PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Neal Diaz (ranked 2094 p4p, 194 weight class) and Vasilios Megalos (ranked 1494 p4p, 154 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Vasilios Megalos was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Diaz
vs
Megalos

183 cm
30
155 lbs
12 - 6 - 0

170 cm
28
149 lbs
16 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

VanDam Clothing

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 12 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Neal Diaz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Vasilios Megalos!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Roosa Järviläinen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Diaz shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Megalos's guard.
Vasilios Megalos has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Diaz trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Diaz is stalling in the full guard.
Diaz wants to pass the guard but Megalos is keeping the position.
Megalos is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Diaz pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Megalos is keeping the position for now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Diaz with a flurry of punches that miss.
Diaz preventing the sweep.
Diaz definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Diaz wants to control from the top but Megalos keeps moving.

Megalos is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Diaz is aware though and is defending well.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Diaz trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Diaz trying to control but Megalos is working from the bottom.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Vasilios Megalos seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Megalos throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Megalos throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Diaz will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Diaz shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Megalos's guard.
Megalos has control of Diaz's left arm, preventing Diaz from doing any damage.
Diaz passes Megalos's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Megalos is looking to improve his position.
Megalos is controlling Diaz's trapped leg to prevent Diaz from advancing to side control.
Megalos is staying active underneath Diaz, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Diaz seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Megalos keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Megalos keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Megalos wants to get back to full guard.
Diaz uses his free foot to push down on Megalos's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Megalos.
Diaz putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Neal Diaz dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Megalos throws a solid leg kick but Diaz takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Megalos.
Megalos thows a left - swing and a miss!
Diaz attempts a counter takedown but Megalos avoids it well and moves away.
Diaz slips a jab from Megalos.
Diaz shoots in for a double leg but Megalos sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Megalos lands a nice looking kick to the body. Diaz takes a step back to recover.

Diaz shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Megalos looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Diaz puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Megalos controlling the position well.
Diaz wants to take a breather but Megalos is having none of it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Megalos trying to hold on to Diaz's head to control him but Diaz postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Megalos is concentrating on defense, preventing Diaz from advancing position.
Megalos trying to hold on to Diaz's head to control him but Diaz postures up.
Megalos avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Diaz.
Megalos is not content to let Diaz control the position.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Diaz is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Diaz throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Megalos avoids a series of strikes thrown by Diaz.
Diaz tries to control but Megalos wriggling away.

Diaz has hold of Megalos's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Megalos manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Diaz will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Megalos tries to hold on but Diaz pushes him away.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Megalos is desperately trying to improve his position but Diaz has a good base and remains in mount.
Neal Diaz overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Diaz throwing strikes here but Megalos is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Neal Diaz dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Megalos stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Megalos wants it to stay on the feet.
Megalos looks to land a body kick but Diaz moved away.
Diaz is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Megalos now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Diaz tries to clinch but Megalos is having none of it.
Diaz gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Diaz takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Diaz shoots in but Megalos avoids the takedown attempt easily.
It seemed like Megalos was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Neal Diaz. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Megalos clinches.
Megalos doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Megalos is the more experienced fighter here and he's going to need to draw on some of that experience if he's going to pull this one out the bag.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Megalos swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Megalos tries to work over Diaz's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A body shot lands from Megalos.
Megalos lands a hook to the side of the head.

Diaz wants the takedown. Megalos is fighting it off but Diaz persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Megalos's guard against the ropes.
Megalos is wriggling around but Diaz manages to pass to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Diaz is thwarting Megalos's attempts to control the position.
Diaz is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Megalos can do to turn this around?
Diaz throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Megalos trying to hold on to Diaz's head to control him but Diaz postures up.
Megalos controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Megalos blocking the ground and pound attempt from Diaz.
Megalos tries to get to full guard but Diaz has control of the leg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Megalos does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

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

Megalos looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Diaz seems to be working for a kimura but Megalos defends the submission attempt.
Neal Diaz is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Diaz not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

And that's the end of the fight!
Vasilios Megalos comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Diaz has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight for Neal Diaz!
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight for Neal Diaz!
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight for Neal Diaz!

Neal Diaz wins by unanimous decision!
Neal Diaz decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.