keeps working.
Sanchez content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Sanchez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Shay keeps working.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Sanchez scoring with punches from side control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Sanchez misses with a takedown attempt

and Shay counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Shay prevents Sanchez from getting back to his feet.

Sanchez wriggles free and stands up.
Sanchez fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kellan Shay dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Sanchez fails in his attempt to clinch.
Shay keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Nice sprawl there from Shay as Sanchez shoots in.
Sanchez misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Shay closes the distance and clinches.
Sanchez lands a knee to the body.
Shay fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Sanchez trying to land knees to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shay wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Sanchez connects with a knee to the head.
Sanchez changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Shay fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Kellan Shay has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Diego Sanchez.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sanchez shoots for a double leg takedown but Shay sprawls well. He's pushed Sanchez's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shay misses with a head kick.
Sanchez tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Shay counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Sanchez is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Sanchez looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez working a defensive guard here.
Sanchez manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Shay manages to get himself to full guard.

Sanchez decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
A punch combination from Shay misses.
Sanchez tries to clinch but Shay moves away

and Shay counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shay wants to control from the top but Sanchez keeps moving.
Sanchez wants to get back to his feet but Shay is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Sanchez looking for a sweep. Not yet Sanchez, not yet.
Sanchez keeping moving, preventing Shay from controlling successfully.
Shay is fighting to break Sanchez's control of his arms but Sanchez is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

Sanchez has his foot on Shay's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Shay works his way back into a safe position though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Sanchez not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Sanchez throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Shay postures up.
Kellan Shay overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Shay preventing the sweep.
Sanchez wants to stand and escape but Shay is having none of it.
Shay won't allow Sanchez to sweep him here.

Sanchez looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Shay passes into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kellan Shay dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. 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.

Shay throws a series of punches but Sanchez moves out of range.
Sanchez tries to clinch there but Shay circles away.
Sanchez tries to clinch but Shay is having none of it.
Sanchez is looking to clinch.
Sanchez misses with a takedown attempt - Shay sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Nice sprawl there from Shay as Sanchez shoots in.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Shay feints and as Sanchez raises his hands in defense, Shay changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Shay trying to move into half guard but instead Sanchez has managed to sweep!
Shay looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanchez trying to control the position from guard on top but Shay is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Shay not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Sanchez accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sanchez controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Sanchez wants to control from the top but Shay keeps moving.
Sanchez postures up.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Sanchez closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Sanchez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Shay keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shay takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Sanchez advances nicely into full mount.
Shay wants to try and get back to his feet.

Sanchez jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Shay manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Shay tries to buck Sanchez off but Sanchez is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez is looking to take a break and control but Shay is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Sanchez decides to stand back up.
Shay tries to clinch but Sanchez moves out of range.

Sanchez moves into the clinch.

Sanchez manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Sanchez looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shay wants to control from the top but Sanchez keeps moving.

Sanchez looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Shay is looking to work some ground and pound but Sanchez has wrist control.
Sanchez is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Shay is trying to escape back to his feet but Sanchez uses the scramble to pass into side control.

Sanchez decides to stand up, so the ref orders Shay to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Diego Sanchez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Shay has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kellan Shay!