PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Johan Apanson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Oswaldo Sanchez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Sanchez's choice of entrance music: In The Ghetto - By Elvis Presley. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Apanson
vs
Sanchez

190 cm
23
195 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

183 cm
24
195 lbs
12 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Johan Apanson!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Oswaldo Sanchez!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Johanna Lukiainen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A looping hook to the body misses from Sanchez. Apanson does a little dance to reset his feet.
Sanchez keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Apanson.
Good leg kick by Apanson there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Apanson throws a leg kick
and Sanchez counters with a nice uppercut.
Apanson misses with an uppercut
and Sanchez counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Apanson lands a head kick. Sanchez smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
A solid leg kick lands there for Apanson.
Apanson with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Apanson lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Sanchez avoids the body shot from Apanson.
A low kick from Apanson misses
enabling Sanchez to counter with a crisp jab.
Apanson lands with an overhand left.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A low kick from Apanson misses
and Sanchez counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Apanson lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Apanson throws a leg kick
enabling Sanchez to counter with a crisp jab.
Sanchez steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Apanson.
Apanson misses with a body shot.
Sanchez takes a swing at Apanson's ribcage but misses.
Apanson moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Some bone on bone action there as Apanson checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Apanson moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Sanchez throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez ducks right into an uppercut from Apanson.
Apanson looks to land a left hand but Sanchez moved out of range nicely.
Apanson misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Sanchez.
Johan Apanson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Apanson lands a really nice looking cross but Sanchez seems unphased.
Apanson lands a slapping body shot.
Sanchez dodges the punch combination from Apanson.
Apanson lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Sanchez checks a low kick from Apanson.
Apanson works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Apanson lands a nice leg kick that just misses Sanchez's sensitive parts.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Apanson drives through with a takedown into guard.
Apanson wants to pass the guard but Sanchez is keeping the position.
Apanson with a flurry of punches that miss.
Apanson postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Sanchez avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Apanson drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Apanson jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Sanchez can do anything to dispel that myth.
Sanchez preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Apanson missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Sanchez preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Sanchez wants to sweep here but Apanson controlling him for the moment.
Sanchez is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
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.
Apanson trying to control the position from guard on top but Sanchez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sanchez is trying to control the position but Apanson postures up.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Sanchez working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Apanson.
Apanson postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Apanson loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Apanson trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Sanchez looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Apanson content to stall in guard here.
Sanchez preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Johan Apanson dominated that round.
That's time! Apanson's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Sanchez throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Apanson connects with a right hand. Sanchez shakes it off.
Sanchez throws a sloppy body shot
and Apanson counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Sanchez misses with a hook to the body
and Apanson counters with a big head kick but Sanchez shrugs it off.
Apanson thows a leg kick but Sanchez checks it
and Sanchez counters with a straight right hand.
A big right from Apanson misses.
A decent looking cross lands there for Apanson.
Apanson scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Apanson takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Apanson thows a leg kick but Sanchez checks it
and Sanchez counters with a stiff right hand.
Sanchez shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A lazy left from Apanson finds it's target.
Sanchez swings away with a body shot that misses
and Apanson counters with a slapping leg kick.
Johan Apanson is winning the standup battle so far.
Apanson throws an off balance right hand
and Sanchez counters with a right hand to the body.
Apanson lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Sanchez stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Apanson.
Sanchez lands with a right hand.
Apanson throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Apanson connects with a solid leg kick.
Apanson rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Sanchez counters with a three punch combo that has Apanson backing up. Apanson nods at Sanchez to acknowledge the strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Apanson throws the kick towards the body but Sanchez avoids it.
Apanson throws a leg kick that is checked
and Sanchez counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Apanson scores with a leg kick.
Apanson misses with a takedown attempt - Sanchez sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sanchez has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Apanson.
Apanson throws a right hand that misses
and Sanchez counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
A jab from Sanchez misses.
Apanson is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Sanchez avoids the head kick by Apanson.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Apanson closes the distance and clinches up with Sanchez, looking for a takedown. Apanson pushes Sanchez against the cage but Sanchez circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Sanchez slaps away a takedown attempt from Apanson, before circling back to the center of the mat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Johan Apanson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Apanson pivots, looking for a leg kick but Sanchez is out of range and Apanson settles back down.
Apanson tries a low kick but Sanchez avoids it.
Sanchez tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Apanson is able to avoid easily.
Apanson misses with a jab to the body
and Sanchez counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Apanson thinking.
Apanson throws a right hand that misses
and Sanchez counters with a stiff right hand.
Sanchez has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Apanson.
Apanson connects with a leg kick. Sanchez looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Apanson bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Sanchez is trying to control Apanson's posture but Apanson avoids it.
Apanson has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
An elbow from Apanson crashes against the mat.
Sanchez is trying to control Apanson's posture but Apanson avoids it.
Apanson controlling the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
The ground and pound from Apanson seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Apanson in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Sanchez is letting Apanson control him for a moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Johan Apanson will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

