PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jesse Diaz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Cook (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). John Cook has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Diaz
vs
Cook

180 cm
19
192 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

178 cm
25
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Jesse Diaz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, John Cook!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Diaz moves into range and clinches up with Cook.
A knee to the head by Diaz.
Diaz throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Cook blocks an elbow strike.
Diaz using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Cook has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Diaz lands an elbow inside that Cook shrugs off.
Diaz landing knees to the body.
Diaz tries to land knees in the clinch but Cook avoids the damage to the body.
Diaz looking to throw knees to the head but Cook is blocking nicely.
Diaz comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Diaz comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

Cook's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Diaz is looking to clinch.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Cook.
Cook lands a right hook to the body.
Cook tries to close the distance and clinch up but Diaz swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Diaz listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.

Cook clinches up against the cage.
Diaz keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Cook's efforts to push away.
Diaz misses with an elbow over the top.
Diaz misses with a knee strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cook pulls guard.
Diaz throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Cook works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Diaz throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Diaz won't allow Cook to get back to his feet.
Diaz lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Cook is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Cook looks gassed!
Cook keeping moving, preventing Diaz from controlling successfully.
Diaz forces his way into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cook avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Diaz.
Diaz missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Diaz passes to side control.
Diaz is looking to take a break and control but Cook is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Sloppy strikes there by Diaz.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Diaz tries for a kimura but Cook is defending well.

Diaz decides to stand back up.
A head kick misses from Diaz.
Diaz stuffs the takedown.
No joy there for Cook, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

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.
Cook connects with a high kick.
Cook scores with a decent looking hook.
Diaz wants to clinch
and Cook counters with a good, hard body kick but Diaz shrugs it off.
Diaz clinches but Cook breaks the clinch

and Cook counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Cook.
Cook tries to break the clinch but Diaz is controlling the position.
Cook on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Nice elbow from Diaz.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Diaz missing with knees to the body.
Cook is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Cook is working for takedown but Diaz is calmly controlling the position for now.
Jesse Diaz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Cook.
Diaz tries to land knees in the clinch but Cook avoids the damage to the body.
Diaz tries to land a knee to the head but Cook blocks with his arms.

Cook breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Diaz darts in trying to clinch
and Cook counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jesse Diaz dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Diaz's corner calls for a 1-2. Diaz obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Diaz wants to clinch but Cook slips to the side

and Cook counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Cook.
Diaz throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Cook blocks it with crossed arms.
Diaz is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Cook is defending well for now.
Diaz throws an elbow but it misses.
Diaz throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Cook managing to block the knees to the body from Diaz.
Cook dodges an elbow strike from Diaz.
Diaz pushes off an throws an elbow but Cook leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Diaz misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Cook.
Diaz tries to land knees in the clinch but Cook avoids the damage to the body.
Diaz tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Cook avoids it.
Cook wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Diaz trying to land knees to the body.
Cook lands a nice shot to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Diaz misses with an elbow over the top.
Cook avoids a wild elbow strike from Diaz.
Diaz has Cook pressed against the cage, preventing Cook from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Diaz is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Cook is defending well for now.
Cook is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Diaz with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Diaz just misses with a elbow thrown towards Cook's brow.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cook breaks the clinch.

Diaz moves into the clinch successfully.
Diaz tries to land a knee to the head but Cook blocks with his arms.
Cook blocks the elbow strike.
Cook tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Diaz just stands there and leans against the cage.
Cook jumps guard but Diaz stands there with Cook around his waist. Cook gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Jesse Diaz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Cook.
Diaz misses with an elbow strike.
Cook blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Cook wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Cook escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Diaz throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A head kick misses from Diaz.
Cook lands with a thumping leg kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - Cook looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Jesse Diaz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Diaz.
Diaz clinches but Cook breaks the clinch
and Cook counters with a nice kick to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Cook counters with a thumping low kick.
Diaz wants to clinch
and Cook counters with a low kick, right behind Diaz 's knee.
Cook scores with a one two! Diaz had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Diaz tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Cook counters by moving into the clinch.
Cook blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Cook changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Diaz fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Diaz has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Cook.

Cook shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Diaz is trying to defend but Cook finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Diaz is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cook controlling the pace.
Diaz is trying is best to control the position here.
Diaz tries to roll over but Cook keeps him under control.
Cook is looking to stall here but Diaz recovers full guard.
Cook trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Cook stands up and waves to Diaz to follow him.
Diaz tries to clinch

and Cook counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Diaz trying to control but Cook postures up.
Cook tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Diaz.
Cook is breathing heavily.
Diaz wants to improve his position but Cook is controlling well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Cook showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Diaz throws a combination that misses
and Cook counters with a three punch combo that has Diaz backing up. Diaz nods at Cook to acknowledge the strikes.
Diaz throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Diaz misses with a few strikes there.
Diaz closes the distance but Cook moves to the side

and Cook counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Diaz looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Cook wants to stand but Diaz is controlling his posture from full guard.
Diaz looking for a sweep. Not yet Diaz, not yet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cook controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cook trying to control but Diaz is working from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by John Cook.
Cook with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Cook throws a head kick that misses.
Diaz closes the distance but Cook moves to the side
and Cook counters with an outside leg kick.
Cook misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Jesse Diaz is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Diaz darts in trying to clinch
and Cook counters with a leg kick.
Cook looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Diaz throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Cook finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Diaz misses with a leg kick
and Cook counters with a leg kick.
Diaz is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Cook circles away from the clinch attempt.

Cook closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Diaz to the mat! Diaz manages to get full guard.
Cook takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Diaz pulls Cook in close to prevent any damage.
Diaz keeping full guard, as Cook tries to pass.
Cook trying to control the position from guard on top but Diaz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Cook is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Diaz is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Diaz has escaped and now he's on top!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Diaz in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Diaz wants to control from the top but Cook keeps moving.
Diaz has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Diaz is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Cook is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Jesse Diaz wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Diaz darts in and clinches Cook up against the cage.
Diaz is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Cook is defending well for now.

Cook's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Diaz wants to clinch but Cook slips to the side

and Cook counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Diaz!
Diaz really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Cook comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Cook 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Cook!