PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Michael Poulsen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Diaz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Matt Diaz is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Poulsen
vs
Diaz

175 cm
20
180 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

181 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Experienced

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Michael Poulsen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Matt Diaz!
The judges for this bout are John Roberts, Dean Styles and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Diaz shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Poulsen as he jumps to the side.
Diaz tries for a takedown but Poulsen sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Diaz.
Michael Poulsen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matt Diaz.
Poulsen tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Diaz paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Poulsen waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Diaz.
Diaz tries to clinch there but Poulsen circles away.
Diaz moves away from the strike by Poulsen.
Diaz tries to score a power double leg takedown but Poulsen sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Diaz somewhat.
Poulsen tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Poulsen decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Diaz is trying to get back to full guard.
Poulsen is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Poulsen wants to pass to mount but Diaz is defending the position.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

Michael Poulsen has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Poulsen throws out a loose jab but Diaz uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Poulsen backs up against the cage.

It looks like Michael Poulsen has been cut.
Diaz is looking to land body kicks.
Michael Poulsen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A jab from Poulsen misses.
Poulsen misses with a looping right.
Diaz avoids the head kick by Poulsen.
Poulsen throws the kick towards the body but Diaz avoids it.
A head kick from Poulsen lands but Diaz takes it in his stride.
Diaz moves in looking to clinch but Poulsen pushes him off.
Diaz shoots in for a double leg but Poulsen sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Poulsen throws the left hand but Diaz avoids the punch easily.
Poulsen looks to land a left hand but Diaz moved out of range nicely.
Poulsen looks to score with a jab to the body but Diaz is just out of range.
Poulsen fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Diaz manages to avoid it.
Diaz fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Poulsen throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Poulsen counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Diaz's guard now.
Poulsen engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Diaz has control of Poulsen's left arm, preventing Poulsen from doing any damage.
Poulsen is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Michael Poulsen.
Poulsen circles away from the clinch attempt.
Poulsen misses with a straight left.
Diaz shoots in but no luck this time.
Poulsen lands a right hook to the body.
Diaz shoots in but Poulsen avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Poulsen clinches up with Diaz and pushes him back against the cage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Poulsen takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Poulsen seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.
Poulsen is trying to maintain a safe position but Diaz gets an underhook and turns Poulsen into the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Poulsen dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Michael Poulsen's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Diaz wants to clinch up but Poulsen keeps it at a distance.
Poulsen's corner calls for a 1-2. Poulsen obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Poulsen throws a jab when Diaz was well out of range.
Diaz looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Poulsen is fending him off so far but Diaz persists. Nope, Poulsen circles away and we're back to standing.
Diaz avoids a kick to the body.
Diaz fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Poulsen avoids it really well and circles away.
Poulsen circles away from the clinch attempt.
Diaz with a poor takedown

and Poulsen counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Poulsen.
Michael Poulsen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matt Diaz.
Poulsen pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Diaz is keeping the position for now.
Poulsen sitting in guard here, content to control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz is trying to keep Poulsen in close.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Diaz tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Poulsen manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Poulsen swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Diaz tries to clinch up but Poulsen circles away and keeps his distance.

Poulsen shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Diaz napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Poulsen working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz gets back to half guard.
Poulsen controlling the pace.
Poulsen wants to lay and pray for a moment but Diaz keeps working.
Poulsen perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

Michael Poulsen has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Poulsen tries to land a front kick but Diaz steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz fails with the takedown.
A big right from Poulsen misses.
Poulsen throws the left hand but Diaz avoids the punch easily.
Diaz misses with a takedown attempt - Poulsen sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Poulsen tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Diaz is able to avoid easily.
Diaz uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Poulsen.
Diaz uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Poulsen.
Diaz tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Diaz is breathing heavily.
Poulsen misses with a straight left.

Poulsen closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Poulsen is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diaz prevents Poulsen from improving position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Poulsen controls the position.
Poulsen working away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Poulsen controlling from side mount.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Poulsen trying to control the position but Diaz is working away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Poulsen dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Michael Poulsen'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!

Poulsen throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Poulsen rushes Diaz and presses him up against the cage.
Poulsen pressing his opponent against the cage.
Poulsen misses with an elbow over the top.
Poulsen creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Diaz's defenses.
Poulsen landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Diaz looking to slow down the pace here.
Diaz blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Diaz fails to pull guard.

Diaz breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Poulsen is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Diaz.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Poulsen fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Diaz to the ground. Poulsen is now in Diaz's guard.
Poulsen not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Diaz looking to control.
Diaz keeping full guard, as Poulsen tries to pass.
Diaz being controlled here, momentarily.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Diaz uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Poulsen.
Poulsen fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Diaz manages to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Poulsen.

Poulsen scores with a takedown into Diaz's guard.
Diaz can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Poulsen controls the pace.
Diaz keeping moving, preventing Poulsen from controlling successfully.
Diaz controls Poulsen momentarily but Poulsen frees himself.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Poulsen trying to control but Diaz is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

We're going to have a standup here because Michael Poulsen wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Nice sprawl there from Poulsen as Diaz shoots in.
Diaz misses with a few strikes there.
Diaz takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Diaz shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Poulsen as he avoids it easily.
Michael Poulsen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matt Diaz.
Diaz tries to clinch up but Poulsen circles away and keeps his distance.
Poulsen attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Diaz moves out of range of the strikes.
A jab from Poulsen misses.
A clash of legs there as Diaz blocks the low kick.
Poulsen pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Diaz is trying hard to land a takedown here. Poulsen sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Poulsen misses with a head kick.

Poulsen shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Diaz napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Poulsen knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Diaz on the ground.
Poulsen controlling the position from side mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diaz is looking to reverse the position.
Michael Poulsen overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Poulsen is staying tight to Diaz's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Poulsen is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Diaz can do to turn this around?
Sloppy strikes there by Poulsen.
Diaz is looking for a sweep.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Diaz is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Matt Diaz has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Michael Poulsen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

And that's the end of the fight!
Michael Poulsen showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Poulsen has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 John Roberts scores the fight 30:27
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Michael Poulsen!