PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rockford Knight (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Romo Diaz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Knight comes to the cage accompanied by The Stars that Play with Laughing Sams Dice by Jimi Hendrix. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Knight
vs
Diaz

206 cm
31
273 lbs
22 - 5 - 0

200 cm
30
255 lbs
19 - 4 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Wild Ones Apparel (Fightwear and Laundry)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 22 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rockford Knight!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Romo Diaz!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Frank Dennis and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Knight takes a swing at Diaz's ribcage but misses.
Knight looks for the body kick but Diaz saw that one coming.

Diaz looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Knight tries to get to full guard but Diaz has control of the leg.
Knight wants to control but Diaz is keeping busy.
Diaz lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Knight has hold of Diaz's hands but Diaz slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Diaz sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Knight's coaches at Nelson Fight Camp have been working on his defensive grappling in preparation for this fight so let's see if he can get out of this tricky position.
Knight controlling the position well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knight tries to roll over but Diaz keeps him under control.
Knight is trying to stand.
Diaz wants to control but Knight is keeping him busy.
Diaz throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Diaz is pressing down on Knight's thigh, looking to free his foot. Knight is holding on for now.
Diaz missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Knight trying to control but Diaz postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Knight manages to get to full guard.
Diaz working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Knight's head.
Diaz looking to pass the guard.
Diaz stops Knight from standing up.

Knight looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Diaz passes into half guard.
Diaz not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Diaz is trying to control. Knight wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knight makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Knight.
Knight keeping moving, preventing Diaz from controlling successfully.
Knight is trying to keep Diaz in close.
Knight keeping full guard, as Diaz tries to pass.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Knight dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Diaz. That did some damage!
Knight bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Diaz avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Rockford Knight seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Diaz throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Knight was covering up waiting for the punch and Diaz finishes the takedown easily into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diaz trying to control the position from guard on top but Knight is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Knight working for a triangle but Diaz defends it easily.
Diaz loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Knight looking to hit a scissor sweep but Diaz is one step ahead there.
Diaz with a flurry of punches that miss.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Romo Diaz dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Knight feints and then cracks Diaz's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Diaz down.
Diaz on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Diaz checks the leg kick.
Diaz jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Diaz on the wrong end of a nice jab.

It looks like Romo Diaz has been cut.
Knight scores with the left hand. Diaz knows he should have avoided that one.
Knight misses with an uppercut.
Knight misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Diaz.
That kick from Knight tenderised Diaz's leg. Diaz is trying to keep his angry face on.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Diaz slips a jab from Knight.
Diaz on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Knight. Knight obviously looking to wear him down.
Diaz misses the body punch
and Knight counters with a left to the body.
Knight lands a head shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Knight.
Knight throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Diaz misses with a body shot.
A telegraphed right hand from Knight misses the target.

Knight moves into the clinch.
Knight keeps control of Diaz as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Diaz wants a takedown.
Diaz is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Knight pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Diaz is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Knight pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Rockford Knight has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Romo Diaz.
Knight misses with an elbow over the top.

Diaz lands a takedown into guard.
Knight is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Knight lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Knight preventing the sweep.
Knight has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Knight looking to sit in guard and control but Diaz gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Knight is trying to keep Diaz in close.
Knight wants to sweep here but Diaz controlling him for the moment.
Diaz throws an elbow that misses. Knight uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Diaz's guard. Nice move by Knight!

Knight trying to control but Diaz is working from the bottom.
Knight tries to stand but Diaz is controlling from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz looking to hit a scissor sweep but Knight is one step ahead there.
Knight controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Knight preventing the sweep.
Knight is looking to stand up but Diaz won't let him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Diaz is trying to keep Knight in close.
Diaz preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Romo Diaz has got the better of the ground game so far.
Diaz wants to improve his position but instead Knight has moved into half guard.
Diaz is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Knight with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Knight 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.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Diaz throws a lazy right hand but Knight sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Diaz with a lazy takedown attempt
enabling Knight to counter with a crisp jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rockford Knight dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Romo Diaz's cut.
That's time! Knight's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. 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.

Knight goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Knight fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Diaz manages to avoid it.
Knight scores with a hook.
Diaz uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Knight.
Diaz takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Knight cracks Diaz with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Rockford Knight is winning the standup battle so far.
Knight throws a body kick despite being completely out of range

and Diaz counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Diaz.
Diaz trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Diaz with a nice head shot there.
Diaz trying to control the position from guard on top but Knight is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Knight looking to hit a scissor sweep but Diaz is one step ahead there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz is in close to Knight's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Diaz working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Diaz scoring with some ground and pound.
Diaz throwing strikes but missing.
Diaz working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Knight's head.
Knight is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Knight throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Diaz slips nicely into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Knight works his way to full guard. Good work.
Knight keeping moving, preventing Diaz from controlling successfully.
Diaz looking to sit in guard and control but Knight gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Knight won't allow Diaz to sweep him here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knight is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Diaz looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Knight is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Knight wanted to stand there but Diaz had control of the position.
Diaz bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Knight's guard.

Knight lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Diaz is trying to keep Knight in close.
Knight won't allow Diaz to sweep him here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diaz keeps trying to improve his position.
Diaz keeping moving, preventing Knight from controlling successfully.
Knight won't allow Diaz to sweep him here.
Knight postures up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Knight trying to control the position from guard on top but Diaz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

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 Rockford Knight.
I think Knight has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rockford Knight!
During a confident post fight interview, Rockford Knight thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.