PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Damien Daiz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Grinch Star (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Daiz
vs
Star

185 cm
22
170 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

180 cm
19
180 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent knees
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Damien Daiz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Grinch Star!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Daiz.
Star circles away from the clinch attempt.
Daiz scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Star tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Star.
Daiz tries to clinch but Star moves out of range.

Daiz shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Daiz was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Star can't escape the position.
Daiz misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Star can do anything to dispel that myth.

Daiz goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Star turns into him and now he's in Daiz's guard.
Star being controlled here momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Staris looking to pass into half guard but Daiz pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Daiz is in guard.
Daiz wants to control from the top but Star keeps moving.
Star wants to get back to his feet but Daiz is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Daiz trying to control but Star is working from the bottom.
Daiz looking to sit in guard and control but Star gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Daiz tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Star wants to stand but Daiz is controlling his posture from full guard.
Star controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Daiz looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Star misses with a takedown attempt

and Daiz counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Star throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Daiz controls from within his opponent's guard.
Daiz tries to free his leg and advance position but Star is retaining full guard.
Star is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Daiz is looking to stand up but Star won't let him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Daiz trying to control the position from guard on top but Star is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Star has control of Daiz's left arm, preventing Daiz from doing any damage.
Star looking for a sweep. Not yet Star, not yet.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Star tries to clinch up

and Daiz counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Star's guard now.
Daiz is breathing heavily.
Daiz pushing down on Star's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Damien Daiz dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Star will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Daiz fails with an attempt to clinch.
Daiz with a lazy takedown attempt

and Star moves into the clinch.
Star will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Daiz up against the cage.
Star landing knees to the head.

Daiz breaks the clinch.

Star fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Daiz, pushing him back against the cage.
Star fails to pull guard.
Daiz tries to break the clinch but Star is controlling the position.

Star drags the fight down to the ground.
Star controls Daiz momentarily but Daiz frees himself.
Star wants to stand up but Daiz is controlling him.
Star is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Star is trying to keep Daiz in close.
Daiz is working Star over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Daiz stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Star swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Daiz sitting in guard here, content to control.
Star trying to control the position here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Daiz trying to control the position from guard on top but Star is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Star preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Star is adopting a defensive guard.
Star avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Daiz looking to pass the guard.
Star wants to stand and escape but Daiz is having none of it.
Daiz tries to free his leg and advance position but Star is retaining full guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Star.
Damien Daiz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Grinch Star.
Star misses with a takedown attempt

and Daiz counters with a takedown into side control.
Daiz moves into full mount!
Daiz putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Daiz fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Daiz prevents Star from getting the reversal.

Daiz gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!
Daiz misses with a takedown attempt - Star sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Star moves into range and clinches up with Daiz.
Star has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Daiz is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Star stalling against the cage.
Star is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Star seems frustrated at his inability to get double underhooks.
The is referee keeping an eye on Daiz - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Damien Daiz dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Star shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Daiz counters with a one-two to the body.

Daiz scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Daiz wants to stand but Star has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Daiz wants to take a breather but Star is having none of it.
Star trying to control from the bottom.
Star is trying to stand back up but Daiz is controlling him
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Star looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Star is staying active underneath Daiz, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Damien Daiz overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Star keeping control of the position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Star moves into the clinch.
Star tries to land a knee to the head but Daiz blocks with his arms.
Star taking a breather.
Star misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Daiz.
Daiz wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Daiz pulls Star into guard.
Star is standing up over Daiz. Daiz looks to escape but Star dives into side control.
Daiz tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.
Daiz is trying to escape the mount.
Star sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Daiz tries to hold on but Star pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Daiz is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.

Daiz defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Star.
Star thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.

Star goes for an armbar but Daiz turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Daiz.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Daiz trying to control but Star is working from the bottom.
Daiz looking to pass the guard.

Daiz drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Star dives on top into guard.
Grinch Star has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Damien Daiz is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Daiz has momentary wrist control but Star slips an elbow through the middle.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Damien Daiz.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Daiz, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:27
Judge Suge Night scores the fight 30:27
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Damien Daiz!