Ricardo Lamas left Diego Sanchez practically fighting on one leg in the second half of this bout at UFC Fight Night 78 after a vicious low leg kick took it’s toll, helping pave the way to a solid unanimous decision victory.
Round One:
Lamas throws out an early head kick that comes up short. He does so again and Sanchez blocks it. A brief pause and he does it again and again it’s blocked.
Sanchez with a brief flurry. He comes in again and lands a strike. Lamas with a front kick to the body. Sanchez trie to return with the same technique. Lamas in and lands a body punch.
Another block from Sanchez on the head kick attempt from Lamas. Lamas with the jab. Sanchez lands a leg kick.
Body punch from Lamas, then to the head. Sanchez marauding forward and ducks under a punch. Lamas leaps into a knee to the body. Sanchez with a solid flurry as he rushes Lamas.
Lamas goes for a wheel kick to the head. Sanchez backs away a bit after that. Sanchez looks to brawl but Lamas backs up and takes his time. He tries for the wheel kick again, but it misses.
Lamas goes in on a takedown attempt and lands it. Sanchez works up to his feet but Lamas is now latched to his back as he does so. Lamas landing some knees to the back of Sanchez’s legs. Sanchez drops down, but Lamas stays on him.
Sanchez is able to spin and get up, now having a chance to press Lamas up against the cage. They jockey for position and Sanchez fires out a short combo as the round ends.
Round Two:
Low kick from Lamas. He lands the jab. He tries for the wheel kick, but pulls away from it. Sanchez to the body then lands a left hook.
Lamas in on a takedown and partially gets Sanchez down, but he stands. Lamas pressing him up against the cage and working hard to bring him down again. Sanchez defends well though and stays upright for now.
Lamas still working for a single leg, but it’s not happening. Lamas with a little blood to his head courtesy of a few elbows from Sanchez during those takedown attempts.
They break apart and Sanchez lands a punch only to be met by Lamas rushing in with a very low leg kick that clearly hurts Sanchez. Sanchez in pain and stumbling here and Lamas targets that leg with more kicks as well as firing off punches upstairs.
Sanchez struggling, but shows his trademark warrior spirit by motioning Lamas to come at him anyway. Lamas obliges, but then tries to go for a takedown. Sanchez switches really nicely, but Lamas is soon on him again. There’s a repeat performance as Sanchez again switches. Lots of scrambling action here and Lamas ends up briefly high up on Sanchez’s back, but gets shrugged off.
They get back up for the final seconds of the round and Lamas targets that damaged leg with another kick and it’s clear Sanchez is still struggling to put his weight on it.
Round Three:
Lamas with a left hand. He goes upstairs with a head kick that’s blocked. Sanchez moving a bit freer for now as he presses forward. He lands a short flurry. Lamas misses as he goes low with the leg kick.
Lamas with a left, but Sanchez counters well with a knee. Low leg kick for Lamas. Spinning kick attempt from Lamas, but lands awkwardly.
Leg kick from Lamas and Sanchez is in big pain and starts hopping on one leg momentarily. He backs up to the cage, but is still motioning for Lamas to come at him. There’s no quit in Sanchez. Lamas lands again and then gets into the clinch.
Not much happening from here, but when Lamas separates he lands a big spinning backfist and opens up a cut to his right eye. Lamas goes for the same technique again, but stumbles this time and has to get back up quickly.
A little lull then Sanchez presses forward with a good flurry. Head kick for Lamas and it kind of lands, but gets caught up on the top of his shoulder.
Sanchez charging forward despite his leg and throws punches. Flying knee attempt from Lamas. Tries for a high kick too that doesn’t work out. Sanchez just biting down on his mouthpiece and presses forward throwing offense as the round comes to an end.
Decision:
Lamas did well here, chipping away at Sanchez rather than engaging him in an all-out brawl and the leg injury to his opponent made it an easier night in the end for him, resulting in a clean sweep on the judges scorecards (30-27 x3).
