PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Lokee Hyde (ranked 1218 p4p, 149 weight class) and Mario Diaz (ranked 1604 p4p, 196 weight class). Diaz is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Troublesome '96 - 2pac. Mario Diaz has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Hyde
vs
Diaz

166 cm
21
160 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

183 cm
28
168 lbs
9 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Lokee Hyde!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Mario Diaz!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Gwen Towbar and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hyde swings for the body but Diaz moves out of range.
Hyde swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Diaz counters with a series of strikes. Hyde will be more careful next time no doubt.
Hyde tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Diaz swivels and escapes.
Diaz throws a counter combo.
Diaz showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Hyde.
Hyde gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Diaz.
Diaz avoids the head kick by Hyde.
Diaz is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Diaz throws a combination that misses

and Hyde counters with a nice double leg into side control. Diaz won't be happy with that.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hyde throws an elbow but Diaz slips to the side and avoids it well.
Diaz wants to control but Hyde postures up.
We've been hearing good reports from Hyde's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Diaz tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Hyde wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Diaz avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Hyde.
Hyde working away.
Diaz is trying to buck Hyde off.
Hyde tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Diaz being controlled for a moment.
Hyde throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Hyde has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Hyde in side control, throwing shots but Diaz defends.
Diaz prevents Hyde from moving into mount.

Hyde is trying to get an arm triangle but Diaz is defending well.
Hyde wants to lay and pray for a moment but Diaz keeps working.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

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 avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Hyde.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hyde controls the position.
Hyde wants to lay and pray for a moment but Diaz keeps working.
Hyde misses with the ground and pound.
Diaz wants to get back to his feet.
Hyde throws an elbow but Diaz slips to the side and avoids it well.
Hyde wants to lay and pray for a moment but Diaz keeps working.
Diaz tries to bench press Hyde off him but Hyde keeps the position.
Diaz wants to get back to his feet.

Hyde working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Diaz felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz defending against the ground and pound.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Hyde wants to control but Diaz is keeping him busy.
Diaz wants to control but Hyde postures up.

Hyde wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Diaz, who protects the arm well.
Hyde throwing strikes but Diaz manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
Hyde tries to improve position but can't.
Who's going to make the next move?

Diaz decides to stand back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hyde doesn't manage to clinch there - Diaz circles away.
Hyde tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
No joy there for Diaz, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Hyde tries to score a power double leg takedown but Diaz sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Hyde somewhat.
Sloppy strikes from Diaz. Those never looked like landing.
Hyde swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Diaz.
Diaz misses with a few strikes there.

Hyde changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Diaz looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
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!
Hyde remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Hyde prevents Diaz from escaping the position.
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 Lokee Hyde will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Hyde takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Diaz cracks Hyde with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Hyde looks to land a combination but Diaz avoids it well.
Hyde blocks a jab.
Hyde throws a lazy uppercut
and Diaz counters with a series of strikes. Hyde will be more careful next time no doubt.
Diaz throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Diaz keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Hyde keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Diaz.
Diaz looks to land a left hand but Hyde moved out of range nicely.
Diaz just misses with a punch to the body.
Diaz goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Lokee Hyde seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hyde misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
It seemed like Diaz was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Hyde fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Diaz manages to avoid it.
Hyde slips a jab and a cross from Diaz.
Hyde throws a head kick that misses.
Hyde misses with a wild body shot.
Hyde uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Diaz.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz circles away from the clinch attempt.
Hyde needs to keep his hands up - Diaz had a free shot at his head there.
Hyde misses with a double jab.
Hyde throws a leg kick that misses.
Diaz misses with the combination.
Diaz tries to clinch up but Hyde circles away and keeps his distance.

Hyde drives through with a takedown into guard.
Hyde sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Diaz keeping moving, preventing Hyde from controlling successfully.
Diaz can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Hyde controls the pace.
Hyde might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Hyde wants to control from the top but Diaz keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hyde postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Hyde loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Hyde slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Hyde looking to sit in guard and control but Diaz gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Diaz preventing the sweep.
Hyde managing to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hyde trying to control the position.

Diaz gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Hyde has a takedown stuffed.
Diaz moves away from the strike by Hyde.
Hyde drops his hands momentarily and Diaz takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Diaz scores with a shot to the body.
Diaz misses with a double jab.
Hyde tries to clinch up.
Diaz scores with a decent looking hook.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hyde tries a head kick but it misses.
Diaz is looking to clinch.

Hyde shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Diaz trying to control from the bottom.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hyde looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Hyde content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Diaz is trying to stand.
Hyde trying to control from Diaz's half guard. Diaz has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Lokee Hyde overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Hyde wants to control from the top but Diaz keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mario Diaz showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Hyde misses the jab.

Hyde gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Diaz is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Hyde turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Hyde manages to end up in side control.
A lull in the action here as Hyde stalls from top position.
Hyde wants to control but Diaz is keeping him busy.
Hyde moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Hyde wants to control but Diaz is keeping him busy.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Hyde tries for a kimura but Diaz is defending well.
Diaz pushes Hyde away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Hyde gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hyde tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Hyde moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Hyde wants to lay and pray for a moment but Diaz keeps working.
Hyde throws an elbow but Diaz slips to the side and avoids it well.
Diaz is looking to regain half guard here but Hyde keeps moving and retains side control.
Hyde wants to control but Diaz is keeping him busy.
Diaz wants to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Diaz is trying to get back to half guard.
Diaz manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Hyde is trying to maintain the position but Diaz is very close to passing his half guard.
Diaz tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Hyde.
Hyde trying to control here.
Diaz tries to stand and escape but Hyde actually recovers to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hyde is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Diaz wants to control from the top but Hyde keeps moving.

Diaz gets to his feet. Hyde looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Diaz!
Hyde jabs Diaz right on the nose. Diaz blinks but takes it well.
Hyde throws a sloppy head kick
and Diaz counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hyde gets a double leg takedown into Diaz's guard.
Diaz wants to stand but Hyde is controlling the position.
Hyde wants to pass the guard but Diaz is keeping the position.
Hyde sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Hyde throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Hyde trying to control but Diaz is working from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hyde throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Diaz pulls Hyde in close to prevent any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Lokee Hyde.
I think Hyde 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 George Francis scores the fight 29:29
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 27:30

The fight is ruled a draw!