PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Wilfried Handel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kai Diao (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Diao has chosen 半斤八兩 as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Handel
vs
Diao

185 cm
29
156 lbs
14 - 5 - 0

173 cm
27
159 lbs
11 - 12 - 1

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Decent wrestler
Good kicks
Knockout power

[EVO] Koffin Inc. *Laundry Available*

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 14 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Wilfried Handel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 12 - 1, fighting out of London, Kai Diao!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Donald Grub and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Handel fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Diao scores with a jab to the body.
Handel feints a jab promting Diao to slip. Handel then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Diao slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.

It looks like Kai Diao has been cut.
Wilfried Handel seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Handel misses with a straight right.
Handel fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Diao fails in his attempt to clinch.
Diao dodges the punch combination from Handel.
Handel swings for the body but Diao moves out of range.
Handel avoids the head kick by Diao.
Handel misses with the combination.
Handel chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Diao can pounce on him.
Both fighters circling a little - Diao finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Handel ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Diao moves away.
Handel swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Diao counters with a nice low kick that buckles Handel's knee momentarily.
Diao scores with a spinning back kick!
Handel is breathing heavily.
Diao swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Handel keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Handel lands a head shot.
Diao has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Diao there as he acknowledges the shot.
Diao tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Diao tries a head kick but it misses.
Handel throws a series of punches but Diao moves out of range.
Diao throws a head kick that misses.
Diao uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Handel.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diao misses with a low kick as Handel jumps back.
Handel throws a body punch but Diao moves out of range.
Diao tries a low kick but Handel avoids it.
Handel takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
A big left from Handel misses.
Diao takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Diao throws a leg kick which misses Handel's front leg but catches the back leg as Handel tries to avoid it.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Diao bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Handel's head.
Diao throws a half hearted mid kick.
Diao tries a head kick but it misses.
Diao lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
No joy there for Handel, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Handel swings widly with a right hand
and Diao counters with a nice leg kick.
The fighters circle momentarily. Handel darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Handel moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Handel on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Diao takes a swing at Handel's ribcage but misses.
Handel looks to land a combination but Diao avoids it well.
A jab from Diao does it's job there.
Danga de danga de dang - Handel scores with a four punch combination!
Diao tries a head kick but it misses.
Handel scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Diao is looking to land body kicks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Handel misses the shot to the body.
Handel misses with a combination

and Diao counters by clinching up.
Diao's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Diao goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Handel content to slow the pace in the clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Handel.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Handel prevents a body shot from Diao.
Handel struggles to land a body shot inside as Diao controls his hands.
Handel struggles to land a body shot inside as Diao controls his hands.
Diao tries a knee to the head but Handel blocks it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Wilfried Handel will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Kai Diao's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Handel checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Diao misses with a head kick.
Some wild striking there from Handel.
Diao uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Handel.
No joy there for Handel, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Diao turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
A head kick from Diao lands but Handel takes it in his stride.
Diao takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Diao is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Handel rather than just go for the knockout.
Handel stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Diao.
Diao scores with a jab.
Handel is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Diao is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Diao throws a nice head kick!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diao thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Handel if he has to take too many more of those.
Diao keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Handel blocks a jab.
Kai Diao seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Handel ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Diao moves away.
Handel takes a swing at Diao's ribcage but misses.
Diao throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Handel misses with a straight left.
Diao with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Decent striking displayed by Diao there.
Diao looks to score with a jab to the body but Handel is just out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diao misses with a wild body shot.
Diao avoids the body shot from Handel.
Diao pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Diao lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Handel chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Diao can pounce on him.

Diao forces Handel back against the cage and clinches.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Handel throws a head punch that misses.
Diao pressing his opponent against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diao lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Diao.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Kai Diao.
Handel swings for the body but Diao moves out of range.
Handel uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Diao.
Diao scores with a head kick.
Handel checks a low kick from Diao.
Diao throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Handel is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Handel throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Wilfried Handel is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A solid leg kick lands there for Diao.
Diao keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diao displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Handel throws out the jab.
Handel misses with a series of wild punches.
Diao lands with a right hand.
A head kick misses from Diao.
Diao uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Handel.
Diao throws a sloppy head kick and Handel moves out of range easily.
Handel lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Diao scores with a jab. Handel acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Diao throws a low kick, looking for Handel's leg but Handel calmly moves out of range.
Handel will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kai Diao showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Kai Diao's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

A punch lands to the side of Handel 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Diao slips a jab and a cross from Handel.
Diao scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Handel misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Diao throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Diao thumps Handel with a low kick.
Handel takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Diao slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
A head kick misses from Diao.
Diao throws a shot to the body.
Diao takes one to the side of the head.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diao is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Handel.
Diao throws a sloppy head kick and Handel moves out of range easily.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Handel slips a straight right by Diao.
Handel throws a series of punches but Diao avoids them all with ease.
Handel lands a head shot.
Diao lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.

Diao takes the fight into the clinch.
Diao manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Diao trying to land knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Handel scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Diao controlling the action here for a moment.
Handel really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Diao receives a warning from the referee for stalling.
Handel lands a hook that snaps the head of Diao backwards.
Diao misses with an elbow over the top.
Handel misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Handel swings wildly with an uppercut but Diao uses good head movement to avoid it.
Diao with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Handel avoiding damage as Diao throws knees to the body.
Handel blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Handel misses with a shot to the kidneys.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Handel blocks an elbow strike from Diao.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Diao as Handel tries to tie him up.
Diao throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Handel takes a knee to the side of the body.
Handel throws a head punch that misses.
Diao using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Handel has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Handel throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Diaos head.
Handel takes a shot to the head.
Diao gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Handel trying to control the position but instead, Diao has worked for underhooks and has pushed Handel into the cage.
Handel misses with a short punch on the inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diao is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
A head punch on the inside from Handel fails to land.
Diao is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Handel is defending well for now.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Handel throws a punch but it's blocked by Diao.
Diao lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Handel on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Handel trying to stall but Diao improves his position.
Diao holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Diao tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Handel avoids it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Handel lands a hook to the side of the head.
Diao is pushing Handel up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Knees in the clinch landing for Diao.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kai Diao comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Diao has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 James Ackerman scores the fight 27:30
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 28:29
Judge James Glass scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kai Diao!