PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ilya Balev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Illac Diaz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Balev comes into the arena with Heartbreaker blaring out of the sound system. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Balev
vs
Diaz

177 cm
21
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

174 cm
21
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Marvel Combat

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Ilya Balev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Illac Diaz!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Gregory Folan and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Balev throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Diaz.
Diaz tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Balev was well out of range. Poor timing from Diaz.
Diaz tries to clinch but Balev moves out of range.
Balev misses with a hook.
Diaz looks to score with a jab to the body but Balev is just out of range.
Diaz throws the kick towards the body but Balev avoids it.
Diaz fails with an attempt to clinch.
Balev misses with a double jab.
Diaz wants to clinch up but Balev keeps it at a distance.
Balev lands a glancing blow to the side of Diaz's head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Diaz misses with a body shot.
Balev avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Balev thows a left - swing and a miss!
Balev throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Illac Diaz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Balev throws a one two combo.

It looks like Illac Diaz has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balev scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Diaz throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Balev looks to land a right hand but Diaz moved out of range.
Balev misses with a series of wild punches.
Diaz tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Balev paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Diaz ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Diaz misses with a leg kick.
Diaz tries to bum rush Balev with a series of wild strikes but Balev uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Diaz tries to close the distance and clinch but Balev swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Diaz moves into the clinch.
Diaz lands a body shot in the clinch.
A right hook to the body lands for Diaz.
Balev looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Diaz is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Balev lands a nice shot to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Diaz tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Balev tries to break free but Diaz pushes him back against the cage.
Balev has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Balev tries to break free but Diaz pushes him back against the cage.
Diaz lands a shot to the body.
Diaz taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Diaz blocks an uppercut.
Diaz tries to work over Balev's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Diaz tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Balev's elbow.
Diaz lands a right hand that snaps the head of Balev backwards.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Balev can't break the clinch.
Balev gets through Diaz's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.

Balev breaks the clinch.
Balev keeps the fight on the outside.
Diaz slips a jab and a cross from Balev.
Diaz lands with a nice body punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balev throws a right hand that Diaz ducks under and follows up with a left that Diaz also avoids with ease.
Diaz throws a low kick but Balev avoids it.
Balev throws a right and a left that both miss.
Diaz throws a series of punches but Balev moves out of range.
Diaz tries to close the distance and clinch but Balev swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Balev misses with a double jab
and Diaz counters with a nice body shot.
Balev with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Diaz to score with a decent uppercut.
Balev throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Balev with a hook.
Balev swats away the attempt to clinch by Diaz.
Balev throws a left and a right that both miss
letting Diaz counter with a right hand.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Diaz!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balev avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Balev is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Diaz tries to clinch but Balev is having none of it.
Balev tries to bum rush Diaz with a series of wild strikes but Diaz uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Balev lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Diaz at a distance.
Diaz misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Balev counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Balev takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Balev scores with a body shot.
Diaz uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Balev.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Balev jabs at Diaz's body.
Diaz lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A looping hook to the body misses from Diaz. Balev does a little dance to reset his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ilya Balev dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Illac Diaz's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Balev throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
A looping hook to the body misses from Balev. Diaz does a little dance to reset his feet.
Balev misses with a wild combination.
Diaz lands a jab to Balev's midsection.
Balev takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Balev will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Balev thows a body shot but no joy.
Balev takes a shot right to the bread basket.

