PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Alec Burns (ranked 6647 p4p, 390 weight class) and John Sanchez (ranked 4938 p4p, 353 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Burns
vs
Sanchez

168 cm
18
145 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

179 cm
23
144 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid 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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Alec Burns!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, John Sanchez!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Frank Antenori and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Burns takes the fight into the clinch.
Burns stops a takedown attempt from Sanchez.
Sanchez is trying to pull guard but Burns turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Burns using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Sanchez has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Burns looking to throw knees to the head but Sanchez is blocking nicely.
Sanchez will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Burns up against the cage.
Burns tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Sanchez misses with a hook to the ribs.
Burns throws a knee to the head but misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Burns leaning against his opponent.
Sanchez pressing his opponent against the cage.
Burns misses with a knee to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burns is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Sanchez to keep the fight standing.
Burns stalls.
Burns jumps guard but Sanchez stands there with Burns around his waist. Burns gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Burns escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Burns shoots in but Sanchez avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alec Burns. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Burns shoots in for a takedown but Sanchez shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Sanchez gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Sanchez is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Burns gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Sanchez.
Sanchez is looking to break free of the clinch but Burns has double underhooks.
Sanchez on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Burns throws a knee to the head but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sanchez breaks the clinch.
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 uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Burns.
Sanchez with a jab.
Left hook, right uppercut from Sanchez.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Burns fails in his attempt to clinch.

Sanchez closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Sanchez stops Burns from getting back to his feet.
Sanchez wants to stand but Burns has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Burns is looking to improve his position.
Burns is breathing heavily.
Sanchez tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Burns.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burns is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Sanchez scores with a couple of nice shots.

Sanchez is trying to work for a kimura but Burns is defending well.
Burns keeping hold of Sanchez's head, controlling as best he can.
Sanchez landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Sanchez passes to full mount!

Sanchez goes for an armbar but Burns turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Burns.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Sanchez looking to hit a scissor sweep but Burns is one step ahead there.
Burns has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Sanchez is proving hard to escape from.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Sanchez is on top in guard.

And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Sanchez dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Burns fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Sanchez avoids it really well and circles away.
Sanchez is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Sanchez stuffs the takedown attempt from Burns. Burns gets slowly back to his feet.
Burns misses with a combination
and Sanchez counters with a left to the body.

Burns tries to keep at a distance but Sanchez has taken the fight into the clinch.

Sanchez breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Burns lands with a cross.
Sanchez misses with a few strikes there.
John Sanchez seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Sanchez forces Burns back against the cage and clinches.
Burns tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Sanchez has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Sanchez is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Burns gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanchez is trying to break the clinch but Burns has him pressed against the cage.
Sanchez is working for takedown but Burns is calmly controlling the position for now.
Sanchez jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Burns walks away with a smile on his face. Sanchez gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Alec Burns has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Sanchez.
Horrible takedown attempt by Burns or perhaps it was just good defense by Sanchez, which made it look bad.
Burns definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.

Sanchez takes the fight into the clinch.
Burns wants a takedown.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Burns tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Sanchez avoids it.

Sanchez escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sanchez scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Burns darts in looking for a takedown but Sanchez gets double underhooks and turns Burns into the cage.

Sanchez shoots in and gets a takedown into Burns's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez is stalling in the full guard.

Sanchez drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Sanchez jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Sanchez engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Burns trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sanchez gets to his feet. Burns looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Sanchez tries to bum rush Burns with a series of wild strikes but Burns uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Sanchez lands a body shot.
Burns shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Sanchez counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Burns throws a leg kick but Sanchez moved away.
Burns throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Burns on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Burns moves out of range of the body kick from Sanchez.
Sanchez is trying hard to land a takedown here. Burns sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Sanchez scores with a one two! Burns had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Sanchez throws a combination. Burns tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sanchez defending well as Burns loads up on a big left hand.
Sanchez is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Burns is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Sanchez.
Burns closes the distance but Sanchez moves to the side
and Sanchez counters with a left and a right that stings Burns.

Sanchez closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Sanchez goes for a takedown attempt but Burns pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Sanchez drives through and clinches with Burns against the cage.
Burns misses with a knee strike.
Sanchez drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Burns struggles to land a body shot inside as Sanchez controls his hands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Sanchez showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Sanchez throws a leg kick but Burns sees it coming and moves out of range.
Sanchez throws a nice looking combination but Burns bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Sanchez stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Burns.
Sanchez dives in for a single leg takedown but Burns sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Burns was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.

Sanchez darts in and clinches Burns up against the cage.
Burns is trying to drag Sanchez to the mat but Sanchez just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Burns with an attempt at a knee that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Burns tries to pull guard but Sanchez forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Sanchez blocks a body shot from Burns.
Burns lands a knee to the body.
Sanchez working hard to break the clinch.
Sanchez jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Burns walks away with a smile on his face. Sanchez gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burns tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Sanchez defends well and Burns ends up having to push Sanchez into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alec Burns. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Burns tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Sanchez was well out of range. Poor timing from Burns.
Sanchez shoots in and drives through. Burns sprawls well.
Burns shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Sanchez defends it nicely.
Sanchez is clearly looking to counter with head kicks.

Sanchez has closed the distance and engaged Burns in a clinch.
Burns is looking for a takedown.
Sanchez can't get the takedown.
Burns is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Sanchez is defending well for now.
Come on Sanchez - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sanchez's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Sanchez lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Sanchez.

Burns fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Sanchez, pushing him back against the cage.
Sanchez tries for a takedown but Burns manages to get underhooks.
Burns with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Burns tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Sanchez breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Burns has his takedown stuffed
and Burns takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Burns tries to sprawl but Sanchez drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Sanchez landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Burns is refusing to be controlled, as Sanchez sits in half guard.

Sanchez stands up and beckons Burns to join him on the feet.

Sanchez moves into the clinch.

Burns manages to break the clinch.

Sanchez fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Burns to the ground. Sanchez is now in Burns's guard.
Burns might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Burns is working an open guard so Sanchez takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Sanchez connects with a body shot.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Burns blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Burns has had enough of the clinch but Sanchez keeps him there for the moment.
Burns has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Sanchez avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Sanchez stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Sanchez lands with a right to the head.

Sanchez pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Sanchez shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Burns is trying to defend but Sanchez finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Alec Burns has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Sanchez is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Burns is just riding it out for now. Sanchez eventually gives up the hold.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Sanchez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Sanchez has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 27:30
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Sanchez!
The defeated Alec Burns had this to say: 'I whooped his ass he caught me with some lucky shit '.