PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Brad Black (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nick Diaz (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.

Black
vs
Diaz

180 cm
18
167 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
22
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Brad Black!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Nick Diaz!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Black shoots in but no luck this time.
Black looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Diaz gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Diaz has Black pressed against the cage.
Black is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Diaz is defending well for now.

Diaz drags the fight down to the ground.
Black landing with the ground and pound.
Black throwing strikes from guard but Diaz blocks nicely.
Black won't allow Diaz to sweep him here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Black accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Black working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Black has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Diaz preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Diaz trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Black!
Black is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Black is trying desperately to improve position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Diaz controlling the pace for now.
Black sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Ground and pound from Diaz.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Black keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Black is staying active underneath Diaz, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Black is in trouble now - Diaz has advanced to mount!
Diaz landing punches.
Diaz tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Diaz has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Black takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Black can't escape the position.
Black avoids a series of strikes thrown by Diaz.
Black is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Diaz trying to control but Black is having none of it.
Black tries to hold on but Diaz postures up.
Diaz with good strikes from the mount here!
Black tries to control the position but Diaz now has his back.
Black is trying to break free.
Diaz trying to control momentarily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Black's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Diaz tries to get the hooks in deep but Black pushed the leg off.
Diaz has the hooks in. Black is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Black covering up well under a barage of strikes.
Diaz trying to control momentarily.
Black looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Black tries to roll but Diaz sticks to his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nick Diaz dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Black avoids the head kick by Diaz.

Black 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.
Black is looking to work some ground and pound but Diaz has wrist control.
Black wants to control from the top but Diaz keeps moving.
Black showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

Diaz looking for a guillotine here but Black defends easily.

Diaz is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Diaz is looking to break free of the clinch but Black has double underhooks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz'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.
Black goes for a takedown attempt but Diaz pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Black forces Diaz back against the cage and clinches.
Diaz is trying to break the clinch but Black has him pressed against the cage.
Diaz lands a hook that snaps the head of Black backwards.
Diaz trying to land knees to the body.

Diaz breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Black shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Diaz as he jumps to the side.
Black throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Diaz.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz slaps away a takedown attempt from Black, before circling back to the center of the mat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Brad Black. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Diaz shoots in but no luck this time.

Black gets a clinch.

Black breaks from the clinch.

Diaz gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Black breaks the clinch.
Black displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Diaz.
Black closes the distance and clinches up with Diaz, looking for a takedown. Black pushes Diaz against the cage but Diaz circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Diaz tests Black's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Black shoots for a takedown but Diaz saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Diaz fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Black has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Diaz closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Black to the mat! Black manages to get full guard.
Diaz passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Black wants to control but Diaz postures up.
Diaz landing a few strikes.
Diaz cracks Black with a big right hand but Black just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Diaz wants to lay and pray for a moment but Black keeps working.
Diaz advances nicely into full mount.
Black tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
BOOM! Diaz connects with a massive shot to the dome!
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!
Diaz can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Black is looking to escape.
Diaz controlling the pace for now.
Diaz can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Black is looking to escape.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Diaz lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nick Diaz showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Diaz drives through and clinches with Black against the cage.
Black stops a takedown attempt from Diaz.

Black turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Diaz is not content to let Black control the position.
Black working away.
Black looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Diaz is avoiding damage well.
Black lands a nice forearm strike.
Diaz is looking for a sweep.
Diaz is not content to let Black control the position.

Black swings around for an armbar but Diaz sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Black's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz trying to control but Black is working from the bottom.
Black is trying to control the position but Diaz postures up.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Diaz stands and throws Black's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Black is not content to let Diaz control the position.
Black tries to buck Diaz off but Diaz is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Black is trying to buck Diaz off.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Diaz is trying to get an arm triangle but Black is defending well.
Diaz creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Black sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Diaz trying to control the position but Black is working away.
Diaz content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Black tries to buck Diaz off but Diaz is having none of it.
Diaz wants to lay and pray for a moment but Black keeps working.
Black wings away with a couple of strikes but they don't land.
Diaz controlling the position from side mount.
Diaz landing strikes.
Black gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Black working to try and regain half guard.
Black is squirming around, avoiding Diaz's attempts to control the action.
Diaz landing strikes, looking to finish!
Nick Diaz has got the better of the ground game so far.
Diaz controlling his opponent.
Diaz trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Brad Black has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Nick Diaz is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Diaz is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nick 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nick Diaz!