PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Santiago Ponziabo (ranked 730 p4p, 35 weight class) and Noel Diaz (ranked 106 p4p, 7 weight class). Diaz is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: The Stockton Slap Song. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Ponziabo
vs
Diaz

170 cm
27
164
9 - 3 - 0

180 cm
27
156
16 - 1 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Basic striking
Cardio machine

BJJ Brown Belt
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

SynCity Fightwear
Beachside Supplements

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Santiago Ponziabo!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Noel Diaz!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Phil Schofield and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Diaz paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.

It looks like Santiago Ponziabo has been cut.
Diaz throws a series of punches but Ponziabo moves out of range.

Ponziabo gets a double leg takedown into Diaz's guard.

Ponziabo thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Ponziabo has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Ponziabo trying to control but Diaz is working from the bottom.

Diaz working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Ponziabo has passed into half guard!
Ponziabo is stalling here. Diaz is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Ponziabo seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Diaz has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Ponziabo is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz trying to mount his opponent but Ponziabo defends it.

Ponziabo is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Diaz pulls his head out easily.
Diaz wants to pass to mount but Ponziabo is defending the position.
Diaz is keen to just control but Ponziabo is a slippery customer.
Ponziabo is looking to improve his position.
Diaz tries to pass the half guard into mount. Ponziabo knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Ponziabo is trying to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Diaz is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Diaz wants to pass to mount but Ponziabo is defending the position.
Diaz moves nicely into side control.
Diaz working away.
Diaz moves into full mount!
Ponziabo is trying to reverse the position but instead Diaz has taken his back - oops!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Diaz's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
Diaz has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of Ponziabo's body.
Well, with Diaz on his back, surely it's only a matter of time before Ponziabo is tapping out... Can he escape the position?

Diaz has the hooks in. Ponziabo is starting to panic. He's trying to push off one of the legs but he's left his neck open to attack. Diaz passes his arm under Ponziabo's neck and tightens up a rear naked choke! This one is surely all over! Yes, Ponziabo taps!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:39 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Noel Diaz! Noel Diaz retains his lightweight title!
After the fight, Noel Diaz was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.
Santiago Ponziabo spoke after the fight, saying 'Fuck off, I got work to do.'.