PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rashad Ruiz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Diaz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Ruiz
vs
Diaz

210 cm
23
279 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

191 cm
20
250 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Prefers standup

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Rashad Ruiz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Mike Diaz!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Frank Antenori and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Diaz is defended easily by Ruiz.

Ruiz closes the distance and clinches.

Ruiz gets control of Diaz's arms and successfully pulls guard. Ruiz will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Diaz 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.
Diaz is looking to stand up but Ruiz won't let him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ruiz trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Diaz stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ruiz swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Ruiz wants to sweep here but Diaz controlling him for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz wants to control from the top but Ruiz keeps moving.

Ruiz kicks Diaz off and gets to his feet.

Ruiz drives through and clinches with Diaz against the cage.
Diaz misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Ruiz.
Diaz stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Diaz is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Diaz has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Ruiz is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Diaz's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Diaz drives through and clinches with Ruiz against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz trying to land knees to the body.
A short uppercut from Ruiz.
A nice left hand lands by Ruiz.
Ruiz tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Diaz's elbow.
Ruiz is pressed up against the cage. Diaz has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Ruiz down to the mat. Ruiz avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Rashad Ruiz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Diaz.
Diaz misses with a double jab
and Ruiz counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A head kick misses from Diaz.

Ruiz drives through and clinches with Diaz against the cage.
Ruiz jumps guard but Diaz stands there with Ruiz around his waist. Ruiz gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Ruiz has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Diaz uses from the top position.
Diaz trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Ruiz manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Ruiz thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Diaz working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Ruiz.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruiz is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

Ruiz drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Ruiz jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Ruiz is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Ruiz throws a big elbow that misses.
Diaz is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Ruiz trying to control the position from guard on top but Diaz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Diaz looks winded!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Ruiz thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Diaz managing to control the position.
Ruiz passes into half guard.
Ruiz will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Ruiz in particular looking to stall.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Diaz pushes Ruiz off looking to stand but Ruiz dives back in and keeps control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rashad Ruiz dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Ruiz swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Diaz.

Diaz has Ruiz up against the cage in a clinch.

Ruiz breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Ruiz tries to clinch there but Diaz circles away.
Diaz with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Ruiz is looking to clinch.
A head kick misses from Diaz.
Ruiz was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Ruiz cracks Diaz with a right hand to the side of the head.
Diaz lands with a thumping leg kick.

Diaz gets tackled into the cage by Ruiz. Ruiz maintains the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Diaz looking to slow down the pace here.

Ruiz breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Diaz has Ruiz up against the cage in a clinch.
Diaz tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Ruiz avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruiz scores with a shot to the side of Diaz's head.

Diaz manages to break the clinch.
A head kick by Diaz misses
and Ruiz counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Ruiz is looking to clinch.
Diaz lands a high kick!

It looks like Rashad Ruiz has been cut.
A head kick by Diaz misses
and Ruiz counters with a stiff right hand.
Diaz is breathing heavily.
Diaz will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Ruiz closes the distance and pushes Diaz back into the cage.

Diaz pulls guard.
Ruiz wants to control from the top but Diaz keeps moving.
Diaz strikes from his own guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruiz working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Diaz's head.
Ruiz trying to control the position from guard on top but Diaz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ruiz distracts Diaz with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Ruiz with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Ruiz drops back looking for a leg! Diaz is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Diaz manages to kick Ruiz off! Ruiz jumps back into Diaz's guard.
Diaz keeping moving, preventing Ruiz from controlling successfully.
Ruiz won't allow Diaz to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Ruiz landing some decent shots from guard.

Ruiz drops back looking for a leg! Diaz is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Diaz manages to kick Ruiz off! Ruiz jumps back into Diaz's guard.

Ruiz drops back looking for a leg! Diaz is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Diaz manages to kick Ruiz off! Ruiz jumps back into Diaz's guard.
Ruiz lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Ruiz is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Diaz can do to turn this around?

That's four 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.
Ruiz working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Ruiz is stalling in the full guard.

Ruiz drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Ruiz jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Ruiz 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.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Diaz lands a high kick!
Diaz tries for a takedown but Ruiz circles away easily
and Ruiz counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
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 Rashad Ruiz will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Rashad Ruiz's cut.
That's time! Ruiz's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Ruiz pushes Diaz up against the cage in a clinch.

Ruiz pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Diaz fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Ruiz has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Diaz throws a leg kick but Ruiz checks it.
Ruiz stuffs the takedown attempt from Diaz. Diaz gets slowly back to his feet.
Diaz misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Diaz throws a leg kick
and Ruiz counters with a nice uppercut.
Diaz tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Ruiz clinches with his opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Ruiz has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Diaz clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!

Diaz manages to stand up with Ruiz still on his back. Eventually Ruiz drops to his feet and we're back in the standing position.
Diaz takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Diaz drives through with a takedown into guard.

Ruiz is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Diaz presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ruiz pulls guard.
Ruiz manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Diaz manages to get himself to full guard.

Ruiz is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Ruiz is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Ruiz cracks Diaz with a solid left hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruiz throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Diaz works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Diaz wants to stand but Ruiz is controlling the position.
Rashad Ruiz overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Ruiz postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

Ruiz is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Ruiz looking to pass the guard.

Diaz is working an open guard so Ruiz takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Ruiz has Diaz up against the cage in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz prevents Ruiz from breaking the clinch.
Ruiz drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Diaz gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Ruiz lands a nice knee to the body.

Ruiz ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Ruiz no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Ruiz 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.

Ruiz has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Diaz is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.

Ruiz jumps guard.
Ruiz is controlling Diaz's posture.
Diaz tries to stand but Ruiz is controlling from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diaz is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Diaz wants to control from the top but Ruiz keeps moving.
Diaz looking to pass the guard.
Diaz trying to control but Ruiz is working from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rashad Ruiz showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Ruiz, 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 Don Winkell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:27
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rashad Ruiz!