PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight kickboxing rules bout between Cain Diaz (ranked 6016 p4p, 470 weight class) and Garvan O Griofa (ranked 5655 p4p, 453 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Diaz
vs
O Griofa

183 cm
27
185 lbs
5 - 7 - 0

175 cm
22
182 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

Excellent boxer
Good chin

Excellent MT
Good gas tank

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 5 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Cain Diaz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Garvan O Griofa!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Timothy Bukovac and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Diaz uses good head movement to avoid the hook from O Griofa.
Diaz misses with a wild combination.
Diaz connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed O Griofa momentarily.
O Griofa misses with a wild body shot.
O Griofa avoids the body shot from Diaz.
Diaz throws a hook but O Griofa blocks it.
Diaz needs to keep his hands up - O Griofa had a free shot at his head there.
Diaz throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
O Griofa misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Diaz.
O Griofa falls off balance throwing a combination
and Diaz counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
O Griofa ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Diaz moves away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
O Griofa misses with a hook to the body
and Diaz counters with a left and a right that stings O Griofa.
Diaz works O Griofa's body with a nice hook.
Diaz has been working on his boxing with his coaches at 3Band MMA ($800/week) in the buildup to the fight.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
O Griofa throws a nice looking combination but Diaz bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Diaz cracks O Griofa with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the ropes.
O Griofa rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Diaz moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
It looked like Diaz wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
O Griofa throws a hook but Diaz avoids it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz avoids the head kick by O Griofa.
O Griofa misses with a body shot
and O Griofa takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
O Griofa scores with a nice strike.
Diaz looks to land a combination. O Griofa sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Nice jab there from O Griofa.
Diaz's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Diaz duly obliges.

O Griofa has Diaz up against the ropes in a clinch.
O Griofa scores a nice knee to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Diaz is trying to break the clinch but O Griofa has him pressed against the ropes.
A frustrated look appears on Diaz's face as he tries to break the clinch.
O Griofa goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
O Griofa trying to land knees to the body.
O Griofa tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Diaz avoids it.
Diaz tries to break the clinch but O Griofa is controlling the position.
Diaz avoids a wild elbow strike from O Griofa.
Diaz is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.

Diaz breaks from the clinch.
Diaz misses with a wild combination.
O Griofa's coach down at Brotherhood MMA was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on O Griofa's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
A swing and a miss from O Griofa.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz misses with an uppercut.
O Griofa throws a head kick but Diaz moves out of range.
O Griofa throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
O Griofa showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Diaz.
O Griofa looks to land a combination but Diaz avoids it well.
Diaz uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by O Griofa.
Diaz ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Garvan O Griofa seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Diaz lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
O Griofa avoids a punch combination nicely.
O Griofa swinging wildly here.

O Griofa moves into range and clinches up with Diaz.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Diaz is trying to push O Griofa away but O Griofa has him pressed against the ropes, so he's going nowhere.
O Griofa tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Diaz avoids it.
O Griofa unloads a knee to the mid-section. Diaz lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Diaz blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Cain Diaz will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Diaz swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
O Griofa slips under a jab from Diaz.
It seemed like O Griofa was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
O Griofa tries a head kick but it misses.
Diaz misses with a looping right.
O Griofa throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Diaz is looking for a counter combo.
Diaz misses with a wild body shot.
O Griofa let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
O Griofa lands a head kick. Diaz smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Diaz dodges the punch combination from O Griofa.
O Griofa throws a hook but Diaz avoids it easily.
Diaz throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent O Griofa stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
O Griofa throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Diaz thows a left - swing and a miss!
O Griofa just misses with a punch to the body.
O Griofa throws a left and a right that both miss
and Diaz counters with a nice uppercut.
Diaz misses with the combination.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Diaz scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

That's one minute gone in the round.
O Griofa cracks Diaz with a right hand to the side of the head.
O Griofa misses with a body kick.
O Griofa is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Diaz rather than just go for the knockout.
Diaz avoids the head kick by O Griofa.
Diaz swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Nice defenses there by O Griofa.
Diaz lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
O Griofa getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
O Griofa swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Diaz lands a nice shot to the body.
O Griofa dodges the punch combination from Diaz.
O Griofa shapes to counter with a head kick.
Diaz lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Diaz throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Diaz fails to land with a series of punches.
Diaz fails to land with a series of punches.
Diaz avoids the head kick by O Griofa.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
No joy there for O Griofa, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Diaz has had enough of the clinch but O Griofa keeps him there for the moment.
Diaz has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Diaz blocks a body shot from O Griofa.
O Griofa is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Diaz is defending well for now.
Diaz wants to get back to striking at distance but O Griofa won't allow it.
O Griofa with a knee to the head.
With the fighters up against the ropes, O Griofa throws an elbow but misses.
Diaz avoiding damage as O Griofa throws knees to the body.
O Griofa trying to land knees to the body.

Diaz breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

O Griofa pushes Diaz up against the ropes in a clinch.
Diaz wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Diaz has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
O Griofa misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Diaz.
O Griofa cracks Diaz with a nice body shot.
O Griofa is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Diaz is defending well for now.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Nice body punch from O Griofa.
Diaz has had enough of the clinch but O Griofa keeps him there for the moment.
O Griofa trying to land knees to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Garvan O Griofa will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Diaz's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

O Griofa tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Diaz appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
O Griofa throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Diaz gets cracked with a nice right hand there by O Griofa.
Nice body punch from Diaz.
Cain Diaz is winning the standup battle so far.
Boom! O Griofa lands a massive head kick that sends Diaz crashing into the ropes, followed by a classic face plant on the canvas! He's up to his knees but he's not going to beat the count - this one is all over! O Griofa is jumping around like a lunatic, extatic with the win!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:19 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Head Kick). Garvan O Griofa!