PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight kickboxing rules bout between Joey Diaz (ranked 7198 p4p, 143 weight class) and Yordano Rojas (ranked 7665 p4p, 156 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Diaz
vs
Rojas

197 cm
19
226 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

198 cm
18
235 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

Excellent MT
Intelligent

Excellent MT
Heavy handed

KAISER Nutrition - Q160

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Joey Diaz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yordano Rojas!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Shigeki Fujiwara and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Diaz jabs at Rojas's body.
Rojas looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Diaz swats away the attempt to clinch by Rojas.
Rojas tries to clinch but Diaz moves out of range.
Diaz throws a right and a left that Rojas avoids nicely.
A slapping body kick lands there for Diaz.
A slow jab from Rojas misses its intended target.
Rojas punishes Diaz's body with a nice straight punch.
Diaz definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Rojas misses with a hook. Diaz ducked under it nicely.
Diaz displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.

It looks like Yordano Rojas has been cut.
Rojas misses with a hook
and Diaz counters with a nice uppercut.
Diaz moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rojas swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Diaz lifts his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Diaz defending well as Rojas loads up on a big left hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Rojas counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Rojas misses with an uppercut
and Diaz counters with a solid body kick.
Diaz slips a straight right by Rojas.
Diaz throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Rojas counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Diaz swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Rojas tries to counter with a clinch but Diaz shakes him off and moves away.
Diaz misses with a body kick.
Diaz pulls out of a head kick attempt.
A head kick by Rojas misses
and Diaz counters with a one-two to the body.
Diaz misses with a looping left.

Diaz lands a head kick that bluckles Rojas and drops him to the canvas. He's still conscious but it looks like it's going to take him the full 10 seconds to get back his senses! He's up on 9 and seems to be just about OK to continue.... the referee agrees and we're back to the action with Diaz no doubt looking to push for a finish!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Diaz throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Rojas tries to counter with a clinch but Diaz shakes him off and moves away.
A punch lands to the side of Diaz 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Joey Diaz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Rojas takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Diaz throws a head kick that misses.
Rojas misses with a hook. Diaz ducked under it nicely.
Diaz throws a lazy body kick

and Rojas counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Diaz is trying to break the clinch but Rojas has him pressed against the ropes.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Diaz.
Rojas misses with a punch to the body.

Diaz pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Diaz looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Rojas sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Diaz throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Rojas's head.

That has opened up Yordano Rojas's cut even more.
Diaz tries a head kick but it misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joey Diaz should take that round, based on the knockdown.
The cut man is working on Yordano Rojas's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Rojas moves out of range as Diaz throws a body kick.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Rojas crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Diaz - the referee stops the clock and Rojas gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Diaz. Rojas manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Rojas feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Diazs jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Diaz is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Rojas can do to turn this around?
A head kick misses from Diaz.
Rojas looks to land a left hand but Diaz moved out of range nicely.
Diaz tries a head kick but it misses.
Rojas throws a jab when Diaz was well out of range.
Some bone on bone action there as Rojas checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Diaz bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Diaz keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Joey Diaz is winning the standup battle so far.
Rojas looks to land a left hand but Diaz moved out of range nicely.
Diaz circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rojas dodges the punch combination from Diaz.
A head kick misses from Diaz.
Rojas might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Rojas avoids a kick to the body.
Diaz sets himself, and Rojas steps forward looking for the clinch! Diaz avoids it this time.
Rojas throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Diaz throws a combination. Rojas tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Diaz delivers a nice body kick.
Diaz slips under a jab from Rojas.
Diaz throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Rojas waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Diaz.
Diaz scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Diaz ducks under a wild hook from Rojas.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz lands with a straight right. Rojas didn't see that one coming.
Diaz lands with a hook. Rojas tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.

The cut above Yordano Rojas's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Diaz throws out a head kick that Rojas doesn't see coming - it connects and sends Rojas crashing to the mat face first! He's bounced up to his knees and is scrambling to get back to his feet and beat the count. He's up on 5 but still looks a bit groggy; will the referee allow it to continue??? He's taking a good look into Rojas's eyes and has decided to let it go on!
Diaz throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Diaz tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Rojas throws out a counter right but Diaz avoids it with no problem.
Diaz tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Rojas takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Rojas throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Diaz counters with a three punch combo that has Rojas backing up. Rojas nods at Diaz to acknowledge the strikes.
Rojas keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Rojas has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Diaz finds it's way round the side to connect with Rojas's head.

Yordano Rojas's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rojas misses with a series of wild punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joey Diaz will take that round after scoring the only knockdown of the round.
The cut man is working on Yordano Rojas's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

The fighters circling - Rojas throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Rojas misses with a left hand
and Diaz counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Rojas tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Rojas throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Diaz throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Rojas throws out a counter right but Diaz avoids it with no problem.
Diaz connects with a nice looking jab.
Diaz avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Diaz misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Diaz blocks a jab.
Rojas swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Rojas is looking to clinch but Diaz is avoiding it.
Rojas throws a leg kick but Diaz moved away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rojas moves out of range as Diaz throws a body kick.
A big left from Diaz misses.
Diaz motions for Rojas to come forward. Diaz throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Diaz tries a head kick but it misses.
A jab from Rojas misses.
Diaz is looking for a counter combo.
Rojas has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Diaz.
Rojas scores with a crisp jab that stopped Diaz in his tracks.
Rojas misses with a looping left.
Rojas blocks a head kick by Diaz.
Rojas takes a head kick and keeps coming.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Yordano Rojas's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:54 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Joey Diaz!
Joey 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.