PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between August Graves (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tolik Diodor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Diodor is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Ashtmatic. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Graves
vs
Diodor

209 cm
25
178 lbs
2 - 5 - 1

185 cm
25
181 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Intelligent

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 2 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Hilo, August Graves!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Tolik Diodor!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Paul Gruel and Jeff Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Diodor closes the distance and clinches.

Diodor pulls guard effortlessly.

Diodor is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Graves really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Diodor is trying to trip Graves. He has hold of a leg but Graves is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Diodor persists though and gets the takedown into guard.

Diodor got a little sloppy there for a moment and Graves has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Diodor has managed to get both his arms back between Graves's legs - danger averted.
Diodor is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Graves looking for a guillotine here but Diodor defends easily.
Diodor advances position into side control!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diodor misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Graves tries to bench press Diodor off him but Diodor keeps the position.
Graves pushes Diodor away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Diodor gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Graves struggling a bit here.

Graves sneaks out the side door and pushes Diodor away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Diodor looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Graves closes the distance and clinches up with Diodor, looking for a takedown. Graves pushes Diodor against the cage but Diodor circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Diodor lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Graves tries for a takedown but Diodor circles away easily

and Diodor counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
A head punch on the inside from Graves fails to land.
Graves being controlled against the cage.
Stalling in the clinch from Diodor.

Diodor breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Diodor throws a sloppy head kick and Graves moves out of range easily.
Graves doesn't manage to clinch there - Diodor circles away.
Diodor unleashes a big counter combination but Graves bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Graves tries for a takedown but Diodor sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Diodor wants to counter with a clinch but Graves pushes him away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for August Graves. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Diodor closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Graves tries to improve position but can't.
Diodor controls the position.
Diodor moves into full mount!
Diodor controlling his opponent.
Graves is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Diodor lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Diodor is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Graves has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Graves tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Graves tries to hold on but Diodor postures up.

Diodor is working for a guillotine from mount but Graves frees his head quite easily.

Diodor swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Graves is now in Diodor's guard. A big mistake from Diodor there, giving up the dominant position!
Diodor throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Graves loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tolik Diodor 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.

Graves fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Diodor throws a counter combo.
Diodor lands with a kick to the ribs.
Diodor scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Diodor scoring well with a low kick there.

Diodor has managed to clinch.
Graves is trying to push Diodor away but Diodor has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Diodor managing to block the knees to the body from Graves.

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

The fighters are working up against the cage. Graves manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diodor works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.

Diodor is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Graves can't fight it off and eventually Diodor manages to take the fight to the floor. Graves looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Graves keeping moving, preventing Diodor from controlling successfully.

Graves working for a triangle but Diodor defends it easily.

Graves has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Diodor can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Graves will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diodor is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Diodor trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Graves manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Graves with a nice head shot there.
Diodor manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Graves manages to get himself to full guard.

Graves can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Diodor controls the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diodor advances position into side control!

Diodor decides to stand back up.
Diodor looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
A head kick misses from Diodor.

Graves shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Diodor has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Graves is on him like a limpet, forcing Diodor back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A frustrated look appears on Graves's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Diodor avoiding damage as Graves throws knees to the body.
Diodor works on Graves's body with a couple of short punches.
Graves tries to land knees in the clinch but Diodor avoids the damage to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Graves is fighting off a takedown attempt but Diodor is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Graves to the mat. Graves regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Graves manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
Diodor utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Graves looking to throw knees to the head but Diodor is blocking nicely.

Diodor breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tolik Diodor showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Graves's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Graves fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Diodor avoids it really well and circles away.

Diodor fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Graves sprawls well initially but Diodor persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Graves makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Diodor decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Graves wants to get back to his feet.

Diodor decides to stand and escape the position.
Graves throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Diodor's waist but Diodor gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Graves off to one side.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Diodor gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Diodor has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Diodor manages to pull guard.
Graves throwing strikes from guard but Diodor blocks nicely.
Graves preventing the sweep.
Graves loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Diodor scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Diodor on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Graves is defended easily by Diodor.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for August Graves. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Diodor scores with a kick to the midsection.
Diodor scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Graves pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Diodor misses with a two punch combination.
Graves misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diodor stuffs the takedown.

Diodor shoots in and bounces Graves off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Graves is wriggling around but Diodor manages to pass to half guard.
Tolik Diodor is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Diodor seems to be looking for submissions.
Graves blocking the ground and pound attempt from Diodor.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diodor stops Graves from getting back to his feet.

Diodor is looking for a kimura here.
Well, if Diodor is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Diodor frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
August Graves has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Graves is wriggling around trying to escape.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tolik Diodor comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Diodor has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Roger Salmon scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tolik Diodor!
A very excited looking Tolik Diodor 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.