PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Diago Sanchez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Katana (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sanchez comes to the cage accompanied by Coming Home. Katana has chosen Baby got back as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Diago Sanchez has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Sanchez
vs
Katana

180 cm
29
150 lbs
21 - 7 - 1

160 cm
30
160 lbs
14 - 12 - 0

Good takedowns
Solid boxing
Big right hand

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

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 21 - 7 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Diago Sanchez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, James Katana!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sanchez shoots in for a double leg but Katana sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Diago Sanchez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sanchez looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Sanchez tries to move into range but Katana moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Katana's corner calls for a 1-2. Katana obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Sanchez misses the shot to the body.
Katana cracks Sanchez with an open hand slap.
Sanchez fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
The fighters circling - Katana throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Sanchez throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Katana ducks right into an uppercut from Sanchez.
Katana shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Sanchez eats them both and turns towards Katana to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Katana misses with a hook. Sanchez ducked under it nicely.
Sanchez slips under a jab.
Sanchez throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Sanchez misses with a combination
and Katana counters with a left and a right that stings Sanchez.
Sanchez shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Katana counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Diago Sanchez. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Sanchez.

Sanchez closes the distance and clinches.
Katana can't break the clinch.
Katana working hard to break the clinch.
Katana wants to break the clinch but can't.
Sanchez working aggressively here.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Katana.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Sanchez just misses with a elbow thrown towards Katana's brow.
Katana has had enough of the clinch but Sanchez keeps him there for the moment.
Katana tries to circle away but Sanchez has him pinned against the cage.
Katana is trying to push Sanchez away but Sanchez has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Katana can't break the clinch.
Katana has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Sanchez misses with a punch on the inside.
Katana takes a shot to the head.
Katana wants to break the clinch but can't.

Katana gets a trip takedown into half guard.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Sanchez is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Sanchez is looking to control Katana's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Sanchez avoid being mounted?
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.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Sanchez changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Katana tries to avoid it but Sanchez manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Katana to the ground. Katana escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Sanchez just misses with a punch to the body.
Katana throws a big shot that misses.
Katana throws a body punch but Sanchez moves out of range.
Katana misses with a straight right.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Katana rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Sanchez counters with an inside leg kick.
Sanchez cracks Katana with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but James Katana will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Sanchez throws a hook to the side of Katana's head but Katana sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Sanchez scores with a jab to the body.
Sanchez lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Sanchez misses with a left hand
and Katana counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Sanchez doesn't manage to clinch there - Katana circles away.
Sanchez doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Sanchez takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Sanchez just misses with a punch to the body.
A swing and a miss from Katana.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanchez will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Katana connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Some wild striking there from Katana.
Katana connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Sanchez momentarily.
Sanchez stuns Katana with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Sanchez throws a quick inside leg kick.
Katana avoids the body shot from Sanchez.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez swings for the body but Katana moves out of range.
Sanchez misses with a jab, cross combination.
Sanchez staying out of range there.
Sanchez looks to land a left hand but Katana moved out of range nicely.
Sanchez avoids the head kick by Katana.
Katana displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Sanchez throws out the jab.
Nice uppercut lands for Katana. That snapped Sanchez's head back.
Sanchez swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Katana throws a lazy right hand but Sanchez sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Katana takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Diago Sanchez is winning the standup battle so far.
Sanchez throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Katana sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Katana scores with a sloppy right hand. Sanchez should have avoided that one.
Katana uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Sanchez.
Sanchez thuds his shin into the meat of Katana's side.
Sanchez will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Sanchez looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Katana. No joy for Sanchez on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Diago Sanchez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sanchez throws a body kick that misses.
Sanchez tries to clinch but Katana moves out of range.
Katana misses with a hook

and Sanchez counters by clinching up.
Katana is trying to break the clinch but Sanchez is controlling him.

Sanchez escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sanchez misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Sanchez throws an off balance right hand
and Katana counters with a nice uppercut.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Diago Sanchez dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Katana fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
A swing and a miss from Katana.
Katana scores with a crisp jab that stopped Sanchez in his tracks.
Katana misses the jab.
Katana jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Katana jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Sanchez fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Sanchez tries to clinch but Katana moves out of range.
Sanchez throws a looping overhand right but Katana ducks down to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanchez misses the shot to the body.
Katana connects with a crisp jab.
Sanchez bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Sanchez fails with a takedown attempt.
Sanchez misses with a wild body shot.
Sanchez avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Nice takedown defense from Katana. No joy for Sanchez on that attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez misses with a takedown
and Katana counters with a stiff right hand.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Diago Sanchez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sanchez scores with a hook to the body. Katana takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
A big left from Katana misses.
Sanchez is looking to wear down Katana with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Sanchez swings for the body but Katana moves out of range.

Sanchez closes the distance and pushes Katana back into the cage.

Sanchez's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Katana throws a big shot that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez shoots for a takedown but Katana saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Sanchez misses with an uppercut.
Sanchez throws a hook but Katana blocks it.
Katana might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Sanchez slips a jab from Katana.
Sanchez misses with a body punch
and Katana counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Katana is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Katana steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Sanchez. That one must have hurt.
Katana lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez throws the left hand but Katana avoids the punch easily.
Sanchez scores with a jab to the jaw.
Sanchez tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
A jab from Sanchez misses.
Katana slips under a jab.
Sanchez moves out of range of the strikes.
Katana keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Sanchez.
A swing and a miss from Sanchez.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Diago Sanchez.
I think Sanchez 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 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 30:28
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Diago Sanchez!
Diago Sanchez was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.