PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Don Cragen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dawkins Sanchez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cragen's entrance music is Captain Cragen. A fine choice. 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.

Cragen
vs
Sanchez

182 cm
23
181 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

182 cm
25
179 lbs
6 - 10 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Decent boxing
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Don Cragen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Dawkins Sanchez!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Frank Antenori and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cragen shoots in for a double leg but Sanchez sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Sanchez.

Sanchez is trying to get an arm triangle but Cragen is defending well.
Sanchez slows the pace down.

Sanchez goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Cragen has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Sanchez but great work by Cragen.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sanchez wants to control but Cragen postures up.

Cragen is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Sanchez is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanchez sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Cragen not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Cragen wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sanchez keeps working.
Cragen knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Sanchez on the ground.
Sanchez works his way to full guard. Good work.

Sanchez throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Cragen won't allow Sanchez to sweep him here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cragen is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cragen won't allow Sanchez to sweep him here.
Sanchez is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Cragen looking to sit in guard and control but Sanchez gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Sanchez drops back, looking for a kneebar! Cragen looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Cragen looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Cragen!
Sanchez is looking for a sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez can't do much from the bottom here.
Sanchez might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Cragen kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Cragen cracks Sanchez with a big right hand but Sanchez just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Sanchez takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Sanchez is pushing Cragen's head away, looking to escape. Cragen manages to hold on to the position though.

Cragen working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Cragen trying to control the position but Sanchez is working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Cragen asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Cragen throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Cragen lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Sanchez down.

Cragen decides to stand up, so the ref orders Sanchez to his feet.
Cragen with a poor takedown

and Sanchez counters with a single leg into guard. Cragen didn't expect that.
Sanchez wants to control from the top but Cragen keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dawkins Sanchez dominated that 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.

The fight stays on the outside here - Sanchez looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Cragen tries for a takedown but Sanchez circles away easily

and Sanchez counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Sanchez.
Sanchez throws a big right hand that misses.
Cragen looking for a sweep. Not yet Cragen, not yet.
Cragen keeping moving, preventing Sanchez from controlling successfully.
Sanchez passes into half guard.
Sanchez is thwarting Cragen's attempts to control the position.

Sanchez is working for a submission of some sort.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cragen actively working from the bottom here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sanchez passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Cragen!

Sanchez moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Cragen has worked his arm free - good work by Cragen!
Cragen parries the strikes from Sanchez easily there. Sanchez is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Cragen to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Sanchez lands an elbow.
Cragen is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Sanchez is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Cragen has escaped the position, nice work there.
Cragen is working to avoid the ground and pound but Sanchez connects with a decent elbow.

Cragen throws Sanchez to one side and escapes!
Cragen tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cragen with a poor takedown

and Sanchez counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Cragen's guard now.
Sanchez trying to control but Cragen is working from the bottom.
Sanchez forces his way into half guard.

Sanchez is trying to work for a kimura but Cragen is defending well.
Sanchez throwing shots but Cragen is blocking nicely.

Sanchez is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Cragen wants to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sanchez is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Cragen sees it coming and defends easily.
Cragen keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Cragen kicks off Sanchez and gets to his feet.
Sanchez throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Cragen's waist but Cragen gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Sanchez off to one side.
Sanchez shoots for a double leg takedown but Cragen sprawls well. He's pushed Sanchez's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dawkins Sanchez showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Cragen closes this distance looking for a takedown but Sanchez circles away.
Sanchez misses with a few strikes there.

Cragen scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Sanchez is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Cragen working the ground and pound.
Sanchez is trying to control Cragen's posture but Cragen avoids it.
Dawkins Sanchez has got the better of the ground game so far.

Cragen is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Sanchez has escaped the position, nice work there.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sanchez sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanchez tries to roll over but Cragen keeps him under control.
Cragen working Sanchez over with strikes.
Sanchez is trying to get back to full guard.
Sanchez is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Sanchez regains full guard. Nicely done.

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.

Sanchez wriggles free and stands up.

Cragen gets the takedown into side control.
Sanchez is looking to reverse the position.
Sanchez gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Cragen 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.
Cragen wants to pass the guard but Sanchez is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez wants to control but Cragen is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Sanchez blocking the ground and pound attempt from Cragen.
Sanchez is trying to stand back up but Cragen is controlling him
Cragen trying to control from half guard but Sanchez is working away.
Cragen prevents Sanchez from standing back up.
Cragen lands with a punch from half guard.
Cragen prevents Sanchez from improving his position.

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

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Sanchez will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Cragen comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Cragen rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Sanchez moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Cragen looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Sanchez!

Cragen is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Sanchez to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Sanchez shrugs it off.
Cragen throwing strikes here but Sanchez is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Cragen throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Cragen with good strikes from the mount here!
Don Cragen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Dawkins Sanchez is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Sanchez is working to get back to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Don Cragen showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Sanchez has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:29
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dawkins Sanchez!