An inside leg kick from Apanson misses.
Apanson pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Apanson lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Apanson uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Sanchez.
Sanchez throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Apanson throws a head kick that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Apanson will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Apanson throws a solid leg kick but Sanchez takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Apanson.
Sanchez's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
A slow jab from Apanson misses its intended target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanchez takes a kick to the side of the head.
Sanchez moves out of range as Apanson throws a body kick.
Apanson throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Sanchez moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Apanson tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Sanchez is able to avoid easily.
Apanson tries to work over Sanchez's front leg with a kick but Sanchez checks it.
Apanson missing with a left hand there. Sanchez was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
No luck for Apanson with that takedown attempt.
A low kick from Apanson is predictable there
and Sanchez counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Apanson thinking.
Apanson throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Sanchez counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Apanson doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Sanchez counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Johan Apanson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Apanson swings for the body but Sanchez moves out of range.
Apanson shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Sanchez pinned against the cage. Sanchez gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Apanson throws a leg kick
and Sanchez counters with a low kick, right behind Apanson 's knee.
Apanson scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Sanchez checks a leg kick.
Sanchez on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Apanson misses with a wild body shot.
Sanchez scores with a jab to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice body kick there by Apanson.
Sanchez throws a predictable looking body shot
and Apanson counters with a nice body kick.
Apanson looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Apanson looks for a takedown but Sanchez sprawls well.
Sanchez is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Apanson rather than just go for the knockout.
Apanson misses with a right hand
and Sanchez counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
A jab from Apanson misses.
Apanson misses with a leg kick
and Sanchez counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Oswaldo Sanchez is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Sanchez keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Apanson tries to land a body kick

and Sanchez counters by clinching up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sanchez manages to break the clinch.
An inside leg kick lands from Apanson.
Sanchez tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Apanson misses with a head kick.
Apanson throws a body kick, spinning off balance
enabling Sanchez to counter with a crisp jab.
Sanchez just misses with a punch to the body.
Apanson scores with a shot to the body.
Sanchez moves out of range of the body kick from Apanson.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sanchez bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Sanchez checks a leg kick nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Apanson shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Sanchez manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Apanson postures up.
Sanchez looking to hit a scissor sweep but Apanson is one step ahead there.
Apanson throwing strikes from guard but Sanchez blocks nicely.
Apanson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Apanson postures up.
Sanchez avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Apanson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sanchez is keeping the position for now.
Apanson wants to control from the top but Sanchez keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Apanson tries to free his leg and advance position but Sanchez is retaining full guard.
Sanchez keeping moving, preventing Apanson from controlling successfully.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Apanson tests Sanchez's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Sanchez throws a lazy head kick
and Apanson counters with a leg kick.
Jab by Sanchez.
Apanson throws a leg kick
letting Sanchez counter with a right hand.
Apanson misses with a right hand
and Sanchez counters with a stiff right hand.
Apanson circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Apanson misses with a low kick.
An inside leg kick lands from Apanson.
Apanson swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Apanson throws a nice inside leg kick.
Sanchez closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Sanchez throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Apanson looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Apanson looks for the body kick but Sanchez saw that one coming.
Apanson throws a head kick that misses
and Sanchez counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Apanson thinking.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez throws a hook but Apanson blocks it.
A low kick from Apanson misses
and Sanchez counters with a leg kick.
Apanson misses with a straight right.
Apanson throws a low kick, looking for Sanchez's leg but Sanchez calmly moves out of range.
A solid body kick from Apanson.
A low kick from Apanson misses
and Sanchez counters with a nice low kick that buckles Apanson's knee momentarily.
Apanson connects with the punch.
Apanson throws a leg kick but Sanchez checks it.
Apanson throws a leg kick that is checked
and Sanchez counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Apanson misses with a left hand
and Sanchez makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Sanchez. Apanson does a little dance to reset his feet.
Apanson throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Sanchez misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Apanson.
A nice leg kick lands there from Apanson.
Apanson misses with a wild body shot.
Apanson swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Apanson throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Sanchez makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Sanchez scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Apanson doesn't seem bothered though.
Sanchez avoids the head kick by Apanson.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Oswaldo Sanchez dominated that fourth round.
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!

Apanson fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Sanchez.
Apanson bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Apanson thows a leg kick but Sanchez checks it
and Sanchez counters with a series of strikes. Apanson will be more careful next time no doubt.
Apanson misses with a looping right.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Apanson.
Apanson lands with an uppercut that bounces Sanchez off the cage and back into rage.
Apanson misses with a straight right.
Apanson misses with a straight left.
Apanson lands a leg kick that knocks Sanchez off balance momentarily.
Apanson's jab looks to have found its range, popping Sanchez under the eye.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Apanson scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Sanchez steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Apanson. That one must have hurt.
A bone on bone clash there as Sanchez blocks the leg kick.
Sanchez throws a looping overhand right but Apanson ducks down to avoid it.
Apanson fails to land the takedown.
Apanson throws a left and a right that both miss
and Sanchez counters with a straight right hand.
Apanson throws out a loose jab but Sanchez uses good head movement to avoid it.
Apanson throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Sanchez takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Apanson throws a lazy uppercut
letting Sanchez counter with a right hand.
Apanson thows a leg kick but Sanchez checks it
enabling Sanchez to counter with a crisp jab.
Apanson avoids the body shot from Sanchez.
The fighters circling - Apanson throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Apanson falls off balance throwing a combination
and Sanchez counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Apanson lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Sanchez avoids the body shot from Apanson.
Apanson looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Apanson throws a quick inside leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Apanson misses with an attempted mid kick.
Sanchez tries to clinch there but Apanson circles away.
Sanchez tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.

Apanson changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Sanchez looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Sanchez tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Sanchez is trying to control Apanson's posture but Apanson avoids it.

Apanson tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Apanson in side control lands a decent elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Apanson has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Apanson wants to control but Sanchez is keeping him busy.
Sanchez tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Sanchez is wobbling all over the place through exhaustion. Will he make it to the final bell?

Apanson is trying to get an arm triangle but Sanchez is defending well.

And that's the end of the fight!
Johan Apanson showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Apanson 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 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 48:48
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 48:48
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 48:47

The fight is ruled a majority draw!
Johan Apanson retains his title. It's always disappointing when a championship fight ends as a draw but that's what happens when you leave the fight in the judges hands!