PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Leo Cooper (ranked 2741 p4p, 304 weight class) and Carlos Diaz (ranked 4511 p4p, 435 weight class). Cooper comes to the cage accompanied by Survivor - Eye Of The Tiger. Diaz has chosen Rage Against the Machine - Killing In The Name as his entrance music. 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.

Cooper
vs
Diaz

187 cm
25
170 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

185 cm
25
185 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Tends to cut

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 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Leo Cooper!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Carlos Diaz!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Wesley Smith and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cooper gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Diaz counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Diaz stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Diaz wants it to stay on the feet.
Diaz shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Cooper counters with a crisp one two that drops Diaz! Cooper thinks about following him to the mat for a moment but instead steps back and waves Diaz to his feet! Diaz is in big trouble!

Diaz is rocked!
Diaz misses with a hook

and Cooper counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Diaz is still in real trouble! Can Cooper finish him?

Diaz actively working from the bottom here.
Cooper seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Diaz seems to have recovered his senses.

Cooper is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Cooper looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz wants to get back to full guard.
Cooper is thwarting Diaz's attempts to control the position.
Diaz is looking for a sweep. Cooper is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Cooper wants to get back to his feet.
Diaz moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Diaz is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Cooper defends well.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Cooper accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Cooper won't allow Diaz to sweep him here.
Cooper postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Diaz is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Cooper defends well.

Diaz had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Cooper defends it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cooper landing some decent shots from guard.
Diaz trying to control the position.

Diaz looking for a guillotine here but Cooper defends easily.
Cooper tries to stand but Diaz is controlling from the bottom.
Diaz manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Cooper manages to get himself to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Diaz is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Cooper is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Cooper has escaped and now he's on top!

Diaz has Cooper pulled in close to control his posture.
Cooper has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Diaz has a closed guard, preventing Cooper from standing up.
Diaz keeping full guard, as Cooper tries to pass.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cooper in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Diaz looking to hit a scissor sweep but Cooper is one step ahead there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Carlos Diaz will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Cooper misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Diaz is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Cooper ducks under a wild hook from Diaz.
Cooper has been working on his balance at Bronx BJJ, so perhaps that has help him stuff some of the takedown attempts by Diaz.
Decent striking displayed by Cooper there.
Diaz shoots in for a takedown but Cooper shows good takedown defense.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Nice straight punches there by Diaz. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Diaz.
Cooper scores with a nice right hand.

It looks like Carlos Diaz has been cut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Diaz shoots for a takedown but Cooper saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Diaz looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Leo Cooper has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Carlos Diaz.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cooper looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Diaz.
Cooper is looking for a counter combo.
Diaz scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Diaz throws a jab when Cooper was well out of range.
Cooper throws a big counter combination but Diaz scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.

Cooper gets caught flat footed, as Diaz shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz landing with the ground and pound.
Diaz slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Leo Cooper overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Cooper tries to escape but Diaz is in control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cooper avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Diaz.

Diaz is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Cooper is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Diaz is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Cooper is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Diaz tries to score with some ground and pound. Cooper controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Cooper manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

Diaz with the active half guard here but Cooper passes nicely into side control.
Cooper tries to stand but Diaz is controlling his head.
Cooper working away.
Diaz tries to bench press Cooper off him but Cooper keeps the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cooper lands a few punches from side control.

Cooper tries for a kimura but Diaz is defending well.
Diaz managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Cooper.
Diaz wants to control but Cooper postures up.
Diaz tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cooper sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Diaz is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Diaz prevents Cooper from moving into mount.

Cooper goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Diaz rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Cooper's guard! Nice work there by Diaz!
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 Leo Cooper will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Carlos Diaz's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Cooper stuffs the takedown attempt from Diaz. Diaz gets slowly back to his feet.
Diaz with a lazy takedown attempt
letting Cooper counter with a right hand.
Cooper tries to clinch

and Diaz counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Cooper is trying to get back to full guard.

Diaz is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Cooper is just riding it out for now. Diaz eventually gives up the hold.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cooper slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz tries to free his leg and advance position but Cooper is retaining full guard.
Diaz postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

Diaz drops back, looking for a kneebar! Cooper looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Cooper looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Cooper!

Cooper tries to stand but Diaz controls the position and pulls Cooper into his guard.

Diaz is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Cooper trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Diaz scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Cooper gets back to full guard.
Diaz is fighting to break Cooper's control of his arms but Cooper is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Diaz working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Cooper looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Diaz passes into side control.
Diaz in side control lands a decent elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz advances to mount.
Diaz manages to capitalize on a mistake by Cooper to take his back!

Diaz has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Cooper has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!

Diaz working for a choke but Cooper is defending well.

Diaz is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cooper defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Diaz's arms.

Diaz has both hooks in and is working for a choke. Cooper is in real trouble here. Diaz gets an arm under the chin and tightens the submission attempt... is this the end? Yes, Cooper is tapping out! Diaz wins by rear naked choke!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:51 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Carlos Diaz!
A very excited looking Carlos Diaz made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.
Leo Cooper was interviewed post fight and said 'I made a mistake. I let my guard down, my ego got the best of me..I'll do better next time I promise. '.