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Diego Sanchez and Michel Pereira faced each other in a Welterweight clash tonight (Sat., Feb. 15, 2020) at UFC Fight Night 167, which took place inside Santa Ana Star Center in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. After getting kicked around the Octagon, Sanchez ended up getting his hand raised due to an illegal knee in the third round.
Sanchez opens with a rolling thunder! Pereira stops the follow up takedown and lands a knee. Sanchez holding his arms weird, eats a front kick. Another snap kick. Sanchez comes up just short with a combination. Low kick from Sanchez lands. Another brutal stabbing kick from the Brazilian into the mid-section. Kick off the cage lands partially from Pereira! Flying knee knocks Sanchez off-balance. Pereira lands a right hand. Two body shots from the Brazilian. Sanchez whiffs with a spinning backfist. Pereira lands a right hand, denies a takedown. Inside low kick scores for “The Nightmare.” Another low kick from Sanchez. Hard knee to the body from Pereira, who follows it up with a second knee to the mid-section. Sanchez attempts another rolling thunder. Sanchez breaks into a sprint and misses with a right hand. Sanchez scores a couple body punches.
Pereira opens the second with a pair of body kicks and shucks off a takedown attempt. Sanchez digs another low kick. One more. Cross to the belly from Pereira. Left hook stumbles Sanchez. Cross connects from Sanchez. Flying knee from the Brazilian partially connects. Sanchez charges forward in another sprint, eats a right hand. Another hard snap kick to the mid-section scores for Pereira, as well as a right hand. Sanchez timed a takedown well afterward, but it was stuffed. Big cross sends Sanchez stumbling backwards briefly. Superman punch off the cage lands well for the Brazilian. Another snap kick into the ribs. Pereira takes an angle and jumps into a hard knee while Sanchez is backed into the fence. Sanchez lands a decent body kick of his own. Pereira lands a massive slam just before the bell.
Sanchez lands a low kick as Pereira dances early in the third. Snap kick to the face this time from Pereira. The Brazilian lands a 1-2 and kick. Pereira scores a takedown and does a back flip to celebrate. Back on their feet, a flying knee seems to hurt Sanchez and sends him to the mat, but a finish does not materialize. Yet another flying knee from Pereira. Check hook stumbles Sanchez. Sanchez eats a left hook to the liver that crumbles him, allowing Pereira to tie up and land some hard knees from the double-collar tie. Another lands just after Sanchez falls to the mat.
Sanchez says that he cannot see after the illegal blow, and the fight is called off. The referee rules the bout a disqualification, our second of the night!
Result: Diego Sanchez defeats Michel Pereira via disqualification (knee to a downed opponent)
For complete UFC Fight Night 167 “Anderson vs. Blachowicz 2” results and play-by-play, click HERE!