Diaz clinches.
Diaz lands with a light punch inside.
A right hook to the body lands for Diaz.
Diaz lands a body shot in the clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Diaz softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Balev.
Diaz cracks Balev with a nice body shot.
Diaz lands with a short punch from the clinch.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Balev.
Diaz lands a nice shot to the body.
Diaz scores with a hook to the body.
Diaz works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Diaz is stalling here.
Diaz lands a nice shot to the body.
Diaz slows down the pace here.
A short uppercut from Diaz.
Diaz has Balev pressed against the cage, preventing Balev from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Balev wants to break the clinch but can't.
Diaz controlling the action here for a moment.
A short uppercut from Diaz.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balev tries to break free but Diaz pushes him back against the cage.
Diaz lands a shot to the body.
Diaz scores with a hook to the body.
Diaz is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Balev looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
A bit of stalling here from Diaz.
A nice right hand lands inside from Diaz.
Diaz lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Diaz scores with a nice hook to the head.
Diaz misses with a punch to the body.
Balev tries to work over Diaz's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Diaz.
Diaz digs a right hand underneath Balev's ribcage. Balev let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Diaz lands a hook to the side of the head.
Diaz misses with a hook to the ribs.
Diaz effectively controlling the action here.
A short left from Diaz.
Diaz presses Balev against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Diaz lands an uppercut.
Balev content to slow the pace in the clinch.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Balev.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz digs a right hand underneath Balev's ribcage. Balev let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Balev has had enough of the clinch but Diaz keeps him there for the moment.
Balev tries to throw a body punch but Diaz avoids it by throwing Balev back against the cage.
Balev tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Diaz's elbow.
Balev misses with a hook to the ribs.
Diaz stalling against the cage.
Balev wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Diaz lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Diaz scores with a hook to the body.
Balev tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Diaz presses Balev against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Balev looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Diaz pushes Balev back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Diaz scores with a hook to the body.
Diaz slowing the pace effectively.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Diaz.
Diaz will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Balev up against the cage.
A head punch on the inside from Balev fails to land.
Diaz digs a right hand into Balev's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Balev's gas tank.
Balev is looking to break free of the clinch but Diaz has double underhooks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diaz works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Diaz prevents a body shot from Balev.
Balev tries a body shot but Diaz blocks it.
Balev tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Diaz stalling the fight.
Diaz works on Balev's body with a couple of short punches.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Diaz takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Diaz throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Diaz is stalling here.
Diaz lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Balev takes a shot to the head.
Balev misses with a body punch.
Diaz scores with a shoulder strike.
Diaz scores with a shoulder strike.
Diaz digs a right hand into Balev's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Balev's gas tank.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Diaz lands a body shot.
Good body shot from Diaz.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Balev tries to break the clinch but Diaz is controlling the position.
Diaz presses Balev against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Diaz lands a body shot in the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Illac Diaz showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Illac Diaz's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Diaz looks to clinch
and Balev counters with a straight right hand.
Diaz tries to clinch but Balev is having none of it.
Diaz tries to close the distance and clinch up but Balev swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Balev avoids the body shot from Diaz.
Diaz works Balev's body with a nice hook.
Danga de danga de dang - Diaz scores with a four punch combination!
Diaz moves in looking to clinch but Balev pushes him off.

Diaz has taken the fight to the clinch.
Balev fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Balev struggles to land a body shot inside as Diaz controls his hands.
Balev working hard to break the clinch.
Diaz stalling in the clinch.
Balev takes a shot to the head.
Diaz lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Balev is working Diaz over against the cage.
Diaz stalling the fight.
Diaz is looking to control Balev's arms but Balev gets an underhook and turns him. Now Diaz has his back to the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balev being controlled against the cage.
Diaz lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Diaz misses with a body punch.
A shot in the inside from Diaz.
A right hook to the body lands for Diaz.
Balev can't break the clinch.
Balev throws a punch but it's blocked by Diaz.
Diaz lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Diaz lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Balev or not.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A right hook to the body lands for Diaz.
Diaz lands a body shot.
Good body shot from Diaz.
Balev tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Diaz's elbow.
Still in the clinch, Diaz scores with a nice short uppercut.
Diaz pushes Balev back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Diaz lands a hook to the side of the head.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Balev tries to throw a body punch but Diaz avoids it by throwing Balev back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stalling in the clinch from Diaz.
A short right from Balev on the inside.
Diaz lands a nice uppercut.
Diaz lands a body shot in the clinch.
Diaz stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Diaz lands a body punch in the clinch.
Diaz wants to stall.
Balev misses with a hook from the clinch.
Balev's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Balev wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Diaz has him pressed against the cage.
Balev has had enough of the clinch but Diaz keeps him there for the moment.
Balev is trying to maintain a safe position but Diaz gets an underhook and turns Balev into the cage.
Nice body punch from Diaz.
Balev tries to break the clinch but Diaz is controlling the position.
Diaz throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
A right hand to the body from Diaz.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Balev's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Diaz scores with a shot to the side of Balev's head.
Diaz stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Diaz pushes Balev back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Diaz.
Balev has a couple of punches blocked by Diaz.
Diaz lands a body punch in the clinch.
Diaz digs a right hand into Balev's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Balev's gas tank.
Diaz lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Balev.
Stalling in the clinch from Diaz.
Diaz lands a body punch.
A right handed body shot lands from Diaz.
Diaz stalling.
Diaz lands a body punch.
Balev is trying to break the clinch but Diaz is controlling him.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Balev.
Diaz lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Balev backwards.
Diaz's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Balev misses with a punch on the inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diaz lands a body punch in the clinch.
Balev lands a body shot in the clinch.
Diaz is working Balev over against the cage.
Balev misses with a hook to the ribs.
Illac Diaz seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Nice body punch from Diaz.
Balev wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Diaz has him pressed against the cage.
Balev tries a body shot but Diaz blocks it.
Balev is trying to break the clinch but Diaz has him pressed against the cage.
A hook to the body from Diaz.
Balev is trying to stall.
Diaz lands a nice shot to the body.
Diaz presses Balev against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Diaz cracks Balev with a nice body shot.
Diaz slows down the pace here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Balev looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Diaz takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Diaz cracks Balev with a nice body shot.

And that's the end of the fight!
Illac Diaz comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Diaz has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Trevor Gratis scores the fight 26:29
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 26:29
Judge William Peck scores the fight 26:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Illac Diaz!