Video: Pereira DQ’d for illegal knee, Sanchez wins

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Check out the full-fight video highlights of Michel Pereira losing Diego Sanchez by disqualification from the UFC Rio Rancho co-main event.

Diego Sanchez got a win over Michel Pereira in the UFC Rio Rancho co-main event, thanks to a third round disqualification. Pereira was in control the whole fight, showing off way more composure than before, but still landing flashy strikes and even a backflip to boot. Just when Pereira had his opponent hurt from vicious knees, causing Sanchez to crumble to the canvas, he threw an illegal knee that connected. The referee stopped the bout and brought in the doctor, and Sanchez said that he could not see nor continue. Thusly, the win was given to Sanchez, who has now won three of his last four.

Check out Tim Burke’s play-by-play of Diego Sanchez’s disqualification win over Michel Pereira:

Round 3 – Sanchez shows some urgency finally and lands a couple of punches. Pereira fires back. Sanchez misses and Pereira takes him down. Somersault into guard, but Sanchez had already bailed. Another takedown and he lands some big shots, but lets Sanchez up. Sanchez is bleeding. Jump knee again. He’s faster than Sanchez. Pereira looks for the Thai clinch and lands two big knees. Another knee looks illegal, and it apparently was because the referee steps in. Sanchez seems okay. It was clearly illegal, the last knee. It opened another cut too, but not in a bad place. High on the forehead. Jason Herzog is taking a point. He’s asking Diego if he wants to continue. He won’t let him talk to his coach. Sanchez says he can’t see out of his left eye. So Herzog has no choice. It’s a DQ. Even though Diego looked good to go. Weird.

Diego Sanchez defeated Michel Pereira via DQ (illegal knee), 3:09 of round 3