PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Hakeem Diaw (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Calvin Duran (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Duran has chosen Seven devils - Florence as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Diaw
vs
Duran

181 cm
26
201 lbs
9 - 9 - 0

185 cm
28
193 lbs
15 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Reaper Combatwear

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 9 - 9 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Hakeem Diaw!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Calvin Duran!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Chris Edwards and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Duran fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Diaw manages to avoid it.
A telegraphed right hand from Diaw misses the target.
Diaw takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
A left and a right from Duran both land. Nice combination.
Duran fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Diaw looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Diaw thows a body shot but no joy.
Duran throws a head kick that misses.
Calvin Duran seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Duran uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Diaw.
Diaw throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Duran looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Duran looks to score with a jab to the body but Diaw is just out of range.
Duran moves out of range as Diaw strikes.
Duran throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Duran blocks a head kick by Diaw.
Duran throws a shot from downtown. Diaw moves away and avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big left from Duran misses.
Duran throws a jab but it's blocked by Diaw.
Diaw swings widly with a right hand
and Duran counters with a nice uppercut.
Calvin Duran is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Diaw scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Duran throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Duran ducks right into an uppercut from Diaw.
Duran moves out of range as Diaw throws a body kick.
Duran throws a poor cross that misses
and Diaw counters with a lovely straight right hand!
A jab from Duran finds it's way through Diaw's defenses.
Diaw takes a swing at Duran's ribcage but misses.
Diaw shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Duran pinned against the cage. Duran gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Duran just misses with a punch to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaw takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Duran throws a big shot that misses.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Duran lands a front kick.
Duran works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Diaw fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Duran looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Diaw lands with a good body shot.
Duran pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
A telegraphed right hand from Diaw misses the target.
Duran misses with a low kick.
Diaw cracks Duran with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Duran jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Duran scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Duran fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Duran walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Diaw takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Duran lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Duran scores with a nice right hand.
Duran misses the shot to the body.
Duran getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Duran throws a hook but Diaw avoids it easily.
Duran looks to land a left hand but Diaw moved out of range nicely.
Duran fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Diaw manages to avoid it.
Duran misses with an uppercut.
Duran misses with a right hand
and Diaw counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Duran thinking.
Diaw throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Duran on the side of the head.

It looks like Calvin Duran has been cut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Duran throws an off balance right hand
and Diaw counters with a left to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Duran scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Duran throws a hook but Diaw blocks it.
Diaw avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Diaw throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Duran sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Duran swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Diaw thows a left - swing and a miss!
Duran looks to land a combination but Diaw avoids it well.
Diaw throws a body punch but Duran moves out of range.
Diaw scores with a jab. Duran acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Duran misses with a lunging right hand
and Diaw counters with a right hand to the body.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Diaw drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Duran working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Diaw.
Diaw stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Duran swivels though and keeps the full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Calvin Duran dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Calvin Duran's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Diaw closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Diaw sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Duran is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Diaw has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Diaw trying to control the position but Duran is working away.
Diaw lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Duran down.
Duran is working to avoid the ground and pound but Diaw connects with a decent elbow.
Duran tries to bench press Diaw off him but Diaw keeps the position.
Diaw is putting a hurting on Duran here, landing some big shots from side control.
Diaw trying to control the action but Duran is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Check out the look on Diaw's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Duran tries to buck Diaw off but Diaw is having none of it.
Diaw creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Duran wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Duran can't do much from the bottom here.
Duran managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Diaw.
Diaw grinds an elbow into Duran's temple.
Duran regains half guard there - taking advantage of Diaw's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
Diaw throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaw with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Diaw missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Diaw is looking to take a break and control but Duran is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Diaw connects with a nice short shot to Duran's temple.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diaw looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Duran looks like he's trying to stand up.
Diaw is keen to just control but Duran is a slippery customer.
Duran tries to get to full guard but Diaw has control of the leg.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Duran keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hakeem Diaw dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Calvin Duran's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Duran scores with a nice head shot.
Diaw blocks a head kick by Duran.
Duran uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Diaw.
Diaw misses the shot to the body.
Diaw shoots in and drives through. Duran sprawls well.
Duran lands a nice looking kick to the body. Diaw takes a step back to recover.
Calvin Duran seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A big left from Diaw misses.
Duran throws a low kick but Diaw moves out of range easily.
Duran throws a nice looking combination but Diaw bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Duran pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Diaw steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Duran.
The crowd cheers as Duran lands an impressive looking overhand right. Diaw doesn't seem phased though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Duran tries a low kick but Diaw avoids it.
Duran misses with an uppercut

so Diaw counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Diaw throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Diaw pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Duran is keeping the position for now.
Diaw trying to control the position from guard on top but Duran is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Duran working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Diaw.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaw working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Diaw chips away with some ground and pound.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Diaw looking to pass the guard.
Duran keeping moving, preventing Diaw from controlling successfully.
Duran working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Diaw.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaw is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Duran moves into range and connects with a jab.
Duran lands with a hook. Diaw tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Duran uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Diaw.
Diaw jabbing away but nothing is landing.
That kick from Duran tenderised Diaw's leg. Diaw is trying to keep his angry face on.
Diaw's corner calls for a 1-2. Diaw obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Duran clobbers Diaw with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Duran misses with a hook. Diaw ducked under it nicely.
Duran loads up on a big right hand but Diaw slips the punch.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Diaw crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Duran - the referee stops the clock and Diaw gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Duran. Diaw manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diaw works Duran's body with a nice hook.
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!
Duran pushes Diaw away with a front kick.
Diaw stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Duran.
Duran looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Diaw moves forwards but Duran connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Duran misses the jab.
Duran scores with a jab to the head.
Duran checks the leg kick.
No luck for Diaw with that takedown attempt.
Duran scores with a punch to the head.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Diaw takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Diaw misses with a leg kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Calvin Duran.
I think Duran has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 James Atkins scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 28:29
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Calvin Duran!
Calvin Duran thanked the fans post fight for their support.