Kevin Lee He was victorious on his debut at Eagle FC, but it likely came at a huge cost.
“Maybe I blew up the AFC Champions League or something major,” he told me after the win. “Every time I tried to push her, he would slip and slide, so I’m going straight from here to the hospital.”
Once the fight began, Sanchez targeted Lee with a calf kick that had immediate effect and left the Detroit native favoring his main leg throughout the rest of the match. Despite the injury, Lee continued to stay in attack with his punch while also pressing Sanchez around the cage whenever they engaged in the grab.
My biggest advantage came from wrestling him. He leveraged his wrestling pedigree to put Sanchez on the floor multiple times throughout the fight, punctuated by punches and elbows off the top.
With five minutes remaining, Lee continued to chase Sanchez across the cage, helping him keep him away from more leg kicks that were causing him problems during the fight. Sanchez attempted to raise his volume in the final round in an attempt to turn his fortunes around as he sought to turn the tables on Lee. Unfortunately, it was a short-term success, as he called Lee with a short punch that vibrated Sanchez and sent him to the canvas, ending any chance of a comeback.
Lee finished the fight with more ground and a pound to secure his unanimous decision win, with all three judges scoring the fight 30-27 for “The Motown Phenom.”
It was Sanchez’s second straight loss and first since leaving the UFC after spending 15 years with the promotion. Sanchez admitted he wasn’t at his best Friday night after being previously hospitalized with COVID-19, but he still plans to continue his career as he hopes to recover stronger next time around.
“This was getting out of the hospital,” Sanchez said. “I definitely want to end my contract with Eagle Club. I have two more fights. So I want to end these last two fights and show the real Diego Sanchez.
“Nothing takes off Kevin Lee, because he’s 29, he’s an amazing athletic phenomenon. He took the win tonight and I tip my hat to him. It’s his night tonight.”
For Lee, his main concern will be assessing potential knee damage, but he remains confident about his future with Eagle FC after striking a four-fight deal with the company after the end of his UFC tour.
He told me, “I bring the fight every time.” “Every time you see me you’re going to have a good, sexy ass fight. That was my game plan. It exploded in my knee, the first blow he took kind of rips my knee, so I drop the right kick, but I feel like I beat a lot in this fight and really showed some championship material mentally.” .
“Look, there’s no doubt: I’m a top 165 here. Best person for anyone who wants to weigh in at 165. I feel like we need to fight for the title. Keep calling it. So the next fight, I feel like it should be for the belt. I heard.” That Donald Trump is back in promotion so it would be interesting to pick the next opponent.”
Ridouane Konev does short work of Anthony Hamilton
Eagle FC heavyweight champion Rizvan Konev needed less than two minutes to field Anthony Hamilton to defend his title in the Eagle FC 46 co-main event.
Konev, who competed in Dana White‘s Rival Series Last September, he made a short work of the former UFC heavyweight after contacting a spinning heel kick during an early exchange in the opening round. Once Hamilton was injured, Konev went on to kill as he sought to outsmart his opponent before hijacking a standing guillotine choke.
Trapped in front of the cage with the throttle sinking deeper and deeper, Hamilton had no choice but to get out, with the finish approaching at 1:17 in the opening round.
This submission marked Konyev’s 10th straight win overall as he continued to dominate the Eagle FC heavyweight division. Now he will be keeping a close eye on the next card on May 20, where he will face former UFC Champion Junior dos Santos Jurgen de Castro In a fight likely to determine the next first contender for the title.
Ray Borg He continues his winning ways
Ray Borg claimed his third straight win since his exit from the UFC with a tough split decision over veteran Bellator. Ricky Bandigas.
Two judges scored the match 29-28 in Borg’s favour, while the third referee gave the same score 29-28 for Bandegas.
Fighting with a very bulging eye and a wound in the same spot, Borg dominated the action early with his wrestling, but had to stand up and hit the Bandegas for most of the second half of the fight. When Bandejas was able to use his height and reach the advantage, his beating caused the former UFC title contender problems.
Borg found his way inside again, but this time he was leaping forward with big hooks from the left and right side which started to catch Bandegas by surprise. In a close to spiky third round that would likely have settled the fight, Borg fired a few stinging shots that seemed to rock the Pandegas, slowing his overall attack as well.
It was those exchanges that helped Borg outpace Bandejas to win by split decision, as he continued his winning streak on Friday night. After competing in January and March, Borg is now looking towards the Eagle FC card due in May in hopes of staying very busy in 2022.
“You want to throw me in May, let’s go,” Borg said when addressing the owner of Eagle Club. Khabib Nurmagomedov. “Let’s do something.”
Eagle FC 46 full results:
- Kevin Lee def. Diego Sanchez by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Rizvan Konev defeated. Anthony Hamilton via submission (guillotine choke) at 1:17, R1
- Ray Borg def. Ricky Bandegas via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)
- Hendson Ferreira def. Zach Gosola by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Raymond Magomedaliev def. Empa Kasanganai Via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)
- Ikram Aleskirov defeated. Nah Sean Burnell by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Erwin Rivera def. Firdavs Khasanov via TKO (Hits) 4:48, R2
- Archie Colgan def. Dylan Mantello by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Tyler Ray def. Thomas Webb via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)
- Sitik Muduev def. Cayo Uruguay by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Rider Newman def. Emmanuel Wallo Via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)