PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Oswaldo Sanchez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Carlos Rivera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sanchez comes to the cage accompanied by In The Ghetto - By Elvis Presley. Rivera has chosen Your Hand in Mine as his entrance music. 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.

Sanchez
vs
Rivera

183 cm
25
195 lbs
12 - 3 - 1

190 cm
26
197 lbs
16 - 7 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Heavy handed

Milwaukee's Best $48 - 159's

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Oswaldo Sanchez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 7 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Carlos Rivera!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Roosa Järviläinen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sanchez stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Rivera paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Rivera attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Sanchez throws a right hand that Rivera ducks under and follows up with a left that Rivera also avoids with ease.
Rivera throws a jab when Sanchez was well out of range.
Rivera takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Rivera.
Rivera moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Rivera connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Sanchez jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Rivera thows a leg kick but Sanchez checks it
and Sanchez counters with a body kick that stops Rivera in his tracks momentarily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rivera throws a body punch but Sanchez moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanchez avoids the body shot from Rivera.
Sanchez takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Rivera wants to slow Sanchez down by chopping away at his legs.
Rivera fails to land the takedown.
Rivera checks a leg kick nicely.
Rivera moves out of range as Sanchez throws a body kick.
Sanchez wants to clinch up but Rivera keeps it at a distance.
Rivera tries to land a body kick
and Sanchez counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Sanchez moves out of range of the leg kick from Rivera.
Sanchez scores with a jab to the jaw.
Rivera tests Sanchez's chin there with a solid looking shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Rivera manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Sanchez wants to land a leg kick but Rivera is out of range.
Sanchez lunges at Rivera with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Rivera's hand.
Rivera looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Sanchez is fending him off so far but Rivera persists. Nope, Sanchez circles away and we're back to standing.
Oswaldo Sanchez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Carlos Rivera.
Rivera drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Sanchez throws a shot from downtown. Rivera moves away and avoids it.
Rivera clobbers Sanchez with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Oswaldo Sanchez is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Nice defenses there by Sanchez.
Rivera throws a jab when Sanchez was well out of range.
Rivera circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivera finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Sanchez tries to move into range but Rivera moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Rivera throws a body punch but Sanchez moves out of range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Sanchez. Rivera does a little dance to reset his feet.
Rivera shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Sanchez pinned against the cage. Sanchez gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Sanchez moves away from the strike by Rivera.
Rivera throws a series of punches but Sanchez avoids them all with ease.
Rivera throws the left hand but Sanchez avoids the punch easily.
Rivera throws the kick towards the body but Sanchez avoids it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A low kick from Rivera misses
and Sanchez counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Rivera scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Sanchez misses the jab.
Sanchez keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Rivera uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Sanchez.
Sanchez wants to slow Rivera down by chopping away at his legs.
Rivera staying out of range there.
Carlos Rivera seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rivera throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Rivera loads up on a big right hand but Sanchez slips the punch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rivera shoots in for a takedown but Sanchez shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Sanchez finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Sanchez throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Rivera sees it coming and avoids it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Carlos Rivera dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Sanchez throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Rivera stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Sanchez lands a jab to the nose.
Rivera shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Sanchez sprawls well. Sanchez wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Rivera gets slowly back to his feet.
Rivera lands a jab to Sanchez's midsection.
Sanchez lands a head shot.
A jab from Rivera misses.
Rivera throws a predictable looking body shot
and Sanchez counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Sanchez thows a body shot but no joy.
Rivera fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Sanchez looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Rivera throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rivera misses the shot to the body.
Sanchez misses with a shot to the body
and Rivera cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Rivera has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Rivera takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Sanchez throws a leg kick
and Rivera counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Rivera shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Sanchez pinned against the cage. Sanchez gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Rivera lands a jab.
Rivera throws a quick inside leg kick.
Rivera throws a body punch but Sanchez moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez punishes Rivera's body with a nice straight punch.
Rivera fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Sanchez manages to avoid it.
A looping hook to the body misses from Rivera. Sanchez does a little dance to reset his feet.
Rivera connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.

