PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Joe Rodriguez (ranked 4961 p4p, 511 weight class) and Nate Diaz (ranked 4919 p4p, 509 weight class). Nate Diaz will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Rodriguez
vs
Diaz

173 cm
25
165 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

186 cm
25
165 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Big heart

Dangerous GnP
Counter fighter
Intelligent

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Joe Rodriguez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Nate Diaz!
The judges for this bout are Steve Montenegro, Russell Pearce and Chad Campbell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rodriguez fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Diaz looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Rodriguez is fending him off so far but Diaz persists. Nope, Rodriguez circles away and we're back to standing.

Rodriguez has closed the distance and engaged Diaz in a clinch.
Diaz just leaning against Rodriguez, taking a breather.

Diaz manages to pull guard.
Diaz has Rodriguez pulled in close to control his posture.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Diaz can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Rodriguez controls the pace.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Diaz is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz keeping moving, preventing Rodriguez from controlling successfully.
Rodriguez looking to pass the guard.
Rodriguez throws a big elbow that misses.
Diaz is looking to stand up but Rodriguez isn't so interested in that idea.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Rodriguez trying to control but Diaz is working from the bottom.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Rodriguez wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Rodriguez looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Diaz!
Rodriguez is trying to ground and pound but Diaz uses the momentary lack of control by Rodriguez to regain half guard.
Diaz trying to control here.
Rodriguez is looking to advance position but Diaz won't allow it.
Rodriguez slows the pace down in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez tries to stand and escape but Diaz is controlling the position.
Rodriguez thows a huge punch but Diaz dodges it nicely.
Rodriguez wants to free his trapped foot but Diaz is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Diaz is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Rodriguez's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Rodriguez's back!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Diaz connects with a big shot to the side of Rodriguez's head.
We've been informed that Diaz has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Rodriguez might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Diaz connects with a big shot to the side of Rodriguez's head.
Rodriguez is trapped and Diaz is scoring with shots to the head and body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Rodriguez is trying to break free.
Diaz lands shots from the 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, Rodriguez has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!

Diaz has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Diaz has Rodriguez flattened out and is raining down punches.
Diaz scores with punches and elbows.
Watch the back of the head! Comes the shout from the referee towards Diaz.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nate Diaz dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Rodriguez tries to clinch there but Diaz circles away.
Diaz moves out of range of the body kick.
Diaz has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Diaz will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Rodriguez 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.
And Diaz tries to counter it with a takedown but Rodriguez pushes his down on his head and steps out.

Rodriguez closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Diaz quickly recovers to half guard.
Diaz is positioning himself well to prevent Rodriguez advancing to mount.
Diaz is looking for a sweep. Rodriguez is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Well, if Rodriguez is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Rodriguez is trying to control the action in half guard but Diaz is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Rodriguez jumps into side control!
Rodriguez wants to stand but Diaz has him controlled and pulls him back into his guard.
Diaz looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Diaz wants to get back to his feet but Rodriguez is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Rodriguez is stalling in the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Diaz preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Rodriguez stays in close to Diaz's body and controls the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rodriguez shoots in looking for a takedown. Diaz tries to sprawl out of it but Rodriguez keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Diaz manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez throws a sloppy head kick

and Diaz decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Rodriguez's guard.
Diaz postures up.
Diaz landing with the ground and pound.
Diaz is working Rodriguez over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Diaz working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Rodriguez's head.
Diaz working some strikes from top position.

Rodriguez is rocked!
Rodriguez wants to sweep here but Diaz controlling him for the moment.
Oh Rodriguez is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Rodriguez is trying to control the position but Diaz postures up.
Rodriguez seems to have got his legs back now.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rodriguez keeping moving, preventing Diaz from controlling successfully.
Diaz works over Rodriguez with some ground and pound from guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diaz scoring with some ground and pound.
Diaz scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Rodriguez wants to stand up but Diaz is controlling him.
Diaz connects with a couple of short punches.
Diaz is in close to Rodriguez's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Diaz loads up on a big left hand. Rodriguez felt that one! He's just covering up now, not defending himself intelligently - Diaz looks towards the ref and unloads with 3 more big shots and the ref has no choice but to stop the fight! Rodriguez can't hide his disappointment, as Diaz celebrates the victory.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:47 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Nate Diaz!
A very excited looking Nate 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.