PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Nicolai Grigorev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alberto Diagana (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Diagana has chosen Judas Priest - Painkiller as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Alberto Diagana enters the cage!

Grigorev
vs
Diagana

168 cm
27
155 lbs
6 - 10 - 0

168 cm
33
156 lbs
17 - 21 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
Good gas tank

Nutrional
Amsterdam in London 95% Laundry

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 6 - 10 - 0, fighting out of London, Nicolai Grigorev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 21 - 0, fighting out of London, Alberto Diagana!
The judges for this bout are Richard Clark, Paul Tew and Phil Schofield.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Diagana has a takedown stuffed.
Grigorev showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Diagana.
Grigorev throws a head kick that Diagana semi-blocks.

It looks like Alberto Diagana has been cut.
Grigorev swats away the attempt to clinch by Diagana.
Grigorev keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Grigorev dips to his left and cracks Diagana with an uppercut!
Diagana takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Grigorev just misses with a punch to the body.
Grigorev stuffs the takedown attempt from Diagana. Diagana gets slowly back to his feet.
Nicolai Grigorev has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alberto Diagana.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Grigorev, right into the meat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Good standup being displayed there by Grigorev as he connects with a hook.
Diagana throws a series of punches but Grigorev moves out of range.
Diagana fails with the takedown.
Grigorev throws a body punch but Diagana moves out of range.
Diagana dives in and grabs Grigorev's left leg, looking for a takedown. Grigorev pushes down on Diagana's head and hops out.
Grigorev misses with a hook.
Diagana tries to clinch up but Grigorev circles away and keeps his distance.
Diagana tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Grigorev paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Diagana pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Diagana tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Grigorev swivels and escapes.
Diagana shoots for a double leg takedown but Grigorev sprawls well. He's pushed Diagana's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Grigorev throws out a powerful jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diagana is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Grigorev looks to throw the jab but Diagana is out of range.
Diagana tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Grigorev makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Diagana gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Grigorev.
Diagana tries to clinch
and Grigorev finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.

Diagana gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Diagana taking a breather.
Grigorev wants to get back to striking at distance but Diagana won't allow it.
Diagana pressing his opponent against the cage.
Grigorev takes a knee to the side of the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diagana tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Grigorev has had enough of the clinch but Diagana keeps him there for the moment.
Grigorev dodges an elbow strike from Diagana.
Diagana has a couple of punches blocked by Grigorev.
Diagana misses with a knee to the head.
Diagana pushes off an throws an elbow but Grigorev leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Grigorev blocks an elbow strike.
Diagana is trying to pull guard but Grigorev has him pressed against the cage.

Grigorev pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Grigorev throws a head kick that Diagana semi-blocks.
Grigorev scores with a punch to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diagana walks into a stiff left hand from Grigorev.

Diagana is rocked!
Diagana wants to clinch but Grigorev slips to the side
and Grigorev counters with a left to the body.
Diagana is still on wobbly legs! Can Grigorev finish him?
Grigorev misses with a hook.
Diagana fails with an attempt to clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Grigorev tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Diagana seems to have recovered his senses.
Grigorev lands with a nice body kick.
Danga de danga de dang - Diagana scores with a four punch combination!
A head kick misses from Grigorev.
Grigorev misses with a wild body shot.
Diagana lands a jab-cross combination.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Grigorev misses with a hook. Diagana ducked under it nicely.
Grigorev connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Grigorev throws a head kick that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nicolai Grigorev dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Alberto Diagana's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Diagana takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Grigorev lands with a kick to the ribs.
Grigorev throws a low kick but it's checked well by Diagana.
Grigorev looks to score with a jab to the body but Diagana is just out of range.
Grigorev dips to his left and cracks Diagana with an uppercut!
Diagana looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Diagana takes a kick to the side of the head.
Nicolai Grigorev is winning the standup battle so far.
Diagana tries to clinch
letting Grigorev counter with a right hand.
Diagana looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Grigorev throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Grigorev lands with a shot to the body.
Diagana stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Grigorev.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diagana fails in his attempt to clinch.
Diagana throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Diagana fails to land the takedown.
Diagana is breathing heavily.
Grigorev connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.

