PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Matt Byrnes (ranked 4679 p4p, 0 weight class) and Leon Pablo Sanchez (ranked 4702 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Byrnes
vs
Pablo Sanchez

178 cm
22
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
25
156 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Matt Byrnes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Leon Pablo Sanchez!
The judges for this bout are David Schapiro, Chad Campbell and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Byrnes shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Byrnes frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Byrnes trying to control but Sanchez is having none of it.
Byrnes controlling his opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Byrnes looking to control but Sanchez is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Byrnes with a couple of short strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanchez is looking to get to half guard.
Byrnes raining down shots from the mount!
Sanchez wants to control but Byrnes is having none of it.
Sanchez is looking to improve his position but Byrnes isn't that keen on the idea.
Sanchez is still trying to improve position.
Byrnes connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Byrnes content just to control the position here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Byrnes looking to control but Sanchez is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Sanchez is trying to stand up.

Byrnes is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Sanchez has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Sanchez is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Sanchez might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Byrnes haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Byrnes landing shots from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Byrnes with shots to the head and body - Sanchez looks very uncomfortable down there.
Byrnes fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Byrnes lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Byrnes looking to control but Sanchez is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Byrnes controlling the position easily from mount.
Byrnes lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Byrnes tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Byrnes landing strikes, looking to finish!
Sanchez tries to lock up and control but Byrnes gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Byrnes sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Byrnes dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

No luck for Sanchez with that takedown attempt.
Sanchez tries a head kick but it misses.
Byrnes throwing a counter right hand but Sanchez manages to avoid it.
Sanchez fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

Byrnes gets a double leg takedown into Sanchez's guard.
Sanchez working a defensive guard here.
Byrnes advances position into side control!

Byrnes is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Sanchez is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Byrnes tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Byrnes fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Byrnes wants to stand but Sanchez is controlling his arm.
Byrnes is looking to take a break and control but Sanchez is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Sanchez takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.

That's two 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 is looking to reverse the position.

Byrnes tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Byrnes thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Byrnes has control of an arm but Sanchez manages to advance to Byrnes's back!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Byrnes rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Byrnes wants to control but Sanchez is keeping busy.
Byrnes is in trouble now - Sanchez has advanced to mount!
Byrnes working to try and regain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez trying to control but Byrnes is having none of it.
Byrnes is looking to improve his position but Sanchez isn't that keen on the idea.
Byrnes swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Sanchez trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Matt Byrnes overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Sanchez throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Leon Pablo Sanchez will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Byrnes moves out of range of the body kick.
Byrnes tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Sanchez manages to circle out of the way.

Byrnes closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Sanchez's guard.
Byrnes preventing the sweep.
Byrnes passes into half guard.
Byrnes tries to stand but can't do so whilst Sanchez controls his leg.
Byrnes is thwarting Sanchez's attempts to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sanchez is staying active underneath Byrnes, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Byrnes wants to work for an arm triangle but Sanchez is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Byrnes stalling away here and it's allowed Sanchez to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Byrnes trying to control but Sanchez is working from the bottom.
Sanchez pulls Byrnes in close to prevent any damage.
Sanchez being controlled here, momentarily.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Matt Byrnes is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Byrnes closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Byrnes lands in his opponent's guard.
Sanchez wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Byrnes manages to pass to side control.

Byrnes is looking to advance position but Sanchez won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Byrnes 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.
Byrnes wants to stand but Sanchez has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Byrnes is looking to take a break and control but Sanchez is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Sanchez is looking to improve his position.

Byrnes is looking for a kimura but Sanchez is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Byrnes to get the leverage.
Sanchez trying to control but Byrnes postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Byrnes decides to stand up.
Sanchez tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Byrnes paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Sanchez sizes up Byrnes with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Sanchez is looking to clinch.
Byrnes shoots in for a takedown but Sanchez shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Sanchez looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Byrnes is fending him off so far but Sanchez persists. Nope, Byrnes circles away and we're back to standing.
Byrnes is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Sanchez.
Byrnes swats away the attempt to clinch by Sanchez.
Byrnes is looking to counter with a body kick.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Sanchez misses with a jab, cross combination.

Byrnes clinches up against the cage.

Byrnes has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Sanchez regains guard immediately.

Sanchez has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Byrnes has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Leon Pablo Sanchez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
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 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 29:27

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Leon Pablo Sanchez!