PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ramon Diaz (ranked 4850 p4p, 616 weight class) and Ari Ahikaroa (ranked 6886 p4p, 729 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Diaz
vs
Ahikaroa

190 cm
26
220 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

185 cm
30
202 lbs
4 - 13 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ramon Diaz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ari Ahikaroa!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Thiago Cunha and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Diaz tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Ahikaroa defends well and Diaz ends up having to push Ahikaroa into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Ahikaroa shoots in for a takedown but Diaz shows good takedown defense.
Diaz swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.

Ahikaroa tries to keep at a distance but Diaz has taken the fight into the clinch.

Ahikaroa has picked Diaz up - he's going for a ride! Ahikaroa dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Ahikaroa wants to take a breather but Diaz is having none of it.
Ahikaroa throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Diaz gets full guard.
Diaz keeping moving, preventing Ahikaroa from controlling successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ahikaroa wants to stand but Diaz has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Ahikaroa's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Ahikaroa passes Diaz's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Diaz wants to control but Ahikaroa is keeping busy.
Ahikaroa has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

Ahikaroa is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Diaz is surviving well by controlling Ahikaroa's body position as best he can.
Diaz wants to control but Ahikaroa is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ahikaroa takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Ahikaroa in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Ahikaroa trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Diaz wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Ahikaroa.
Diaz in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
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 tries to lock up and control but Ahikaroa gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Ahikaroa stands up from mount. Strange move.
Diaz tries to score a power double leg takedown but Ahikaroa sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Diaz somewhat.
Diaz misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Ahikaroa.
No luck for Ahikaroa with that takedown attempt.
Ahikaroa throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Ahikaroa scores with a hook.
Diaz takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.

Diaz fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Ahikaroa, pushing him back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ahikaroa breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Ahikaroa drives through with a takedown into Diaz's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

Diaz pushes Ahikaroa off and scrambles back to his feet.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Diaz keeps the fight on the outside.

Diaz gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Ahikaroa to score an easy takedown into full guard.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Diaz manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.

Ahikaroa manages to break the clinch.

Ahikaroa looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Diaz working a defensive guard but Ahikaroa passes into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ari Ahikaroa dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Ahikaroa misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Ahikaroa doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Diaz counters with a left to the body.
Diaz blocks a head kick by Ahikaroa.
The fight stays on the outside here - Ahikaroa looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Diaz tries to clinch but Ahikaroa moves out of range.
Diaz fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Ahikaroa avoids it really well and circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Ahikaroa shoots in and bounces Diaz off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Diaz is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Ahikaroa dives into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ahikaroa looks up at the clock and then as Diaz takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Ahikaroa smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Diaz struggling a bit here.

Ahikaroa stands up.
Ahikaroa feints a jab promting Diaz to slip. Ahikaroa then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Diaz slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Ahikaroa looks to land a combination but Diaz avoids it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz shoots in for a takedown but Ahikaroa shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Ahikaroa manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Diaz on his heels. He'll look to pass Diaz's guard now, I'm sure.

Ahikaroa drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Diaz dives on top into guard.

Ahikaroa has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ahikaroa trying to control the position.
Diaz controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Diaz's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

Ahikaroa looking for a guillotine here but Diaz defends easily.
Ahikaroa keeping full guard, as Diaz tries to pass.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ahikaroa looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Diaz controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Ahikaroa trying to keep a closed guard but Diaz is proving a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Ahikaroa keeping moving, preventing Diaz from controlling successfully.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Ahikaroa.
Diaz is trying hard to land a takedown here. Ahikaroa sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ramon Diaz. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A head kick misses from Ahikaroa.

Ahikaroa darts in and clinches Diaz up against the cage.
Ahikaroa is pushing Diaz up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ahikaroa fails to pull guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ari Ahikaroa showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Diaz doesn't manage to clinch there - Ahikaroa circles away.
Ahikaroa doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Ahikaroa lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.

Ahikaroa decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Diaz regains full guard. Nicely done.
Ahikaroa must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Ahikaroa sitting in guard doing not very much at all here. Diaz doesn't need a second invitation though! He's locked up a guillotine and he's squeezing tight! That is tiiiiiiiiight! Ahikaroa paying the price for stalling here - he's pushing hard on the arm trying to free himself but it's no use! He's tapped! WOW, quick submission from Diaz - great work!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:38 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Ramon Diaz!