PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Tom Diaz (ranked 23845 p4p, 443 weight class) and Sam Roberts (ranked 23983 p4p, 446 weight class). Tom Diaz could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Sam Roberts's chin.

Diaz
vs
Roberts

172 cm
19
146 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

178 cm
19
146 lbs
1 - 6 - 0

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tom Diaz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Sam Roberts!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Diaz decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

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

Roberts kicks off Diaz and gets to his feet.

Diaz closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Roberts's guard.
Diaz throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Roberts works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Diaz works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Diaz takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Diaz takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

Diaz is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Roberts defends it well.
Diaz wants to lay and pray for a moment but Roberts keeps working.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Roberts regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Diaz.
Diaz with a flurry of punches that miss.
Diaz loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Diaz lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Diaz working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Roberts's head.
Diaz throwing strikes from guard but Roberts blocks nicely.
Diaz wants to pass the guard but Roberts is keeping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Roberts wants to stand and escape but Diaz is having none of it.
Roberts being controlled here, momentarily.
Diaz is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Diaz works over Roberts with some ground and pound from guard.
Roberts utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Roberts keeping full guard, as Diaz tries to pass.
Diaz pushing down on Roberts's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Roberts keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Diaz missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Roberts avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Diaz.
Diaz throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Diaz is taking a breather. Roberts says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Diaz not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Diaz seems to be working for a kimura but Roberts defends the submission attempt.
Diaz looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diaz is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Roberts is refusing to be controlled, as Diaz sits in half guard.
Diaz working Roberts over with strikes.
Roberts keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Roberts keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Diaz scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Ground and pound from Diaz.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tom Diaz dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Roberts throws an off balance right hand

and Diaz counters with a nice double leg into side control. Roberts won't be happy with that.
Roberts bucks up and tries to throw Diaz off but instead Diaz has got his back!

Diaz working for a choke but Roberts reverses nicely into Diaz 's guard.
Diaz controlling the position.

Diaz manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Roberts tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Diaz smiles and moves away.
Sam Roberts is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Roberts throws a lazy uppercut

and Diaz counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Roberts!
Diaz is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Roberts can do to turn this around?
Diaz grinds an elbow into Roberts's temple.
Roberts is not content to let Diaz control the position.
Roberts on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Diaz landing strikes.

Diaz is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Roberts has escaped the position, nice work there.
Diaz creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Roberts sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Diaz in side control, throwing shots but Roberts defends.
Diaz landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Tom Diaz overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Diaz working the ground and pound.
Diaz lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Roberts down.
Diaz lands a few punches from side control.
Diaz landing a few strikes.
Diaz taking a breather here.
Diaz cracks Roberts with a big right hand but Roberts just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.

Roberts is rocked!
Roberts is breathing heavily.
Diaz is putting a hurting on Roberts here, landing some big shots from side control.
Roberts is still in real trouble! Can Diaz finish him?
Diaz lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Roberts takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Roberts is trying to get back to his feet.
Diaz sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Roberts is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Roberts seems to have recovered his senses.
Diaz working the head with strikes.
Roberts takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Roberts is working to avoid the ground and pound but Diaz connects with a decent elbow.
Diaz scores with a couple of short elbows.

Diaz tries for a kimura but Roberts is defending well.
Diaz working the body and head with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diaz working the ground and pound.
Diaz scores with a couple of short elbows.
Diaz lands a strong strike to the head of Roberts. That's dazed him! Diaz looking to finish here. Roberts is waving his arms around trying to block but he's hurt badly - Diaz lands more strikes and the referee steps in to end the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:38 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Tom Diaz!