PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Dougie Diablo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Stilko Gokov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Diablo
vs
Gokov

172 cm
23
152 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
19
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Dougie Diablo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Stilko Gokov!
The judges for this bout are Summer Carpenter, Skip Squint and Winston Howard.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Diablo tries to clinch up but Gokov circles away and keeps his distance.
Diablo misses with a wild body shot.
Gokov is looking to land body kicks.
Diablo misses with a low kick.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Diablo.

Gokov gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Diablo trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Diablo wants to control from the top but Gokov keeps moving.
Diablo lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Diablo decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gokov has had enough of the clinch but Diablo keeps him there for the moment.

Diablo manages to break the clinch.
Gokov tries to clinch there but Diablo circles away.
Diablo misses with a head kick.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Gokov.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Diablo.

Diablo stands up and we're back to a striking position.

Gokov has Diablo up against the cage in a clinch.
Diablo jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Gokov walks away with a smile on his face. Diablo gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gokov shoots in for a takedown but Diablo shows good takedown defense.
Gokov swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Diablo misses with a body kick.

Diablo shoots in and bounces Gokov off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Diablo gets to his feet - Gokov follows without any prompting.
A head kick misses from Diablo.
Gokov has a takedown stuffed.
Gokov misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Dougie Diablo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Stilko Gokov.
Gokov tries to clinch but Diablo is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diablo is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Diablo shoots in for a double leg but Gokov sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Diablo swats away the attempt to clinch by Gokov.
Diablo throws a right and a left that both miss.
Gokov fails in his attempt to clinch.
Gokov throws a series of punches but Diablo avoids them all with ease.
Gokov is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Diablo throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Gokov's waist but Gokov gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Diablo off to one side.

Gokov gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Diablo's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diablo trying to control the position from guard on top but Gokov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Diablo stands and steps away. Gokov gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Gokov slaps away a takedown attempt from Diablo, before circling back to the center of the mat.
The fight stays on the outside here - Gokov looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Gokov changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Diablo tries to avoid it but Gokov manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Diablo to the ground. Diablo escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Gokov looks gassed!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Diablo pushes Gokov up against the cage in a clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gokov is trying to pull guard but Diablo turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dougie Diablo dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Diablo shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Gokov manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

Gokov has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Diablo is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Gokov.
Dougie Diablo overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Diablo cracks Gokov with a big right hand but Gokov just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.

Diablo swings around for an armbar but Gokov sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Diablo's guard.
Gokov wants to control from the top but Diablo keeps moving.

Diablo looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Diablo has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Diablo had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Gokov defends it easily.
Gokov wants to control from the top but Diablo keeps moving.

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

Diablo kicks Gokov off and gets to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diablo looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Gokov is fending him off so far but Diablo persists. Nope, Gokov circles away and we're back to standing.
Diablo defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Gokov.
Gokov shoots for a double leg takedown but Diablo sprawls well. He's pushed Gokov's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Gokov is breathing heavily.

Diablo feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Diablo content to stall in guard here.
Gokov really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Diablo. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Diablo gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Diablo shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Gokov sprawls well. Gokov wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Diablo gets slowly back to his feet.
Dougie Diablo is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Diablo avoids the head kick by Gokov.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diablo tries to close the distance and clinch but Gokov swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Diablo misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dougie Diablo. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Diablo shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Gokov looking for a sweep. Not yet Gokov, not yet.
Diablo not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Diablo stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gokov swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Gokov is looking to stand up but Diablo isn't so interested in that idea.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diablo engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

We're going to have a standup here because Dougie Diablo wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
The fight stays on the outside here - Diablo looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Diablo feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Diablo loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Diablo trying to control the position from guard on top but Gokov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Diablo is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dougie Diablo dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

A telegraphed takedown attempt from Diablo is defended easily by Gokov.

Diablo instigates a clinch.

Diablo breaks the clinch.
Nice takedown defense from Gokov. No joy for Diablo on that attempt.
Diablo throws a head kick but Gokov moves out of range.

Gokov moves into the clinch successfully.
Gokov wants to break the clinch but can't.

Gokov gets control of Diablo's arms and successfully pulls guard. Gokov will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Diablo is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diablo wants to control from the top but Gokov keeps moving.
Diablo is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Diablo works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Diablo seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Diablo is trying to control the action in half guard but Gokov is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

We're going to have a standup here because Dougie Diablo wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Gokov looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Diablo shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Diablo stands and throws Gokov's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Gokov takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Gokov is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Diablo has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Gokov trying his best to control but Diablo has mounted him.

Diablo looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
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!
Diablo takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diablo wants to control the pace but Gokov is squirming around nicely.
Diablo landing shots from mount.

Diablo looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Diablo takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diablo seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Gokov for as long as he can get away with.

Diablo looking to secure an arm triangle but Gokov defends it well.
Stilko Gokov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Dougie Diablo is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Diablo pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dougie Diablo showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Diablo, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Summer Carpenter scores the fight for Dougie Diablo!
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight for Dougie Diablo!
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight for Dougie Diablo!

Dougie Diablo wins by unanimous decision!