Sanchez moves into the clinch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sanchez misses with a short punch on the inside.
Sanchez misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Rivera misses with a hook to the ribs.
A body shot lands from Sanchez.
Sanchez has a couple of punches blocked by Rivera.
Rivera takes a shot to the head.
Rivera doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Sanchez misses with a short punch on the inside.
The referee is keeping an eye on Rivera - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez throws a head punch that misses.
Rivera goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Sanchez misses with some punches.
Sanchez struggles to land a body shot inside as Rivera controls his hands.
Sanchez can't find room to land a body shot as Rivera controls the action.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Rivera.
Rivera tries to work over Sanchez's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A head punch on the inside from Sanchez fails to land.
Sanchez misses with a punch on the inside.
A nice right hand lands inside from Sanchez.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Sanchez struggles to land a body shot inside as Rivera controls his hands.
Sanchez misses with some punches.
Nice body punch from Rivera - that landed with a thud.
Sanchez has a couple of punches blocked by Rivera.
Sanchez softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rivera lands a right hand that snaps the head of Sanchez backwards.
Sanchez swings wildly with an uppercut but Rivera uses good head movement to avoid it.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sanchez misses with the head strike.
Rivera doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Sanchez blocks an uppercut.
A right handed body shot lands from Rivera.
Sanchez misses with a short punch on the inside.
Rivera misses with a hook from the clinch.
Rivera blocks a body shot from Sanchez.
Rivera stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Sanchez tries to work over Rivera's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Rivera prevents a body shot from Sanchez.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A head punch on the inside from Sanchez fails to land.
Rivera trying to control the position but instead, Sanchez has worked for underhooks and has pushed Rivera into the cage.
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 Oswaldo Sanchez will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Rivera shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Rivera looking to control but Sanchez is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Rivera sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

Rivera stands up from mount. Strange move.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanchez blocks a head kick by Rivera.
Sanchez takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Rivera just misses with a punch to the body.
Rivera throws a series of punches but Sanchez moves out of range.
Sanchez jabs Rivera right on the nose. Rivera blinks but takes it well.
Carlos Rivera seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Sanchez swings for the body but Rivera moves out of range.
Rivera dives in and grabs Sanchez's left leg, looking for a takedown. Sanchez pushes down on Rivera's head and hops out.
Sanchez takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Rivera shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Sanchez defends it nicely.
Rivera takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Sanchez catches Rivera with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Sanchez's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Sanchez duly obliges.
Rivera keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Rivera ducks right into an uppercut from Sanchez.
Rivera has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Sanchez.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sanchez scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Rivera ducks under a wild hook from Sanchez.
Rivera clobbers Sanchez with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Rivera throws a shot from downtown. Sanchez moves away and avoids it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivera will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Rivera throws an overhand right that lands on Sanchez's shoulder, as Sanchez tries to avoid the shot.
Rivera looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Sanchez blocks the body kick.
Sanchez avoids the body shot from Rivera.
Some bone on bone action there as Rivera checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Rivera tries to land a leg kick but Sanchez saw it coming and moves away.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Rivera.
Oswaldo Sanchez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Carlos Rivera.
Rivera throws an overhand right that lands on Sanchez's shoulder, as Sanchez tries to avoid the shot.
Sanchez throws the kick towards the body but Rivera avoids it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A solid leg kick lands there for Sanchez.
Rivera throws the left hand but Sanchez avoids the punch easily.
Rivera misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Sanchez.
Rivera tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Sanchez was well out of range. Poor timing from Rivera.
Rivera dips to his left and cracks Sanchez with an uppercut!
Rivera moves away from the strike by Sanchez.
Sanchez throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Sanchez slips a straight right by Rivera.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sanchez lands a nice leg kick that just misses Rivera's sensitive parts.
Sanchez fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Rivera looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Sanchez changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Carlos Rivera.
I think Rivera 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 27:30
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 29:30

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Carlos Rivera!