PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Thad Ray (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mario Diqn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Thad Ray has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Ray
vs
Diqn

209 cm
18
151 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

180 cm
18
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Thad Ray!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mario Diqn!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Diqn chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Ray keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Diqn shoots in looking for a takedown. Ray tries to sprawl out of it but Diqn keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Ray manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Diqn closes the distance and clinches.
Diqn tries to pull guard but Ray won't allow it.
Thad Ray has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mario Diqn.
Diqn goes for a takedown attempt but Ray pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Diqn clinches up against the cage.
Ray taking a breather.
Diqn drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Ray gets the underhooks and prevents it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diqn taking a breather.
Diqn jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Ray walks away with a smile on his face. Diqn gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Diqn misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Diqn misses with a takedown attempt

and Ray counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Diqn!
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.

Ray tries for a kimura but Diqn is defending well.
Diqn tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Ray cracks Diqn with an elbow. That is naaassty.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ray working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Ray is trying to get an arm triangle but Diqn is defending well.
Ray has control of an arm but Diqn manages to advance to Ray's back!
Ray really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Diqn keeps control of the position easily here as Ray tries to buck him off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Will Diqn go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?
Ray is trying to break free.
Ray rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Diqn passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Ray!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ray tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Ray bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!

Diqn is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ray connects with a couple of short punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thad Ray dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Diqn rushes Ray and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Ray changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Diqn fights it off and pushes away nicely.
A head kick misses from Diqn.
Diqn shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Ray defends it nicely.
Diqn misses with a jab, cross combination.
Diqn will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Ray on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diqn swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Ray blocks a head kick by Diqn.
A shot to the body from Diqn misses

and Ray counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Diqn is breathing heavily.
Ray working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Ray is working Diqn over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Ray missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Ray preventing the sweep.
Diqn not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Ray is looking to work some ground and pound but Diqn has wrist control.

Diqn is looking for a triangle here but Ray uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.

Ray is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Diqn has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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!

Ray tries for a kimura but Diqn is defending well.

Ray looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Ray looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diqn is looking for a sweep.

Ray tries for a kimura but Diqn is defending well.
Diqn wants to control but Ray postures up.
Diqn tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.

Ray patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ray is not going to allow Diqn to sit and survive in this position.
Ray trying to control.
Diqn trying to control but not successfully.

Diqn preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Ray.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Diqn looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thad Ray dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Ray looks for a takedown but Diqn sprawls well.

Diqn rushes Ray and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Diqn trying to control the position but instead, Ray has worked for underhooks and has pushed Diqn into the cage.
Ray is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Diqn is defending well.
Diqn jumps guard but Ray stands there with Diqn around his waist. Diqn gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Diqn is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Ray to keep the fight standing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ray is trying to drag Diqn to the mat but Diqn just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thad Ray. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ray jumps guard but Diqn stands there with Ray around his waist. Ray gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Diqn manages to break the clinch.
Diqn fails with a takedown attempt.
Ray checks the leg kick.
Thad Ray is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Diqn is defended easily by Ray.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diqn shoots in looking for a takedown. Ray tries to sprawl out of it but Diqn keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Ray manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Diqn takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Ray tries to keep at a distance but Diqn has taken the fight into the clinch.
Ray misses with the head strike.
Ray slowing the pace effectively.

Diqn gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Diqn wants to take a breather but Ray is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diqn wants to pass to mount but Ray is defending the position.
Ray is trying to control but can't.
Thad Ray overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Ray keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Ray works his way to full guard. Good work.
Diqn throws an elbow that misses. Ray uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Diqn's guard. Nice move by Ray!
Ray postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Ray will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ray is in close to Diqn's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Ray is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Ray content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Ray lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Diqn looking for a sweep. Not yet Diqn, not yet.
Ray lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Ray postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
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!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Diqn throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Ray is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Mario Diqn has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Thad Ray is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Ray is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

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 Thad Ray.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Ray, 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 Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thad Ray!