PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jack Butcher (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Neil Diaz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Neil Diaz has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Jack Butcher's chin.

Butcher
vs
Diaz

177 cm
25
169 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

183 cm
20
169 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Very strong

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Jack Butcher!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Neil Diaz!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Tiny Johnson and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Butcher closes the distance but Diaz moves to the side
and Diaz cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Diaz ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Diaz scores with a jab.
Diaz cracks Butcher with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Butcher tries to clinch but Diaz moves out of range.
Butcher sets himself, and Diaz steps forward looking for the clinch! Butcher avoids it this time.
Diaz scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.

Butcher moves into the clinch successfully.
Diaz lands a nice uppercut.
A short right from Diaz.
Diaz pushes Butcher back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Diaz lands a left hand that snaps the head of Butcher backwards.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Diaz takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
A nice right hand lands inside from Butcher.
Butcher misses with the head strike.
A right hand to the body from Diaz.
Butcher misses with a punch to the body.
The referee is keeping an eye on Diaz - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz blocks a body shot from Butcher.
Butcher working aggressively here.
Butcher can't find room to land a body shot as Diaz controls the action.

Butcher gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Butcher missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Butcher wants to take a breather but Diaz is having none of it.
Diaz trying to control here.
Diaz works his way to full guard. Good work.
Diaz trying to keep a closed guard but Butcher is proving a slippery customer.
Butcher trying to control the position from guard on top but Diaz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Diaz is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Butcher loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Diaz is trying to keep Butcher in close.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Butcher pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Diaz is keeping the position for now.
Diaz has control of Butcher's left arm, preventing Butcher from doing any damage.
Butcher definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Butcher has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Butcher trying to control but Diaz is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Butcher preventing the sweep.
Diaz keeping moving, preventing Butcher from controlling successfully.

Diaz has managed to work for a loose triangle. I think Butcher should be able to defend this one pretty easily though. Oh, Diaz has tightened it up now! Butcher should have reacted faster there - he's in big trouble and yes, he's tapped out! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:51 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Neil Diaz!
Neil Diaz spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.