PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dima Zinin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Walker Diaz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Zinin is coming into this fight with a significant injury, which will no doubt have an effect on his cardio. Dima Zinin has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Zinin
vs
Diaz

185 cm
20
183 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

190 cm
20
185 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
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 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Dima Zinin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Walker Diaz!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Fedor Mirinova and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zinin takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Zinin is breathing heavily.
Diaz throws a series of punches but Zinin avoids them all with ease.
Diaz scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Diaz throws a nice looking combination but Zinin bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Diaz misses with a jab, cross combination.
Diaz misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Diaz lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
A left and a right from Diaz both land. Nice combination.

Zinin is rocked!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Zinin gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Oh Zinin is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Diaz cracks Zinin with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
A punch combination from Diaz misses.
Zinin seems to have got his legs back now.
Diaz lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Walker Diaz is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Diaz. No joy for Zinin on that attempt.
Diaz thuds a left hand into Zinin's body.
Diaz throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Zinin takes one to the side of the head.
Diaz looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
No joy there for Diaz, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Zinin shoots in and drives through. Diaz sprawls well.
Diaz lands a two punch combo.
Diaz throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Zinin.
Diaz misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Diaz gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Diaz wants to stand up but Zinin is controlling him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Zinin loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Diaz is pulling down on Zinin's head to control his posture.
Diaz avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Diaz wants to stand up but Zinin is controlling him.

Diaz pushes Zinin off and gets back to his feet.
Diaz will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Zinin momentarily.
Diaz throws a one two combo.
Left hook, right uppercut from Diaz.
Diaz cracks Zinin with an open hand slap.
Diaz lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Diaz throws a one two combo.
Danga de danga de dang - Diaz scores with a four punch combination!
Zinin is trying hard to land a takedown here. Diaz sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dima Zinin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Diaz scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diaz throws a right hand that Zinin ducks under and follows up with a left that Zinin also avoids with ease.
Diaz ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Zinin slips a jab and a cross from Diaz.
Walker Diaz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Diaz feints a jab promting Zinin to slip. Diaz then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Zinin slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Diaz will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Diaz works over Zinin's head and body with a nice combination.
Diaz tries to bum rush Zinin with a series of wild strikes but Zinin uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Zinin walks into a straight right hand from Diaz.
Diaz digs a good body shot into Zinin's ribs.
Diaz's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Diaz duly obliges.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Walker Diaz dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Diaz throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Diaz stalks Zinin and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Zinin's face. Zinin staggers backwards, shaken.
Diaz looks to land a combination. Zinin sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

Zinin manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Diaz on his heels. He'll look to pass Diaz's guard now, I'm sure.
Diaz is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Diaz is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.

Diaz decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Zinin dodges the punch combination from Diaz.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Diaz tries to bum rush Zinin with a series of wild strikes but Zinin uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Diaz will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Zinin takes one to the chin there.
Diaz is working the combinations to good effect here.
Diaz throws a right hand that Zinin ducks under and follows up with a left that Zinin also avoids with ease.
A lazy left from Diaz finds it's target.
Diaz fails to land with a series of punches.
Diaz throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Diaz throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Diaz tries to bum rush Zinin with a series of wild strikes but Zinin uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Walker Diaz seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Diaz looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Diaz lands with a straight right. Zinin didn't see that one coming.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Zinin moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Zinin shoots in and drives through. Diaz sprawls well.
Diaz lands a jab-cross combination.
Dima Zinin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Diaz ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Diaz misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Diaz throws a right and a left that Zinin avoids nicely.
No joy there for Diaz, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Diaz throws a right hand that Zinin ducks under and follows up with a left that Zinin also avoids with ease.
A combination from Diaz does no damage.
Diaz lands with a good body shot.
Diaz throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Zinin stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Diaz displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz throws a right hand that Zinin ducks under and follows up with a left that Zinin also avoids with ease.
Sloppy strikes from Diaz. Those never looked like landing.
Diaz misses with a double jab.
Diaz swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Diaz connects with a body shot that sends Zinin's belly button to the back.
Zinin walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Jab by Diaz.
Diaz lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Diaz listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Sloppy strikes from Diaz. Those never looked like landing.
Zinin has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Zinin looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Diaz's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Diaz duly obliges.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zinin takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Zinin drops his hands momentarily and Diaz takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Zinin slips a jab and a cross from Diaz.
Diaz throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Zinin.
Diaz lands a two punch combo.
Diaz misses with a wild combination.
Diaz throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Zinin.
Diaz has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Diaz fails to land with a series of punches.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Diaz misses with a wild combination.
Diaz misses with a jab, cross combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Walker Diaz showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Diaz swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Diaz misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Diaz swinging wildly here.
Diaz is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.

Zinin looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Diaz is trying to stand back up but Zinin is controlling him
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Zinin wants to lay and pray for a moment but Diaz keeps working.
Diaz is trying to stand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz trying to control but Zinin postures up.
Zinin prevents Diaz from standing back up.
Walker Diaz has got the better of the ground game so far.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Diaz lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Diaz misses with a double jab.
Diaz lands with a right hand.
Diaz throws a right and a left that Zinin avoids nicely.
Diaz jabs Zinin to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Diaz scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Diaz moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Diaz swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz misses with a wild combination.
Diaz will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Diaz connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Diaz throws a nice looking combination but Zinin bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Diaz throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Diaz throws a body punch but Zinin moves out of range.
Diaz misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Zinin fails with a takedown attempt.
Left hook, right uppercut from Diaz.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Diaz fails to land with a series of punches.
Zinin is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Diaz.
Diaz lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Zinin circles away quickly and effectively.
Diaz swinging wildly here.
Zinin dodges the punch combination from Diaz.
Diaz misses with a double jab.
Diaz scores with a one two! Zinin had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Diaz misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diaz lands a glancing blow to the side of Zinin's head.
Diaz throws a right and a left that Zinin avoids nicely.
Diaz misses with the combination.
Dima Zinin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Zinin showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Diaz.
Diaz lands a two punch combo.
Diaz throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Zinin.
Diaz scores with a sloppy right hand. Zinin should have avoided that one.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Diaz lands with a nice combination. Zinin backs away looking to recover.
Walker Diaz is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Zinin dodges the punch combination from Diaz.
Diaz lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!

And that's the end of the fight!
Walker Diaz comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Diaz 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 Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 27:30
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Walker Diaz!
Walker Diaz decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.