PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Willie Salazar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nickthaniel Diaz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Diaz's choice of entrance music: Feiticeira. The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Salazar
vs
Diaz

185 cm
26
170 lbs
5 - 8 - 0

186 cm
31
176 lbs
8 - 7 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

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 5 - 8 - 0, fighting out of New York, Willie Salazar!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Nickthaniel Diaz!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Anni Minnemäki and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Salazar throws a series of punches but Diaz avoids them all with ease.
Diaz slips under a jab.

Salazar instigates a clinch.
Diaz has Salazar pressed against the cage, preventing Salazar from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Diaz blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Diaz just leaning against Salazar, taking a breather.
Salazar blocking some punches.

Salazar breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Salazar misses with a two punch combination.
Diaz throws a hook but Salazar blocks it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Salazar fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Salazar swings for the body but Diaz moves out of range.
Salazar misses with a series of wild punches.
Salazar tries to clinch up.
Salazar rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Diaz moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
As Salazar backs off Diaz throws a huge counter combo but Salazar manages to avoid it all.
Willie Salazar seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salazar closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Salazar misses with a kick to the body.
Salazar misses with a wild combination.
Diaz slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Salazar defending well as Diaz loads up on a big left hand.
Salazar misses with a series of wild punches.
Diaz uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Salazar has time to react.
Salazar tries to bum rush Diaz with a series of wild strikes but Diaz uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Salazar misses with a series of wild punches.
Salazar rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Diaz moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Salazar misses with a jab, cross combination.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Salazar misses with a few strikes there.
Diaz looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salazar takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Diaz avoids a punch combination nicely.
A looping hook to the body misses from Diaz. Salazar does a little dance to reset his feet.
Salazar went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Diaz dodges the punch combination from Salazar.
Diaz moves out of range of the body kick from Salazar.
Salazar looks to score with a jab to the body but Diaz is just out of range.
Salazar throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Diaz lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Salazar rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Diaz moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
No joy there for Salazar, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Diaz appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Salazar is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Salazar lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Diaz looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Diaz cracks Salazar with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Salazar takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salazar lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Diaz circles away quickly and effectively.
Salazar looks to land a body kick but Diaz moved away.
Diaz looks to land a combination. Salazar sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Nice cross by Diaz.
A swing and a miss from Salazar.
Salazar misses with a series of wild punches.
Salazar throws a one two combo.
Diaz just misses with a punch to the body.
Diaz throws a shot to the body.
Sloppy strikes from Salazar. Those never looked like landing.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Diaz scores with a jab to the body.
Salazar will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Diaz throws out a counter right but Salazar avoids it with no problem.
Salazar swinging wildly here.
Diaz is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Salazar with a body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diaz blocks a head kick by Salazar.
Diaz connects with a crisp jab.
Diaz uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Salazar.
Jab from Diaz.
Salazar throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
A telegraphed right hand from Diaz misses the target.
Diaz lands a nice shot to the body.
Good exchange - Diaz coming out on top.
Salazar tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Diaz manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Diaz jabs Salazar right on the nose. Salazar blinks but takes it well.
Diaz lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Salazar tries to score a power double leg takedown but Diaz sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Salazar somewhat.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Salazar looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Willie Salazar will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Salazar misses with a double jab.
Nice jab there from Diaz.
Salazar uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Diaz.

Salazar drives through and clinches with Diaz against the cage.
Diaz is pushing Salazar up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Salazar has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Diaz tries to pull guard but Salazar holds him up against the cage and eventually Diaz drops back down to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Salazar looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Diaz misses with the head strike.
Salazar is trying to force a seperation but Diaz has the dominant position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Salazar manages to break the clinch.
Salazar tries to clinch there but Diaz circles away.
Salazar looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Diaz lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Salazar takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Salazar throws a combination that misses
and Diaz counters with a stiff right hand.
Salazar throws a series of punches but Diaz moves out of range.
Diaz lands a jab to the nose.
Salazar ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Willie Salazar is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Salazar moves into the clinch.

Salazar 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.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Salazar looking to pass the guard.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Salazar postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salazar is looking to work some ground and pound but Diaz has wrist control.
Salazar looking to pass the guard.

Diaz working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Salazar doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Salazar manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Salazar avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Salazar trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Salazar trying to stand up but can't free himself from Diaz's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Diaz throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Diaz working for a triangle but Salazar defends it easily.
Salazar trying to control the position from guard on top but Diaz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Diaz keeping full guard, as Salazar tries to pass.
Salazar has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Diaz is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diaz avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Diaz is looking to cinch up a triangle. Salazar throws the leg off to one side though and gets in tight to Diaz's body to avoid the submission. Diaz has instead reached around Salazar's neck and now has a guillotine! Oh, this is biiiig trouble! Diaz arches his back and squeezes and forces the tap from his hapless opponent.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:32 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Nickthaniel Diaz!
In his post fight interview, Nickthaniel Diaz started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.