PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ralph Diaz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Samoel Croco (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Croco is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Bate Pesadão. Samoel Croco is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Diaz
vs
Croco

186 cm
19
215 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

190 cm
25
206 lbs
7 - 8 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very strong

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ralph Diaz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Samoel Croco!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Daniel Cesar and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Diaz fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
A head kick misses from Diaz.
Diaz misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Croco shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Diaz wants to get back to his feet.
Croco not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Croco misses with a head shot. Diaz uses the momentum to regain guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Diaz is looking to stand up but Croco isn't so interested in that idea.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Croco looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Croco working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Croco won't allow Diaz to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Diaz misses with a few strikes there.
Nice body punch from Croco.

Croco scores with a takedown into Diaz's guard.

Croco postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Diaz is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Croco, into his guard.
Croco is looking to stand back up but Diaz counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Croco.

Croco makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Croco shoots in but no luck this time.
Diaz misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Croco fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Croco looks gassed!
Diaz feints and then cracks Croco's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Croco down.
Ralph Diaz is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Diaz looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Diaz punishes Croco's body with a nice straight punch.
Diaz cracks Croco with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.

It looks like Samoel Croco has been cut.
Diaz thuds his shin into the meat of Croco's side.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Diaz lands a head kick that stumbles Croco and the fighters go to the mat.

Croco is rocked!
Diaz would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Croco is still in real trouble! Can Diaz finish him?

Diaz gets to his feet. Croco looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Croco seems to have recovered his senses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diaz lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Croco circles away quickly and effectively.
Croco on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Diaz. Diaz obviously looking to wear him down.
Diaz stuffs the takedown.
Ralph Diaz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Samoel Croco.
Croco bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Diaz tries to bum rush Croco with a series of wild strikes but Croco uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Diaz misses with a wild combination.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Croco.
Croco is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Diaz.
Some wild striking there from Diaz.
Diaz throws a looping overhand right but Croco ducks down to avoid it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Croco looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Diaz!
Croco throws some wild stikes that Diaz manages to avoid easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ralph Diaz dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Samoel Croco's cut.
That's time! Diaz's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Croco looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Croco throwing strikes from guard but Diaz blocks nicely.
Croco won't allow Diaz to get back to his feet.
Croco working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Diaz wants to stand and escape but Croco is having none of it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Croco throws and elbow that misses. Diaz uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Croco's guard. Nice move by Diaz!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Croco pushes Diaz off and gets back to his feet.
Croco changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Diaz tries to avoid it but Croco manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Diaz to the ground. Diaz escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Diaz fails to land with a series of punches.
Croco with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Croco keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Croco shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Croco was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Croco landing punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Croco throws a strike there. Diaz manages to avoid it well and slips a leg under to get to half guard.
Croco not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Diaz taking some punishment here, with Croco in his half guard.
Diaz pushes Croco off looking to stand but Croco dives back in and keeps control.
Croco not doing much here.
Croco missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Croco tries to pass the half guard into mount. Diaz knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Croco missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Croco seems to be working for a kimura but Diaz defends the submission attempt.
Diaz tries to kick Croco off but Croco keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Croco ducks under a wild hook from Diaz.
Diaz throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Croco shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Diaz as he avoids it easily.
Left hook, right uppercut from Diaz.

Croco looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Croco looking to pass the guard.
Croco looking to sit in guard and control but Diaz gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Samoel Croco showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Samoel Croco'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. This is the final round!

Diaz throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Croco.
Croco misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Croco sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Diaz is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Croco lands a few punches from side control.
Diaz is trying to get back to his feet.

Croco tries for a kimura but Diaz is defending well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Croco misses with the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz wants to get back to his feet.
Croco throwing shots but missing, from side control.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Diaz tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Croco shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Diaz napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Diaz is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Croco has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Diaz avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Croco.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Croco scoring with punches from side control.
Diaz regains half guard, as Croco was trying to land strikes.
Croco not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Diaz is refusing to be controlled, as Croco sits in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Croco works his way into side control.
Croco sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Diaz is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Croco cracks Diaz with a big right hand but Diaz just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Croco has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Diaz!
Croco is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Croco landing shots from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Croco looking to finish Diaz with some ground and pound. This is bad for Diaz!
Croco lands a heavy elbow.
Croco pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Croco trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Diaz trying desperately to get to his feet.
Croco is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Diaz avoids a series of strikes thrown by Croco.

And that's the end of the fight!
Samoel Croco comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Croco 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 28:29
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Samoel Croco!