PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Andrew Diotte (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Koji Yano (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Diotte comes to the cage accompanied by Cypress Hill - I Want 2 Get High. Yano has chosen Fleur de Lis - Jucifer as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Andrew Diotte could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Koji Yano's chin.

Diotte
vs
Yano

190 cm
37
220 lbs
32 - 24 - 0

179 cm
27
206 lbs
12 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Milwaukee's Best 160 (80% laundry)

GREEN!160

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 32 - 24 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Andrew Diotte!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Koji Yano!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Gregory Folan and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Yano gets a takedown into half guard.
Diotte is concentrating on defense, preventing Yano from advancing position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Yano missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Diotte is trying to stand back up but Yano is controlling him
Yano slows the pace down in half guard.
Diotte has his hands clasped together around Yano's back. He's all about the action.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yano wants to free his trapped foot but Diotte is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Yano throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Yano is working for a kimura but Diotte is defending it quite comfortably.
Ground and pound from Yano.
Diotte is looking for a sweep. Yano is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Yano is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Diotte is looking to improve his position.
Yano working Diotte over with strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diotte is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Diotte is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Yano pulls his head out easily.
Diotte blocking the ground and pound attempt from Yano.
Diotte tries to roll over but Yano keeps him under control.
Yano throwing shots but Diotte is blocking nicely.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Yano is keen to just control but Diotte is a slippery customer.
Yano is nestled in close to Diotte, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Yano is nestled in close to Diotte, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Yano missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yano is looking to take a break and control but Diotte is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Yano is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Yano lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Yano lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Diotte hang on?
Diotte taking shots to the head.
Diotte bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Yano wants to sweep but no luck.
Yano has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Diotte landing some decent shots from guard.
Diotte lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Yano is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Yano manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Diotte manages to get himself to full guard.

We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Yano wants to control from the top but Diotte keeps moving.
Yano postures up.
Diotte utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Diotte keeping moving, preventing Yano from controlling successfully.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Diotte working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Yano.
Yano throws a big elbow that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Yano shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Diotte sprawls well. Diotte wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Yano gets slowly back to his feet.
Diotte throws a body punch but Yano moves out of range.
Diotte misses the jab.
Diotte avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Diotte blocks a head kick by Yano.
Diotte fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Diotte misses with a double jab.
Yano throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yano lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Yano has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Diotte throws out a loose jab but Yano uses good head movement to avoid it.
Yano takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.

It looks like Koji Yano has been cut.
Yano tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice cross by Diotte.
A slow jab from Diotte misses its intended target.
Diotte lands a front kick.
Diotte throws a low kick, looking for Yano's leg but Yano calmly moves out of range.
Yano throws a nice head kick!
Diotte keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Diotte throws a body shot but no joy.
Yano misses with a head kick.
Yano avoids the body shot from Diotte.
Yano fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Diotte manages to avoid it.
Yano throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Yano throws a shot from downtown. Diotte moves away and avoids it.
Diotte is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Diotte throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Yano steps in looking to counter with the mid kick but it doesn't connect.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diotte throws a half hearted mid kick.
Diotte misses with a double jab.
Diotte throws a shot from downtown. Yano moves away and avoids it.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Yano comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Diotte tries to bum rush Yano with a series of wild strikes but Yano uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Diotte chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Andrew Diotte is winning the standup battle so far.
Diotte buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Yano missing with a left hand there. Diotte was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

Yano takes the fight into the clinch.
Yano lands a right hand.
The referee calls for Yano to work.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yano throws a knee to the head but misses.
Yano lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Yano misses with a knee strike.
Diotte wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Yano has him pressed against the cage.
Diotte tries a body shot but Yano blocks it.
Yano unloads a knee to the mid-section. Diotte lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Yano tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Yano tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Diotte is trying to stall.
Yano lands an elbow that stopped Diotte in his tracks for a moment.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Diotte as Yano tries to tie him up.
Yano goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diotte doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Diotte lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Yano or not.
Yano swings wildly with an uppercut but Diotte uses good head movement to avoid it.
Yano prevents a body shot from Diotte.

Diotte tightens his grip and picks Yano up, before dumping him to the ground. Yano manages to land in guard.
Yano is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Diotte is trying to stand up here but Yano is controlling him well.
Diotte is looking to improve his position.
Diotte moves into full guard.
Yano controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Andrew Diotte will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Koji Yano's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Yano throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Yano blocks a low kick nicely.
Yano moves out of range of the body kick from Diotte.
Jab from Diotte.
Diotte throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Good exchange - Yano coming out on top.
Good leg kick by Diotte there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Diotte throws a leg kick but Yano moved away.
Yano misses with a wild body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yano throws a head kick but Diotte moves out of range.
Diotte misses with a wild body shot.
Diotte takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Diotte pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Yano walks into a straight right hand from Diotte.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yano throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.

Yano moves into the clinch successfully.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

Diotte's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A bone on bone clash there as Yano blocks the leg kick.
Yano scores with a kick to the body.
Yano tries to bum rush Diotte with a series of wild strikes but Diotte uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
A nice combination there by Diotte.
Diotte lands a jab to the nose.
Diotte throws a right and a left that Yano avoids nicely.
Yano uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Diotte.
Yano is trying to counter with his kicks.
Andrew Diotte is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Diotte punishes Yano's body with a nice straight punch.
Nice uppercut there from Diotte.

That has opened up Koji Yano's cut even more.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Yano misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Diotte fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Yano has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Diotte tries to land a front kick but Yano steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Diotte throws a series of punches but Yano avoids them all with ease.
Diotte misses with a straight right.
Yano misses with a low kick as Diotte jumps back.
Yano is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Yano uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Diotte.
Yano moves away from the strike by Diotte.
A head kick by Yano misses
and Diotte counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Diotte throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from Yano.
Yano pushes Diotte away with a front kick.
Diotte doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Yano misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A big right from Diotte misses.
Yano follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.
Diotte fakes the leg kick and cracks Yano in the body.
Yano moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Diotte tries a low kick but Yano avoids it.
Diotte misses the shot to the body.
And Yano tries to counter it with a takedown but Diotte pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Diotte misses with a low kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diotte bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Diotte throws a front kick that sends Yano stumbling back into the cage.
Andrew Diotte seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Diotte throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Yano walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Diotte checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Diotte is looking to counter the offense by Yano and move into the clinch.
Diotte uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Yano has time to react.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Yano throws the kick towards the body but Diotte avoids it.
Diotte looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Diotte lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Yano has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Yano and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Yano keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Diotte.
Yano now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Diotte throws the kick towards the body but Yano avoids it.
Diotte tried to score with a low kick but Yano checks it.
Yano is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Diotte.

And that's the end of the fight!
Andrew Diotte showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Diotte 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 Trevor Gratis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Andrew Diotte!
A very excited looking Andrew Diotte rambled incoherently for about 5 minutes post fight about how awesome he is. It was kinda funny for a while but then everyone got annoyed.