PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Fletcher Gross (ranked 5331 p4p, 0 weight class) and Daniel Diaz (ranked 4469 p4p, 0 weight class). Daniel Diaz has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Gross
vs
Diaz

171 cm
23
194 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

185 cm
22
185 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Likes comics

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Fletcher Gross!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Daniel Diaz!
The judges for this bout are Richard Clark, Andrew Berry and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Diaz wants to clinch.
It looked like Gross was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Diaz throws an off balance right hand
and Gross connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Diaz has his takedown stuffed
letting Gross counter with a right hand.
Gross avoids the head kick by Diaz.
Diaz dives in and grabs Gross's left leg, looking for a takedown. Gross pushes down on Diaz's head and hops out.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Diaz tries to score with a low kick but Gross moves his leg out of the way.
Diaz fails with a takedown attempt.
Fletcher Gross has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Daniel Diaz.
Diaz throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Gross counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gross escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Diaz tries to clinch but Gross moves away
and Gross counters with a head kick.
Diaz dives in and grabs Gross's left leg, looking for a takedown. Gross pushes down on Diaz's head and hops out.
Gross fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Diaz shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Gross as he jumps to the side.

Diaz has Gross up against the cage in a clinch.

Diaz escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Diaz.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Diaz instigates a clinch.
Diaz looking for a takedown.

Gross jumps into guard, dragging Diaz to the mat.
Gross is pulling down on Diaz's head to control his posture.
Gross looking to hit a scissor sweep but Diaz is one step ahead there.
Diaz wants to get up but he can't break Gross's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gross is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Diaz is controlling him.
Gross managing to control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gross looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Diaz puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Gross is looking to improve his position.
Diaz works his way into full mount!
Gross is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diaz trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Gross is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Diaz controlling the position easily from mount.
Gross tries to hold on but Diaz postures up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Gross really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Diaz uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Gross.
Diaz shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Gross sprawls well. Gross wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Diaz gets slowly back to his feet.
Diaz closes the distance and clinches up with Gross, looking for a takedown. Diaz pushes Gross against the cage but Gross circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
It looked like Gross was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
A head kick from Gross lands but Diaz takes it in his stride.
Gross throws a nice outside leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Diaz rushes Gross and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Diaz's face as he tries to break the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Gross fails to land.

Diaz has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Gross uses from the top position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz wants to sweep but no luck.
Gross is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Diaz is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Gross could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Gross content to stall in guard here.
Gross makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Gross might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Diaz doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Diaz looking to hit a scissor sweep but Gross is one step ahead there.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Gross avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Gross looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.

Diaz rushes Gross and presses him up against the cage.

Gross pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Diaz tries to clinch but Gross is having none of it.
Gross is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Diaz can do to turn this around?
Diaz tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Gross paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Gross drives through with a takedown into Diaz's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Diaz throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gross makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Gross postures up.
Gross landing some decent shots from guard.
Diaz wants to sweep but no luck.
Gross content to stall in guard here.
Diaz looking to hit a scissor sweep but Gross is one step ahead there.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's four 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.
Gross displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Diaz.
Fletcher Gross has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Daniel Diaz.
Diaz tries to clinch up.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Diaz.
Diaz is breathing heavily.
Diaz fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Fletcher Gross is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A lazy left from Gross finds it's target.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Gross tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Diaz looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Gross is fending him off so far but Diaz persists. Nope, Gross circles away and we're back to standing.
Diaz wants to clinch up but Gross keeps it at a distance.
Diaz just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromGross.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fletcher Gross dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Diaz tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Gross counters with a series of strikes. Diaz will be more careful next time no doubt.

Gross moves into the clinch.

Gross decides to pull guard.
Gross is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Gross keeping moving, preventing Diaz from controlling successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Diaz preventing the sweep.
Gross pulls Diaz in to control the position.
Gross controls Diaz momentarily but Diaz frees himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz trying to control the position from guard on top but Gross is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Fletcher Gross overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Gross wants to hit a switch here but Diaz passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Gross there!
Gross tries to hold on but Diaz pushes him away.
Diaz thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Diaz is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Gross can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Diaz thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Diaz working some short elbows here. He postures up to throw some more ground and pound but Gross slips a leg through to get back to half guard. Nice work.
Gross wants to get back to full guard.
Diaz thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Gross's head.
Diaz trying to control the action but Gross is working from the bottom.
Gross is trying to stand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gross works his way to full guard. Good work.
Gross manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Diaz manages to get himself to full guard.

Diaz working a defensive guard here.
Diaz being controlled here, momentarily.
Diaz wants to sweep but no luck.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Gross stops Diaz from standing up.
Gross has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Gross is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Diaz wants to get back to his feet but Gross is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Gross fails in his attempt to clinch.
Gross throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Diaz tries to counter with a clinch but Gross shakes him off and moves away.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Diaz wants to clinch
and Gross cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Daniel Diaz has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Fletcher Gross is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Diaz misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

And that's the end of the fight!
Fletcher Gross showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Gross, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Richard Clark scores the fight 30:27
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 30:27
Judge James Glass scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Fletcher Gross!