PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Sonny Barella (ranked 3252 p4p, 23683 weight class) and Chel Diokno (ranked 180 p4p, 265 weight class). Diokno has chosen This is my story as his entrance music. I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Barella
vs
Diokno

167 cm
25
135
7 - 12 - 0

167 cm
27
135
0 - 6 - 1

Powerful takedowns
Excellent boxer
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Furnace Performance ðŸ”¥
Silverguard Outfitters ðŸ›¡

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Sonny Barella!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Chel Diokno!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Roosa Järviläinen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Diokno lands with a kick to the temple. Barella shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Diokno stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Diokno wants it to stay on the feet.
Diokno swinging wildly here.
Diokno tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Diokno throws out a powerful jab.
Barella misses the shot to the body.
Diokno dodges the punch combination from Barella.
Diokno lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Barella's jab looks to have found its range, popping Diokno under the eye.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!

Diokno gets a clinch.
Diokno misses with a knee to the head.
Nice elbow from Diokno.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Diokno.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Diokno misses with a punch to the body.
Diokno lands with a light punch inside.
Diokno with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Diokno putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Barella in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Diokno presses Barella against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diokno lands a nice shot to the body.
Diokno digs a right hand into Barella's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Barella's gas tank.
Diokno tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Barella prevents a body shot from Diokno.
Nice elbow from Diokno.
Diokno using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Barella has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Barella is looking for a takedown.
A nice left hand lands by Barella.
Diokno connects with a knee to the head.
Diokno misses with a knee strike.
Diokno throws a knee to the head but misses.
Barella is trying to break the clinch but Diokno has him pressed against the cage.
Diokno with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Diokno throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Barellas head.
Diokno lands an elbow just above Barella 's eye.
Diokno unloads a knee to the mid-section.

Diokno breaks the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Diokno looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Diokno lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Barella circles away quickly and effectively.
Diokno throws the left hand but Barella avoids the punch easily.
Barella takes a kick to the side of the head.
Barella takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Barella.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sonny Barella. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Diokno moves into the clinch.
Diokno lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Diokno lands an elbow just above Barella 's eye.

Diokno breaks the clinch.
Diokno tries to land a body kick

and Barella counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Diokno!

Barella looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
Barella advances to mount.
Barella looking to control but Diokno is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barella punching from mount but Diokno doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Diokno tries to hold on but Barella postures up.
Barella throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Barella avoids the attempt from Diokno to control.

Barella looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Barella punching from mount but Diokno doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Barella raining down shots from the mount!
Barella can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Diokno is looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Barella has control of Diokno's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Diokno regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Diokno regains half guard.

Barella is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Diokno doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Barella.
Diokno moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Diokno is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Diokno keeping moving, preventing Barella from controlling successfully.
Diokno pulls Barella in close to prevent any damage.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Chel Diokno dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Barella misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Diokno is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Diokno dodges the punch combination from Barella.
Diokno dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Barella. That did some damage!
Barella takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Diokno lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Diokno misses with a jab, cross combination.
Barella takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Barella dodges the punch combination from Diokno.
Diokno ducks right into an uppercut from Barella.
Diokno throws a head kick that Barella semi-blocks.
Barella chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Diokno can pounce on him.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Barella pushes Diokno up against the cage in a clinch.
Barella tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Diokno just stands there and leans against the cage.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Diokno as Barella tries to tie him up.
Barella tries to circle away but Diokno has him pinned against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diokno working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Diokno throws a knee to the head but misses.
Barella avoids the elbow strike from Diokno, against the cage.
Diokno scores with a shoulder strike.
Diokno landing knees to the head.
Barella tries to break free but Diokno pushes him back against the cage.
Diokno misses with a hook to the ribs.
Diokno tries a knee to the head but Barella blocks it.
Barella tries to pull guard but Diokno forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Barella swings wildly with an uppercut but Diokno uses good head movement to avoid it.

Barella jumps into guard, dragging Diokno to the mat.
Diokno seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Diokno got a little sloppy there for a moment and Barella has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Diokno has managed to get both his arms back between Barella's legs - danger averted.
Diokno trying to stand up but can't free himself from Barella's guard.

Barella had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Diokno defends it easily.

Diokno stands up and waves to Barella to follow him.
Barella with a jab.
Diokno throws a nice looking combination but Barella bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A head kick misses from Diokno.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diokno fails with an attempt to clinch.
Diokno buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Diokno throws a head kick but Barella moves out of range.

Barella closes the distance and pushes Diokno back into the cage.
Diokno comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Barella is trying to break free.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Diokno trying to land knees to the body.
Barella is trying to break the clinch but Diokno has him pressed against the cage.
Diokno tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Barella avoids it.
Diokno throws a knee to the head but misses.
Barella has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Diokno after a bit of a struggle.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sonny Barella. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Diokno misses with an elbow over the top.
Diokno working Barella over with knees to the body.
Diokno has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Barella avoids the elbow strike from Diokno, against the cage.
Diokno looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Barella blocks an elbow strike from Diokno.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diokno gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Barella wants to break the clinch but can't.
Barella blocks an elbow strike.
Diokno goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Chel Diokno seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Diokno scores with a shot to the side of Barella's head.
Diokno pushes Barella back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Diokno misses with a short punch on the inside.
Diokno lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Diokno pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Barella takes an elbow to the temple.
Barella blocks an elbow strike from Diokno.
Diokno tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Barella dodges an elbow strike from Diokno.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Chel Diokno showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

A combination from Barella does no damage.
Diokno throws a half hearted mid kick.
Diokno misses with a body kick.
Barella scores with a three punch combo!
Barella throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Diokno's waist but Diokno gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Barella off to one side.
Diokno thuds his shin into the meat of Barella's side.
Good work by Barella as he checks the leg kick.
Barella misses with an uppercut. Diokno saw that one coming.
Barella waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Diokno.
Barella tries for a takedown but Diokno sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
A jab from Barella misses.
Barella takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Barella tries to counter by clinching up but Diokno breaks away and moves out of range.
Diokno steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Barella.
Chel Diokno seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A punch combination from Diokno misses.
Diokno connects with a body shot that sends Barella's belly button to the back.
Barella shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Diokno pinned against the cage. Diokno gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sonny Barella. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Barella is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Diokno.
Left hook, right uppercut from Barella.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diokno slips a jab from Barella.
A slapping leg kick lands for Diokno.
Barella looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.

Diokno has taken the fight to the clinch.

Diokno pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Barella is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Barella closes this distance looking for a takedown but Diokno circles away.
Diokno looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Diokno fakes the leg kick and cracks Barella in the body.

Diokno moves into range and clinches up with Barella.

Barella pulls guard successfully.
Diokno stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Barella swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Diokno slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Barella is looking for a triangle but Diokno pushes his legs off easily.
Chel Diokno is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diokno engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Diokno must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Barella had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Diokno defends it easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Barella escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Diokno gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Barella working for a triangle but Diokno defends it easily.
Diokno slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diokno staying calm.
Barella is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Barella gets back to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Barella is trying to maintain the position but Diokno is very close to passing his half guard.
Diokno seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

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.
Barella slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Barella throws his legs up looking for a submission but Diokno uses it to pass to side control.
Diokno controlling the position from side mount.
Diokno working away.
Sonny Barella has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Diokno decides to stand back up. Diokno steps back and let's Barella get back to his feet.
Left hook, right uppercut from Diokno.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chel Diokno comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Diokno winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 27:30
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chel Diokno!
During a confident post fight interview, Chel Diokno thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.