PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Ari Katajamaki (ranked 2061 p4p, 1666 weight class) and Chel Diokno (ranked 153 p4p, 127 weight class). Diokno has chosen This is my story as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Katajamaki
vs
Diokno

162 cm
28
135
11 - 16 - 2

167 cm
32
135
6 - 9 - 1

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Granite chin

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 11 - 16 - 2, fighting out of Helsinki, Ari Katajamaki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Chel Diokno!
The judges for this bout are Josh West, Jeff Smith and Chris Saunders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Diokno doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Ari Katajamaki seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Diokno darts in and clinches Katajamaki up against the cage.
Diokno misses with some punches.
Katajamaki has Diokno pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Diokno manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Diokno misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Katajamaki avoids a wild elbow strike from Diokno.
Diokno misses with a body punch.
Diokno swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Katajamaki has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Diokno avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Katajamaki managing to block the knees to the body from Diokno.
Diokno misses with a knee strike.
Diokno stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Katajamaki tries for a takedown. No joy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ari Katajamaki. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Diokno throws an elbow that misses.
Diokno putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Katajamaki in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Katajamaki is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Diokno is defending well.
Diokno scores with a knee to the head.
Diokno lands with a right to the head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Diokno creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Diokno looking to throw knees to the head but Katajamaki is blocking nicely.
Katajamaki blocks the elbow strike.
Diokno doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Katajamaki can't get the takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diokno can't find room to land a body shot as Katajamaki controls the action.
Diokno missing with knees to the body.
Diokno lands with a light punch inside.
Diokno missing with knees to the body.
Diokno misses with a hook to the ribs.
Diokno gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Katajamaki.
Katajamaki misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Katajamaki is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Diokno pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Diokno throws an elbow but it misses.
Diokno scores a nice knee to the body.
Diokno tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Diokno lands a shoulder strike.
Knees in the clinch landing for Diokno.
I was talking to Katajamaki's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Katajamaki is breathing heavily.
Diokno misses with a hook from the clinch.
Katajamaki drops down looking for an ankle pick but Diokno pulls his leg out and moves away.
Katajamaki looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diokno is looking to clinch.

Katajamaki fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Diokno sprawls well initially but Katajamaki persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Diokno wants to control but Katajamaki is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Diokno wants to improve his position but Katajamaki is controlling well.

Diokno looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Diokno gets back to full guard.

Katajamaki avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Diokno has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Katajamaki is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Diokno.
Katajamaki working the head with strikes.
Diokno 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.
Katajamaki working away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Diokno is looking for a sweep.
Katajamaki cracks Diokno with a big elbow.
Diokno tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Katajamaki working away.
Katajamaki scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Diokno to see if he's OK.
Katajamaki working away.
Diokno manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Diokno seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Katajamaki does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Katajamaki manages to get to full guard.
Diokno trying to control but Katajamaki is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diokno stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Katajamaki swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Katajamaki 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.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Diokno wants to stand and escape but instead Katajamaki has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Chel Diokno dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Diokno tries to close the distance and clinch up but Katajamaki swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Katajamaki tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Diokno defends well and Katajamaki ends up having to push Diokno into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Diokno throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Katajamaki blocks it with crossed arms.
Katajamaki blocks the elbow strike.
Katajamaki scores with a hook to the body.
Diokno misses with a hook from the clinch.
Katajamaki on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Chel Diokno seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Katajamaki.
Diokno misses with a hook to the ribs.
Katajamaki has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Diokno is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Diokno has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Katajamaki gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Katajamaki lands with a punch from half guard.
Katajamaki working over Diokno with some ground and pound. Diokno looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Katajamaki slips a nice elbow through Diokno's hands, connecting with Diokno's forehead.
Diokno is looking to control Katajamaki's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Diokno avoid being mounted?
Diokno is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Diokno has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Katajamaki is working away from the top position though.
Diokno moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Katajamaki has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Katajamaki postures up and lands a big shot to Diokno's brow.
Diokno trying to control the position.
Katajamaki scoring with punches to the head and body.

Diokno working for a triangle but Katajamaki defends it easily.
Katajamaki works over Diokno with some ground and pound from guard.
Katajamaki postures up.
Katajamaki is fighting to break Diokno's control of his arms but Diokno is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Katajamaki trying to control the position from guard on top but Diokno is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Katajamaki's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Diokno controls Katajamaki momentarily but Katajamaki frees himself.
Katajamaki landing with the ground and pound.