Grigorev drops Diagana with a hook right on the temple. He thinks about going to the ground but Diagana looks back up at him and smiles so Grigorev waves him back to his feet - he obviously thinks he can knock him out after that shot landed.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Grigorev looks to land a left hand but Diagana moved out of range nicely.
Grigorev tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Grigorev.
Diagana slips under a jab from Grigorev.
Grigorev misses with a body shot.
Grigorev lets loose with a powerful body kick. Diagana will feel that in the morning.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diagana uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Grigorev.
Grigorev circles away from the clinch attempt.
Diagana tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Grigorev paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Nicolai Grigorev is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Diagana throws a series of punches but Grigorev avoids them all with ease.
Grigorev throws a head kick but Diagana moves out of range.
Diagana tries to clinch up
and Grigorev counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Alberto Diagana seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Diagana misses with a two punch combination.
Diagana is trying desperately to land a takedown but Grigorev is having absolutely none of it. This is turning into a bit of a nightmare for Diagana.

Diagana clinches.
Diagana is trying to pull guard but Grigorev has him pressed against the cage.
Nicolai Grigorev has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alberto Diagana.
Diagana jumps guard but Grigorev turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diagana wants to stall.
Diagana keeps control of Grigorev as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Diagana stalling.
Diagana missing with knees to the body.
Diagana jumps guard but Grigorev turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Grigorev wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Diagana has him pressed against the cage.
Grigorev lands a nice shot to the body.
Diagana is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Grigorev is defending well.
Diagana pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Diagana has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Grigorev.

Grigorev breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Grigorev paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diagana is looking to clinch but Grigorev is avoiding it.
Grigorev's corner calls for a 1-2. Grigorev obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Grigorev keeps the fight on the outside.
Grigorev cracks a nice hook into Diagana's ribs.
Diagana misses with a head kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Diagana manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Grigorev on his heels. He'll look to pass Grigorev's guard now, I'm sure.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Grigorev wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Diagana won't allow Grigorev to sweep him here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nicolai Grigorev dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Alberto Diagana's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're 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.

Diagana takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Grigorev takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Diagana throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Grigorev's head.
Grigorev turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Grigorev throws a body punch but Diagana moves out of range.
Grigorev avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Diagana moves into range and clinches up with Grigorev.

Diagana gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Grigorev won't allow Diagana to pass to mount.
Diagana prevents Grigorev from improving his position.
Diagana is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Grigorev reverses the position - he's now on top in Diagana's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diagana trying to control the position.
Grigorev slips nicely into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Grigorev tries to pass to full mount but Diagana defends it.
Diagana is looking to improve his position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diagana makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Diagana.
Diagana looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Grigorev working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Diagana's head.
Grigorev wants to control from the top but Diagana keeps moving.
Diagana not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Alberto Diagana has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Diagana utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Grigorev won't allow Diagana to sweep him here.
Diagana takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grigorev seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Grigorev makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Diagana is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Grigorev trying to control the position from guard on top but Diagana is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Grigorev not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Nicolai Grigorev wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Diagana keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diagana walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Grigorev lands with a good body shot.
Diagana closes the distance but Grigorev moves to the side
and Grigorev counters with a stiff right hand.
Diagana looks for a takedown but Grigorev sprawls well.
Grigorev uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Diagana closes the distance but Grigorev moves to the side
and Grigorev counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Diagana shoots in and drives through. Grigorev sprawls well.
Diagana tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Grigorev paws at him with a jab and circles away.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Nicolai Grigorev.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Grigorev, 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 Richard Clark scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 30:27
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nicolai Grigorev!
A loyal slave to those sponsorship dollars, Nicolai Grigorev made sure he mentioned Amsterdam in London 95% Laundry, along with how happy he was to win his fight.