PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Stevie Diamond (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dave Kaplan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kaplan has chosen Tenderness by General Public as his entrance music. Dave Kaplan is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Diamond
vs
Kaplan

180 cm
23
153 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

175 cm
21
150 lbs
6 - 6 - 1

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good takedowns
Decent boxing
Determined

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 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Stevie Diamond!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 6 - 1, fighting out of New York, Dave Kaplan!
The judges for this bout are Chad Campbell, Anthony Taglia and Bruno Lombardi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Diamond wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Kaplan shoots for a takedown but Diamond saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Kaplan shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Diamond as he jumps to the side.
Diamond misses with a few strikes there.
Diamond displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Diamond misses with an uppercut. Kaplan saw that one coming.
Crunch! Diamond slams his shin into Kaplan's torso.
Diamond misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diamond lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.

Diamond gets caught flat footed, as Kaplan shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Kaplan throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Diamond works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Kaplan throwing strikes from guard but Diamond blocks nicely.
Kaplan throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Diamond works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Kaplan in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Kaplan stands up over Diamond, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Diamond preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Kaplan scoring with some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diamond has momentary wrist control but Kaplan slips an elbow through the middle.
Diamond knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Kaplan on the ground.
Kaplan wants to control from the top but Diamond keeps moving.
Kaplan throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Kaplan in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Kaplan trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Kaplan postures up in Diamond's guard and throws a big left but Diamond blocks it.
Kaplan throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Diamond works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Kaplan throwing strikes but missing.
Kaplan postures up in Diamond's guard and throws a big left but Diamond blocks it.
Diamond on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Diamond tries to get out of the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diamond keeping moving, preventing Kaplan from controlling successfully.
Kaplan scoring with punches to the head and body.
Diamond keeping moving, preventing Kaplan from controlling successfully.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Diamond is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Kaplan is controlling him.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Kaplan accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Diamond keeping moving, preventing Kaplan from controlling successfully.

That's four 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.
Diamond is looking to stand up but Kaplan isn't so interested in that idea.
Kaplan wants to control from the top but Diamond keeps moving.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Kaplan throwing strikes from guard but Diamond blocks nicely.
Diamond working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Kaplan.
Diamond working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Kaplan.
Kaplan with a flurry of punches that miss.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stevie Diamond dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Diamond fails to land with a series of punches.
Diamond throws a shot to the body.
Stevie Diamond is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Jab from Diamond.
Kaplan takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Diamond rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Kaplan moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Diamond throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Diamond throws a hook to the side of Kaplan's head but Kaplan sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diamond throws a push kick but Kaplan slaps the foot to one side.
Kaplan fails to land the takedown.
Kaplan moves out of range of the body kick.
Diamond is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Kaplan.
Diamond tries to work over Kaplan's front leg with a kick but Kaplan checks it.
Stevie Diamond is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Diamond misses with a hook.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Kaplan looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Diamond connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Kaplan's hands.
Kaplan shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Diamond pinned against the cage. Diamond gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Diamond tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Kaplan shoots in but no luck this time.
Stevie Diamond has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dave Kaplan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diamond stuffs the takedown.
Diamond swings for the body but Kaplan moves out of range.

Diamond gets caught flat footed, as Kaplan shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Diamond wants to get back to his feet but Kaplan is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Diamond is edging up against the ropes. He's using the ropes to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Kaplan drops down looking for an ankle pick but Diamond pulls his leg out and moves away.
Diamond lands a slapping body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Kaplan.
Diamond tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Kaplan was well out of range. Poor timing from Diamond.
Diamond keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Diamond looks to land a left hand but Kaplan moved out of range nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stevie Diamond dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Kaplan takes one on the button.
Kaplan looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Diamond is fending him off so far but Kaplan persists. Nope, Diamond circles away and we're back to standing.
Diamond tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Kaplan was well out of range. Poor timing from Diamond.
Diamond looks to throw the jab but Kaplan is out of range.
Kaplan fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Diamond stuffs the takedown attempt from Kaplan. Kaplan gets slowly back to his feet.
Stevie Diamond has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dave Kaplan.
Donk. Diamond catches Kaplan right on the button with a cross.

That's one minute gone in the round.
No joy there for Diamond, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Diamond throws a body punch but Kaplan moves out of range.
Diamond stuffs the takedown.
A head kick misses from Diamond.
Kaplan walks into a jab.
Diamond misses with a head kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Kaplan fails with a takedown attempt.
Diamond thuds his shin into the meat of Kaplan's side.
Diamond scores with a nice head shot.
Diamond dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
No joy there for Diamond, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Diamond jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Diamond throws a series of punches but Kaplan moves out of range.
Stevie Diamond is winning the standup battle so far.
Diamond fails to land with a series of punches.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Kaplan slips under a jab.
Diamond pivots, looking for a leg kick but Kaplan is out of range and Diamond settles back down.
Kaplan fails with a takedown attempt.

That's four 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.
Diamond throws a right and a left that Kaplan avoids nicely.
Kaplan keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Kaplan uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Diamond.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kaplan fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Stevie Diamond seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Diamond misses with a body shot.

And that's the end of the fight!
Stevie Diamond showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Diamond, 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 Chad Campbell scores the fight for Stevie Diamond!
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight for Stevie Diamond!
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight for Stevie Diamond!

Stevie Diamond wins by unanimous decision!