PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dirk Diggler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ahwal Mahtulak (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Dirk Diggler has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Diggler
vs
Mahtulak

180 cm
18
189 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

176 cm
20
182 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Tends to cut

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Dirk Diggler!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ahwal Mahtulak!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Diggler misses with a takedown attempt - Mahtulak sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Mahtulak gets a takedown into half guard.
Diggler is pressing down on Mahtulak's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Diggler wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Mahtulak throws a big right hand that misses.
Mahtulak passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Diggler is looking to reverse the position.

Mahtulak is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Diggler has escaped the position, nice work there.
Diggler is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Mahtulak asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Diggler is looking to reverse the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diggler struggling a bit here.
Mahtulak has knee on belly momentarily but Diggler bucks him off and regains half guard.
Diggler trying to control here.
Mahtulak missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Mahtulak has his takedown stuffed

and Diggler decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Mahtulak's guard.
Diggler stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Mahtulak swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Diggler thows a big elbow that misses.
Mahtulak is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Diggler 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diggler pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Mahtulak is keeping the position for now.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Diggler slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Diggler thows a big elbow that misses.
Diggler wants to control from the top but Mahtulak keeps moving.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Mahtulak scores with a takedown into Diggler's guard.
Diggler controls Mahtulak momentarily but Mahtulak frees himself.
Diggler is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Mahtulak is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mahtulak won't allow Diggler to sweep him here.
Mahtulak pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Diggler is keeping the position for now.
Mahtulak looks gassed!
Mahtulak controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Diggler is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Diggler looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Diggler looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Mahtulak pushes down on Diggler's leg and manages to get into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mahtulak is controlling the pace.
Diggler throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Diggler trying to hold on to Mahtulak's head to control him but Mahtulak postures up.
Diggler wants to improve his position but Mahtulak is controlling well.
Diggler wants to control but Mahtulak is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Mahtulak looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dirk Diggler dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Diggler fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Mahtulak is out of range.
Diggler fails with a takedown attempt.
An inside leg kick lands from Mahtulak.

Mahtulak closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Mahtulak lands in his opponent's guard.

Mahtulak postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Diggler is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Mahtulak, into his guard.
Diggler slips nicely into half guard.
Mahtulak is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diggler passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Mahtulak!
Diggler putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Diggler unloading with bombs!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Diggler working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Mahtulak is looking to improve his position but Diggler isn't that keen on the idea.
Diggler with good strikes from the mount here!
Diggler trying to control but Mahtulak is having none of it.

Diggler working for a guillotine from mount but Mahtulak is in no mood to give up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Diggler jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Mahtulak manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Diggler is working Mahtulak over with some ground and pound from side control.

Diggler working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Diggler lands a decent elbow from side control.

Diggler tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Diggler has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diggler wants to lay and pray for a moment but Mahtulak keeps working.
Dirk Diggler overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Diggler works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Diggler 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.
Mahtulak is looking for a sweep.
Diggler controlling the position.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Diggler lands an elbow.
Mahtulak taking a bit of punishment here - Diggler scoring with strikes.

Diggler wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Mahtulak, who protects the arm well.
Mahtulak struggling a bit here.
Diggler is looking to take a break and control but Mahtulak is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Diggler is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Mahtulak knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Diggler wants to control but Mahtulak is keeping him busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dirk Diggler dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Diggler closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Diggler in particular looking to stall.

Mahtulak looking for submissions off his back.
Diggler landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Diggler stalling.
Diggler wants to take a breather but Mahtulak is having none of it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Diggler is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Mahtulak defends it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mahtulak looking for submissions off his back.

Mahtulak is defending against the submission attempts here by Diggler.
Diggler works his way into side control.
Diggler trying to control the position but Mahtulak is working away.
Diggler working away.

That's two 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.

Diggler is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Mahtulak knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Diggler wants to control but Mahtulak is keeping him busy.
Mahtulak takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Mahtulak tries to buck Diggler off but Diggler is having none of it.
Diggler lands a few punches from side control.
Diggler looks up at the clock and then as Mahtulak takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Diggler smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diggler controlling the position.

Diggler thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Diggler wants to lay and pray for a moment but Mahtulak keeps working.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Dirk Diggler just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Nice takedown defense from Mahtulak. No joy for Diggler on that attempt.
Mahtulak shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Diggler pinned against the cage. Diggler gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Diggler throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Mahtulak gets a takedown into half guard.
Diggler has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Mahtulak is working away from the top position though.

Diggler looking for submissions off his back.
Diggler trying to hold on to Mahtulak's head to control him but Mahtulak postures up.

Diggler actively working from the bottom here.
Ahwal Mahtulak has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Mahtulak is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dirk Diggler showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Diggler, 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 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dirk Diggler!