PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Paul Westbrook (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Steve Sanchez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sanchez is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Where is My Mind? by Pixies. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Westbrook
vs
Sanchez

163 cm
23
155 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

178 cm
18
155 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Very confident

EVOLUTION Clothing

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Paul Westbrook!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Steve Sanchez!
The judges for this bout are Eddie Farnsworth, Reed Andrews and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sanchez gets caught napping as Westbrook dives in and scores a takedown. Sanchez manages to retain guard.
Westbrook sitting in guard here, content to control.

Sanchez had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Westbrook defends it easily.
Sanchez looking for a sweep. Not yet Sanchez, not yet.
Westbrook is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Westbrook got a little sloppy there for a moment and Sanchez has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Westbrook has managed to get both his arms back between Sanchez's legs - danger averted.

Sanchez throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Westbrook escapes and throws Sanchez's legs to the side, diving into side control!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Westbrook controlling the position from side mount.

Westbrook wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Sanchez, who protects the arm well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanchez tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Westbrook presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sanchez is looking to improve his position but Westbrook isn't that keen on the idea.
Westbrook controlling from mount.
Sanchez tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Sanchez is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Sanchez is working to get back to half guard.
Westbrook unloading with bombs!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez is looking to improve his position but Westbrook isn't that keen on the idea.
Westbrook manages to capitalize on a mistake by Sanchez to take his back!
Sanchez tries to roll but Westbrook sticks to his back.
Westbrook scores with strikes from the back.
Sanchez is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Good control from Westbrook.
Sanchez manages to reverse the position and now he's in Westbrook's guard. Nice work there by Sanchez.
My spies in School of Hard Knocks (Elite Training for $225) inform me that Sanchez has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
Westbrook keeping moving, preventing Sanchez from controlling successfully.
Westbrook might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Sanchez stopping the sweep attempt from Westbrook.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Westbrook swivels though and keeps the full guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Westbrook holds on and takes a little breather.
Westbrook looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Westbrook holds on and takes a little breather.
Westbrook keeping full guard, as Sanchez tries to pass.

Sanchez is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Westbrook is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Westbrook has escaped and now he's on top!

Sanchez working for submissions but it's allowed Westbrook to get to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Westbrook wants to get back to his feet.
Sanchez tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Westbrook has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Westbrook sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sanchez slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Westbrook shoots in looking for a takedown. Sanchez tries to sprawl out of it but Westbrook keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Sanchez manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Sanchez now looks to counter with a shot at the body.

Westbrook closes the distance and pushes Sanchez back into the cage.
Sanchez on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sanchez misses with the head strike.

Westbrook breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Westbrook circles away from the clinch attempt

and Westbrook counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Westbrook.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Westbrook tries to stand but Sanchez is controlling from the bottom.

Sanchez has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Westbrook is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Sanchez.
Sanchez is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Westbrook is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Sanchez can do to turn this around?

Westbrook working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Westbrook gets to mount! Sanchez was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez is working to get back to half guard.
Westbrook fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Paul Westbrook overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Sanchez sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Westbrook is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

Sanchez actively working from the bottom here.
Sanchez moves into full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Westbrook wanted to stand there but Sanchez had control of the position.

Sanchez has his foot on Westbrook's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Westbrook works his way back into a safe position though.

Sanchez is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Westbrook is aware though and is defending well.
Westbrook makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Westbrook passes Sanchez's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Westbrook is controlling the pace.
Westbrook passes to full mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Westbrook with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Sanchez is trying desperately to improve position.
Sanchez looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Westbrook biding his time, looking for the opening.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul Westbrook dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Sanchez wants to clinch.

Westbrook has managed to clinch.
Sanchez blocks an elbow strike from Westbrook.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Westbrook has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Sanchez is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Westbrook has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Sanchez after a bit of a struggle.

Westbrook ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Westbrook no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Westbrook keeping moving, preventing Sanchez from controlling successfully.
Westbrook pulls Sanchez in to control the position.
Westbrook on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Westbrook tries to get out of the position.
Westbrook is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Westbrook with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

Sanchez looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Sanchez looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Westbrook landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Westbrook scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Westbrook with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

Sanchez looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Westbrook is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Westbrook perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Sanchez makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Sanchez.
Westbrook wants to stand but Sanchez has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Sanchez throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Westbrook escapes and throws Sanchez's legs to the side, diving into side control!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez is looking to regain half guard here but Westbrook keeps moving and retains side control.
Sanchez is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Westbrook perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

Sanchez looking for submissions off his back.
Sanchez takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Sanchez is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Westbrook scores with a couple of nice shots.
Westbrook winds up and cracks Sanchez with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sanchez tries to get to full guard but Westbrook has control of the leg.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Westbrook wants to pass the guard but Sanchez is defending well.

Sanchez actively working from the bottom here.
Still in half guard, Westbrook seems content to control.
Westbrook is looking to advance position but Sanchez won't allow it.
Sanchez wants to improve his position but Westbrook is controlling well.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Sanchez is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Westbrook pulls his head out easily.
Steve Sanchez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Paul Westbrook is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Sanchez wants to get back to full guard but Westbrook has passed into side control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paul Westbrook showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Westbrook has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 30:27
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 30:27
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Paul Westbrook!