PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Lex Diamonds (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Horace Buckle (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Diamonds
vs
Buckle

178 cm
23
185 lbs
3 - 6 - 0

190 cm
20
190 lbs
2 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

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 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Lex Diamonds!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Horace Buckle!
The judges for this bout are Eddie Farnsworth, Reed Andrews and Franklyn Lucas.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Diamonds throws a series of punches but Buckle moves out of range.
Buckle misses with a double jab.
Diamonds throws a series of punches but Buckle moves out of range.
A punch combination from Diamonds misses.
Diamonds looks for a takedown but Buckle sprawls well.
Diamonds misses with a jab, cross combination.
Buckle throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Buckle moves into the clinch.
Diamonds can't break the clinch.
Buckle tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Diamonds's elbow.
Buckle stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Buckle keeps control of Diamonds as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Buckle breaks from the clinch.
Diamonds tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Buckle counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Buckle trying to control from half guard but Diamonds is working away.

Diamonds looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Buckle wants to control but Diamonds is keeping him busy.

Diamonds is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Buckle pulls his head out easily.
Diamonds tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Buckle has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Diamonds is squirming around, avoiding Buckle's attempts to control the action.
Diamonds is trying desperately to improve position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Buckle sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Diamonds really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Diamonds is squirming around, avoiding Buckle's attempts to control the action.
Diamonds tries to reverse the position but Buckle maintains control.
Buckle controlling from mount.
Diamonds can't escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Buckle controlling the pace for now.
Buckle trying to control but Diamonds is having none of it.
Diamonds bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!

Diamonds drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Buckle dives on top into guard.

Diamonds looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Diamonds keeping moving, preventing Buckle from controlling successfully.
Buckle controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Buckle wants to control from the top but Diamonds keeps moving.

Horace Buckle has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Buckle takes a swing at Diamonds's ribcage but misses.
Diamonds throws a series of punches but Buckle avoids them all with ease.
Diamonds's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Buckle connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Diamonds scrambles back to his feet.
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!
Diamonds shoots in but no luck this time.
Buckle throws a sloppy body shot
and Diamonds counters with a nice uppercut.
Diamonds takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Diamonds on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Buckle doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Diamonds stuns Buckle with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Diamonds tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Buckle swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lex Diamonds. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A punch combination from Diamonds misses.

Buckle looking to score a takedown here. Diamonds is defending well but Buckle drives through and ends up in Diamonds's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Buckle rushes Diamonds and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Buckle lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Diamonds backwards.
Diamonds wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
A bit of stalling here from Buckle.
Diamonds working hard to break the clinch.
Diamonds fails to pull guard.

Buckle's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Diamonds tries to close the distance and clinch but Buckle swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Diamonds swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Diamonds keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Buckle has closed the distance and engaged Diamonds in a clinch.
Diamonds wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Diamonds is trying to break the clinch but Buckle has him pressed against the cage.

Buckle pulls guard successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Diamonds drops back, looking for a kneebar! Buckle looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Buckle looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Buckle!
Buckle wants to lay and pray for a moment but Diamonds keeps working.
Horace Buckle has got the better of the ground game so far.
Diamonds is looking to regain half guard here but Buckle keeps moving and retains side control.
Diamonds is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Buckle sitting and controlling from the half guard.

Diamonds is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Buckle pulls his head out easily.
Buckle really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Diamonds. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Diamonds looking for submissions off his back.
Buckle wants to lay and pray for a moment but Diamonds keeps working.

Diamonds looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Diamonds actively working from the bottom here.
Buckle wants to lay and pray for a moment but Diamonds keeps working.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Diamonds looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Diamonds looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Buckle is controlling the pace.
Buckle is looking to take a break and control but Diamonds is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Buckle not doing much here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Horace Buckle.
Diamonds is trying hard to land a takedown here. Buckle sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
No joy there for Buckle, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Buckle gets a clinch.

Buckle breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Buckle misses with a wild combination.
Sloppy strikes from Buckle. Those never looked like landing.
Diamonds gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Buckle decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Diamonds's guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lex Diamonds. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Diamonds escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Buckle gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Buckle stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Diamonds swivels though and keeps the full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Buckle moves into the clinch successfully.
Buckle effectively controlling the action here.
A frustrated look appears on Diamonds's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Buckle has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Diamonds uses from the top position.

Diamonds drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Buckle dives on top into guard.
Buckle slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Diamonds is looking for a triangle but Buckle pushes his legs off easily.

Diamonds escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Buckle gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Diamonds is looking for a triangle but Buckle pushes his legs off easily.

Diamonds is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Buckle trying to control but Diamonds is working from the bottom.

Diamonds looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Diamonds is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Buckle defends well.
Buckle passes Diamonds's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Buckle is pressing down on Diamonds's thigh, looking to free his foot. Diamonds is holding on for now.
Buckle keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Buckle is keen to just control but Diamonds is a slippery customer.

Diamonds looking for submissions off his back.
Buckle wants to stand but Diamonds has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Diamonds looking for subs from the bottom but Buckle mounts him!
Buckle trying to control but Diamonds is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diamonds keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Buckle with shots to the head and body - Diamonds looks very uncomfortable down there.
Diamonds is looking to get to half guard.
Buckle raining down hammerfists from mount.
Diamonds really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Buckle can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Diamonds is looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diamonds is in all sorts of trouble here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Buckle cracks Diamonds with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Lex Diamonds has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Diamonds might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Buckle working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Horace Buckle is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Diamonds is looking to get to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Horace Buckle.
Well Buckle 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 Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 27:30
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 27:30
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Horace Buckle!
After winning the bout, Horace Buckle thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.