Kevin Lee overcomes adversity to defeat Diego Sanchez at Eagle FC 46
Eagle Fighting Championship returns to us tonight, March 11, 2022, for Eagle FC 46, going down live at the FLXcast Arena in Miami, Florida.
Headlining the event is a super-lightweight (165 lbs) battle between UFC veterans Kevin Lee and Diego Sanchez.
Lee was a prodigy that hasn’t quite lived up to the hype, but to his defense, could never compete in his natural weight class. He was always a sizeable, dense lightweight, but a small welterweight. Now, in Eagle FC, Lee is able to test the waters in a brand new division that should’ve probably come around some time ago.
Along with the super-lightweight division, welterweight has also been changed to 175 lbs within the promotion.
Sanchez is an absolute legend who holds the 2nd place all-time record for Fight of the Night bonuses in the UFC, and he was the last man standing out of The Ultimate Fighter 1 cast, a show he won.
He was the original Ultimate Fighter, and he competes in his first bout outside the UFC promotion since 2004.
Oh, he’s also a UFC Hall of Famer.
Lee on the other hand is competing in his first bout outside of the octagon since 2013.
Continue reading to see how this super-lightweight bout went down:
Official Result: Kevin Lee def. Diego Sanchez via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Sanchez opens up the fight with a nasty calf kick, which visibly effects Lee for the first half of the round. Lee is still pressing the action though, but is throwing primarily punches. He then secures a takedown and eventually takes Sanchez back.
Sanchez is able to shake him off, but is controlled on the cage for the remaining 30 seconds or so of the first.
Lee is chasing Sanchez around in the second whilst getting his lead leg kicked, which is effecting him pretty badly.
After a few more, Lee switches stances, before catching a knee that he turned into a takedown.
Sanchez was actually looking pretty good on the feet throughout the first three minutes of the second, which is surprising. Many picked Lee to absolutely smash Sanchez.
But, Sanchez is a durable veteran with a lot of tricks, and he’s also under tutelage of a different coach now, thankfully for him. However, it’s either 1-1 or 2-0 Lee going into the third.
Sanchez continues picking Lee apart, though Lee is landing a lot of his own shots as well. Only difference is Lee is only punching. He threw one head kick in the first, which was blocked, and aside from that, his entire attack has been boxing and wrestling.
Lee is able to drop Sanchez with about a minute left in the third and remains on top reigning down shots until the final bell. This was a much closer fight than most anticipated, despite the scorecards.
That goes to show you, old dogs can do well against young lions.
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