PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Mark Jones (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nate Diaz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Diaz's choice of entrance music: Rev Theory - Light It Up . Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the fighters buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

Jones
vs
Diaz

173 cm
19
155 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

183 cm
20
169 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Mark Jones!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Nate Diaz!
The judges for this bout are Eliza Hachem, Steve Erwin and Bruno Hogan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jones will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Diaz scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Diaz decides to take the fight back to the feet.
The fight stays on the outside here - Diaz looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Diaz stuffs the takedown.
Jones throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Diaz's waist but Diaz gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Jones off to one side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mark Jones. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Jones circles away from the clinch attempt
and Jones counters with a head kick. That will keep Diaz thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

Diaz gets a takedown into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Diaz is trying to control the action in half guard but Jones is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Jones is defending against the submission attempts here by Diaz.
Jones avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Diaz.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Diaz wants to lay and pray for a moment but Jones keeps working.

Diaz seems to be looking for submissions.

Diaz is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Jones doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Diaz.
Jones is trying to stand.
Diaz wants to pass to mount but Jones is defending the position.

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.
Jones trying to hold on to Diaz's head to control him but Diaz postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jones is staying active underneath Diaz, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Jones is looking to get back to full guard here but Diaz has managed to pass to side control instead.
Diaz working away.

Diaz tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Diaz has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Diaz working the body and head with strikes.
Diaz working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Jones tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Jones wants to control but Diaz postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Who's going to make the next move?
Jones wants to control but Diaz postures up.

Diaz working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Jones tries to buck Diaz off but Diaz is having none of it.
Jones struggling a bit here.
Diaz wants to control but Jones is keeping him busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jones keeps Diaz under control for a moment.
Jones is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Diaz's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Diaz wants to take a breather but Jones is having none of it.
Jones slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Jones is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Jones is breathing heavily.
Jones controls Diaz momentarily but Diaz frees himself.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Diaz trying to control but Jones is working from the bottom.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Diaz is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Jones is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Jones throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Diaz.
Diaz is looking to clinch but Jones is avoiding it.
A left and a right from Diaz both land. Nice combination.

It looks like Mark Jones has been cut.
Diaz fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Diaz shoots for a double leg takedown but Jones sprawls well. He's pushed Diaz's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Jones throws a looping overhand right but Diaz ducks down to avoid it.
Diaz with a lazy takedown attempt
and Jones counters with a straight right hand.
Diaz shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Jones pinned against the cage. Jones gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Mark Jones has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nate Diaz.

Jones gets a double leg takedown into Diaz's guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jones lands a couple of elbows.
Diaz has momentary wrist control but Jones slips an elbow through the middle.
Diaz throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Jones trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Jones got a little sloppy there for a moment and Diaz has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Jones has managed to get both his arms back between Diaz's legs - danger averted.
Jones forces his way into half guard.

Jones is looking for a kimura but Diaz is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Jones to get the leverage.

Diaz is defending against the submission attempts here by Jones.

Diaz is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Jones pulls his head out easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz tries to get to full guard but Jones has control of the leg.
Nice strikes from Jones there.
Diaz wants to improve his position but Jones is controlling well.
Jones drops an elbow to the side of Diaz's head.

Jones wants to work for an arm triangle but Diaz is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Diaz preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Jones trying to control from half guard but Diaz is working away.
Jones working over Diaz with some ground and pound. Diaz looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz is looking for a sweep. Jones is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Diaz trying to control but Jones postures up.

Jones is trying to work for a kimura but Diaz is defending well.

Jones is working for a kimura but Diaz is defending it quite comfortably.

Diaz looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Diaz slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Jones wanted to stand there but Diaz had control of the position.

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.
Diaz throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Diaz working a defensive guard here.
Diaz wants to sweep here but Jones controlling him for the moment.

Jones drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Diaz manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Jones has Diaz in his guard.

Diaz thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Diaz wants to get up but he can't break Jones's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Jones dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Mark Jones's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Diaz stuffs the takedown attempt from Jones. Jones gets slowly back to his feet.
Jones throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Jones manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Diaz on his heels. He'll look to pass Diaz's guard now, I'm sure.

Jones avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Diaz wants to sweep here but Jones controlling him for the moment.
Jones working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Jones drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Diaz dives on top into guard.
Jones keeping full guard, as Diaz tries to pass.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Jones utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz stands and throws Jones's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Diaz working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.

Diaz decides to stand back up. Diaz steps back and let's Jones get back to his feet.

Jones feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

Diaz has his foot on Jones's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Jones works his way back into a safe position though.

Jones is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Jones drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Jones jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Jones is looking to work some ground and pound but Diaz has wrist control.

Diaz working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Jones doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Jones manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Diaz is looking for a triangle but Jones pushes his legs off easily.

Jones stands up and waves to Diaz to follow him.
Jones looks to score with a jab to the body but Diaz is just out of range.
Jones is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Diaz.

Diaz dives in and scores a takedown into Jones's guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Jones wriggles free and stands up.
Diaz swinging wildly here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Jones shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Jones showed some decent athleticism there.
Diaz manages to get to full guard.
Jones postures up in Diaz's guard and throws a big left but Diaz blocks it.
Jones wants to stand but Diaz has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Diaz bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Jones's guard.
Diaz preventing the sweep.
Diaz passes Jones's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Diaz looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Diaz is looking for a kimura here.
Jones gets full guard.
Jones looking to hit a scissor sweep but Diaz is one step ahead there.
Diaz is in close to Jones's body, working some short punches and elbows.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Jones is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Diaz trying to control but Jones is working from the bottom.

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 Mark Jones.
I think Jones has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Eliza Hachem scores the fight 29:28
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight 29:29
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Mark Jones!