PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Norm Diaz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lennex Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Diaz comes to the cage accompanied by Hits From The Bong. Rua is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Deep Foundation - Children of the Sun. This should be fireworks!

Diaz
vs
Rua

183 cm
18
170 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

175 cm
19
170 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Tends to cut

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Norm Diaz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Lennex Rua!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rua throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Rua gets a takedown into half guard.
Rua stalling.
Diaz flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Diaz 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.

Diaz pushes Rua off and gets back to his feet.

Rua feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Rua trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Rua avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Diaz keeping busy on the bottom but Rua has passed one foot through into half guard.
Diaz is looking to improve his position.
Rua is looking to advance position but Diaz won't allow it.
Rua wants to stand but Diaz has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua works his way into side control.
Rua wants to control but Diaz is keeping him busy.

Rua decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Diaz will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
A combination from Diaz does no damage.
Diaz goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Rua misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
No joy there for Diaz, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Diaz throws a head kick that misses.
Diaz misses with a wild combination.
Diaz is breathing heavily.
Diaz throws and low kick but Rua moves out of range easily.
Diaz misses with a few strikes there.
Diaz's corner calls for a 1-2. Diaz obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Diaz throws a series of punches but Rua avoids them all with ease.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Diaz tries a head kick but it misses.
No joy there for Diaz, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Diaz misses with a double jab.
Norm Diaz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rua gets a clinch.
Diaz has had enough of the clinch but Rua keeps him there for the moment.
Rua with a knee to the head.
Rua crunches a lovely knee into Diaz's ribcage.
Rua has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Diaz is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Diaz wants to break free but Rua has control.
Diaz wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Diaz prevents a takedown attempt there.
Norm Diaz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lennex Rua.
Diaz tries to break the clinch but Rua is controlling the position.
Diaz can't break the clinch.
Rua is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Rua prevents Diaz from breaking the clinch.
Diaz wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Diaz wants to get back to striking at distance but Rua won't allow it.
Diaz wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rua has him pressed against the cage.
Diaz wants to get back to striking at distance but Rua won't allow it.
Rua keeps control of Diaz as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Diaz wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Diaz wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rua has him pressed against the cage.
Diaz can't break the clinch.
Diaz wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Rua keeps control of Diaz as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Diaz is trying to break free.
Diaz wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Rua tries to score a body lock takedown but Diaz shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Rua prevents Diaz from breaking the clinch.

Rua lands a takedown into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rua pushing down on Diaz's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Diaz has hold of Rua's hands but Rua slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rua is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Rua slows the pace down in half guard.
Rua trying to control from half guard but Diaz is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rua decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Rua fails to land the takedown.

Rua clinches up against the cage.
Diaz wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rua has him pressed against the cage.

Rua tightens his grip and picks Diaz up, before dumping him to the ground. Diaz manages to land in guard.

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

Rua avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Diaz keeping moving, preventing Rua from controlling successfully.
Diaz wants to sweep here but Rua controlling him for the moment.

Rua stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Rua fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Diaz, pushing him back against the cage.
Diaz can't break the clinch.
Diaz wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rua has him pressed against the cage.
Diaz wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rua has him pressed against the cage.

Rua has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Diaz regains guard immediately.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diaz wants to sweep here but Rua controlling him for the moment.

Diaz has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Rua can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Diaz looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Diaz looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Diaz looking for a guillotine here but Rua defends easily.
Rua wants to pass the guard but Diaz is keeping the position.
Rua preventing the sweep.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Diaz keeping moving, preventing Rua from controlling successfully.
Rua is looking to stand up but Diaz won't let him.

Diaz working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Rua doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Rua manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Diaz is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Rua gets a takedown into half guard.
Rua prevents Diaz from improving his position.
Diaz gets full guard.

Diaz had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Rua is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Diaz Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Rua's back instead.

Diaz looking for the rear naked choke. And he's got it! Rua taps!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:42 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Norm Diaz!