PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Rodrigo Diaz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Basho Moriyama (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Moriyama comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Time kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Diaz
vs
Moriyama

177 cm
18
177 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

180 cm
25
180 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Determined

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 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Rodrigo Diaz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Basho Moriyama!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Sergei Dronov and Fedor Mirinova.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Diaz rushes Moriyama and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Diaz is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Moriyama to keep the fight standing.

Diaz has hold of one of Moriyama's legs. Moriyama is fighting the takedown attempt but Diaz gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Diaz controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Moriyama seems keen to control Diaz's posture.
Diaz wants to control from the top but Moriyama keeps moving.
Moriyama avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Diaz throws an elbow that misses. Moriyama uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Diaz's guard. Nice move by Moriyama!
Moriyama is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

Moriyama drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Moriyama jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Diaz keeping full guard, as Moriyama tries to pass.
Diaz can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Moriyama controls the pace.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Moriyama in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Moriyama passes Diaz's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Moriyama is trying to control the action in half guard but Diaz is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Moriyama sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Diaz defending well though.
Moriyama with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Diaz taking some punishment here, with Moriyama in his half guard.
Moriyama controlling the action here.
Moriyama trying to control the action but Diaz is working from the bottom.
Diaz is trying to stand.
Moriyama looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Diaz is trying to maintain the position but Moriyama is very close to passing his half guard.
Moriyama seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Let's hope that Moriyama has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Basho Moriyama hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
A decent looking cross lands there for Moriyama.

It looks like Rodrigo Diaz has been cut.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Diaz gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Diaz is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Moriyama to keep the fight standing.
Moriyama prevents a takedown attempt there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rodrigo Diaz. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Moriyama has Diaz pressed against the cage.
Diaz drops down looking for an ankle pick but Moriyama pulls his leg out and moves away.
Diaz drops his hands momentarily and Moriyama takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

Diaz is rocked!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A good leg kick by Moriyama.
Diaz is breathing heavily.
Diaz leaves his chin hanging out and Moriyama seizes the opportunity with an uppercut! Diaz crumbles to the floor in a heap! The referee steps in and tends to the downed fighter! What a knockout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:17 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Basho Moriyama!
A relieved looking Basho Moriyama thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.