PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Rj Dias (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Denis Gigurda (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Dias comes to the cage accompanied by Mortal Kombat Theme. Rj Dias has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Dias
vs
Gigurda

175 cm
19
190 lbs
1 - 2 - 1

200 cm
19
188 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 1 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Rj Dias!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Denis Gigurda!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Kenichi Hosakawa and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dias misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Dias gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Gigurda counters by moving into the clinch.
Gigurda drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Dias gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Dias pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Dias tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Gigurda counters with a single leg into guard. Dias didn't expect that.
Gigurda sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Gigurda trying to control the position from guard on top but Dias is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Dias is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gigurda is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dias keeping moving, preventing Gigurda from controlling successfully.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Denis Gigurda was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Gigurda has managed to clinch.

Dias pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Dias wants to clinch but Gigurda slips to the side

and Gigurda counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Dias is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Gigurda accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Dias seems keen to control Gigurda's posture.

Gigurda decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Dias, up you get!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dias misses with a takedown

and Gigurda counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Dias wants to improve his position but Gigurda is controlling well.
Gigurda content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Dias is controlling Gigurda's trapped leg to prevent Gigurda from advancing to side control.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Dias is pressing down on Gigurda's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gigurda stays in close to Dias's body and controls the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Denis Gigurda.
Dias shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Gigurda counters with a single leg into guard. Dias didn't expect that.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rj Dias. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gigurda is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Gigurda wants to control from the top but Dias keeps moving.
Gigurda slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

Gigurda stands and steps away. Dias gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gigurda shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Dias sprawls well. Dias wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Gigurda gets slowly back to his feet.
Gigurda fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Dias doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Gigurda counters with a takedown into side control.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Dias is not content to let Gigurda control the position.
Gigurda 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.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gigurda lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Gigurda wants to control but Dias is keeping him busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Denis Gigurda dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Dias enables Gigurda to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Dias manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Dias working a defensive guard here.
Gigurda looking to sit in guard and control but Dias gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Gigurda is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Gigurda looking for a sweep. Not yet Gigurda, not yet.
Dias wants to control from the top but Gigurda keeps moving.
Gigurda keeping full guard, as Dias tries to pass.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gigurda looking to hit a scissor sweep but Dias is one step ahead there.
Dias has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Dias takes a decent strike to the side of the head.
Dias trying to control but Gigurda is working from the bottom.
Gigurda is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Dias looking to sit in guard and control but Gigurda gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

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.
Gigurda looking to pass the guard.
Dias controlling Gigurda's posture.
Dias keeping moving, preventing Gigurda from controlling successfully.
Dias looking to control.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Dias looks to land a combination but Gigurda avoids it well.
Gigurda stuffs the takedown.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dias darts in trying to clinch

and Gigurda counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Gigurda sitting in guard, not really doing much.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Dias is on top in guard.
Dias looking to sit in guard and control but Gigurda gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Dias pulls Gigurda in close to prevent any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dias looking to hit a scissor sweep but Gigurda is one step ahead there.
Dias controlling Gigurda's posture.
Dias working a defensive guard here.
Dias trying to control the position here.
Dias might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Rj Dias just wasn't active enough.
Dias with a poor takedown

and Gigurda counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Denis Gigurda showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Gigurda avoids a kick to the body.
A head kick misses from Dias.

Gigurda closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Dias did well to prevent Gigurda getting side control.
Gigurda working over Dias with some ground and pound. Dias looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Gigurda is thwarting Dias's attempts to control the position.
Gigurda controlling the action here.
Dias has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Gigurda is working away from the top position though.
Gigurda wants to pass to mount but Dias is defending the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gigurda content to control rather than advance.
Gigurda has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Denis Gigurda hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Gigurda avoids the head kick by Dias.
Dias shoots and misses

and Gigurda counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Gigurda wants a takedown but no success here.
Gigurda tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Dias's elbow.
A frustrated look appears on Gigurda's face as he tries to break the clinch.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Gigurda.
Gigurda avoiding damage.
Gigurda keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Dias's efforts to push away.

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.

Gigurda successfully pulls guard.
Gigurda wants to improve his position but instead Dias has moved into half guard.
Gigurda works his way to full guard. Good work.
Dias wants to control from the top but Gigurda keeps moving.
Dias slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Gigurda is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Dias is aware though and is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dias prevents Gigurda from getting back to his feet.

Gigurda throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Dias pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Gigurda is keeping the position for now.
Dias trying to control but Gigurda is working from the bottom.
Dias 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.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Gigurda not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Dias controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Rj Dias has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Dias throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Gigurda has his takedown stuffed

and Dias counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Gigurda takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Gigurda is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Dias stays in close to Gigurda's body and controls the position.

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 Rj Dias.
I think Gigurda 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 Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 26:30
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Denis Gigurda!