Diokno looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Katajamaki has picked Diokno up and slammed him! Diokno can't keep hold of the triangle and Katajamaki manages to pass to side control!
Diokno wants to control but Katajamaki postures up.
Diokno is trying to improve his position.
Katajamaki landing strikes.
Diokno is looking to regain half guard here but Katajamaki keeps moving and retains side control.
Diokno struggling a bit here.
Diokno manages to work his way to half guard, despite Katajamaki's best efforts.
Diokno is looking to control Katajamaki's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Diokno avoid being mounted?
Katajamaki slips a nice elbow through Diokno's hands, connecting with Diokno's forehead.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diokno moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Diokno throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Katajamaki scoring with some ground and pound.

Diokno is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Diokno looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Katajamaki passes into half guard.
Diokno taking some punishment here, with Katajamaki in his half guard.
Katajamaki scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Katajamaki winds up and cracks Diokno with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Diokno trying to hold on to Katajamaki's head to control him but Katajamaki postures up.
Ari Katajamaki overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Katajamaki is trying to control the action in half guard but Diokno is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diokno keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Diokno is trying to get back to full guard.
Katajamaki working Diokno over with strikes.
Diokno is looking to control Katajamaki's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Diokno avoid being mounted?

Diokno looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Diokno wants to control but Katajamaki is keeping busy and won't allow it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Diokno tries to roll over but Katajamaki keeps him under control.
Diokno makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Diokno.

Diokno had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Katajamaki defends it easily.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ari Katajamaki dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Diokno fails with an attempt to clinch.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Diokno lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Katajamaki has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Katajamaki and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Katajamaki changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Diokno tries to avoid it but Katajamaki manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Diokno to the ground. Diokno escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Diokno feints a counter leg kick.
Diokno tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Katajamaki paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A chopping leg kick lands by Diokno.

Katajamaki closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Diokno tries to kick Katajamaki off but Katajamaki keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Diokno slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Katajamaki avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Katajamaki is working Diokno over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Katajamaki with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

Katajamaki avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Diokno keeping moving, preventing Katajamaki from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Diokno is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Katajamaki is aware though and is defending well.

Diokno is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Katajamaki is aware though and is defending well.
Diokno is trying to keep Katajamaki in close.

Diokno is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Diokno takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Katajamaki landing with the ground and pound.

Diokno looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Diokno has his foot on Katajamaki's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Katajamaki works his way back into a safe position though.

Diokno working for a triangle but Katajamaki defends it easily.
Diokno keeping full guard, as Katajamaki tries to pass.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Diokno escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Katajamaki gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Katajamaki stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Diokno swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Katajamaki working some strikes from top position.
Katajamaki is working Diokno over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

Diokno has an active guard here but Katajamaki has managed to pass into half guard.
Diokno moves into full guard.

Katajamaki avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Katajamaki working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Katajamaki makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Katajamaki scoring with some ground and pound.
Katajamaki connects with a couple of short punches.
Katajamaki postures up and lands a big shot to Diokno's brow.
Katajamaki lands a couple of elbows.
Katajamaki lands a couple of digs.
Katajamaki chips away with some ground and pound.

Diokno looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Katajamaki passes into half guard.
Katajamaki lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Diokno trying to control but Katajamaki postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diokno wants to get back to full guard.
Katajamaki trying to control from half guard but Diokno is working away.
Diokno trying to hold on to Katajamaki's head to control him but Katajamaki postures up.
Katajamaki looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Diokno with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Katajamaki working over Diokno with some ground and pound. Diokno looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Diokno gets full guard.
Katajamaki scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Katajamaki lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Katajamaki scoring with punches to the head and body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Katajamaki with a nice head shot there.

Diokno looking for a guillotine here but Katajamaki defends easily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

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

And that's the end of the fight!
Ari Katajamaki showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Katajamaki 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 Josh West scores the fight 29:28
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ari Katajamaki!
During a confident post fight interview, Ari Katajamaki thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.
Chel Diokno was interviewed post fight and said 'Granite Chin will come back!'.