PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Frank Diaz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Aleksander Kudryavtsev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Frank Diaz looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Diaz
vs
Kudryavtsev

210 cm
21
265 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

225 cm
22
255 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Frank Diaz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Aleksander Kudryavtsev!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Valeri Chadov and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kudryavtsev lands a head kick!
Kudryavtsev lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Kudryavtsev shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Kudryavtsev is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Kudryavtsev will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Diaz throws a head kick but Kudryavtsev moves out of range.
Left hook, right uppercut from Kudryavtsev.
Diaz doesn't manage to clinch there - Kudryavtsev circles away.

Diaz fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Kudryavtsev sprawls well initially but Diaz persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kudryavtsev gets back to full guard.
Diaz sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Diaz avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Kudryavtsev working for a triangle but Diaz defends it easily.
Diaz controlling from the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Diaz avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Diaz looking to pass the guard.
Diaz is breathing heavily.

Diaz got a little sloppy there for a moment and Kudryavtsev has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Diaz has managed to get both his arms back between Kudryavtsev's legs - danger averted.
Diaz controlling from the top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kudryavtsev is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Diaz tries to free his leg and advance position but Kudryavtsev is retaining full guard.

Kudryavtsev throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Diaz slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Diaz advances position into side control!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Kudryavtsev is looking to get back to his feet here but Diaz is keeping cool and he's managed to take Kudryavtsev's back.
Diaz lands with a big left hand that may well have hurt his opponent. Can Kudryavtsev hold on?!

Diaz working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
Diaz is trying to stick to Kudryavtsev's back but Kudryavtsev is turning into Diaz. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Diaz's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Kudryavtsev.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kudryavtsev trying to control but Diaz is working from the bottom.
Diaz trying to control the position here.
Diaz might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Kudryavtsev drops back, looking for a kneebar! Diaz looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Diaz looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Diaz!
You can see the frustration on Kudryavtsev's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Diaz is putting a hurting on Kudryavtsev here, landing some big shots from side control.
Kudryavtsev is looking to regain half guard here but Diaz keeps moving and retains side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aleksander Kudryavtsev dominated that round.
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.

Kudryavtsev is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Diaz darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Kudryavtsev is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Diaz pulls his head out easily.
Kudryavtsev misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Diaz wants to pass the guard but Kudryavtsev is defending well.
Diaz controlling the action here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Kudryavtsev looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

Kudryavtsev is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Diaz pulls his head out easily.

Diaz is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Kudryavtsev is just riding it out for now. Diaz eventually gives up the hold.
Diaz passes to side control.
Diaz lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Kudryavtsev down.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Diaz trying to control the position but Kudryavtsev is working away.
Kudryavtsev is trying to improve his position.

Diaz thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Diaz in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Diaz is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Kudryavtsev's shoulder. That is not cool.
Kudryavtsev struggling a bit here.
Kudryavtsev is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Diaz off and has taken his back!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Diaz is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Kudryavtsev gets his way!

Kudryavtsev is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Diaz is defending well though. Kudryavtsev let's go of the attempt for now.

Kudryavtsev is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Diaz is defending well though. Kudryavtsev let's go of the attempt for now.
Diaz prevents Kudryavtsev from getting a body triangle.
I really don't envy Diaz right now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Kudryavtsev working for a choke but Diaz reverses nicely into Kudryavtsev 's guard.
Kudryavtsev wants to sweep here but Diaz controlling him for the moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kudryavtsev is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Diaz gets to his feet - Kudryavtsev follows without any prompting.
Diaz fails in his attempt to clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Diaz is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Kudryavtsev's half guard.

Kudryavtsev actively working from the bottom here.
Diaz lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frank Diaz 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. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Kudryavtsev gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Diaz counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Kudryavtsev actively working from the bottom here.
Kudryavtsev trying to control from the bottom.
Diaz scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Diaz controlling the pace.

Diaz is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Kudryavtsev has managed to free his arm - good work.
Kudryavtsev trying to control from the bottom.

Kudryavtsev actively working from the bottom here.
Diaz slows the pace down in half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz lands with a punch from half guard.
Diaz performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Diaz trying to control from half guard but Kudryavtsev is working away.
Kudryavtsev misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Diaz tries to pass the half guard into mount. Kudryavtsev knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Diaz throws a wild body kick that Kudryavtsev sees coming a mile off.

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 displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Kudryavtsev tries for a takedown but Diaz circles away easily

and Diaz holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Diaz scores with a hook to the body.
Kudryavtsev drops down looking for an ankle pick but Diaz pulls his leg out and moves away.
Frank Diaz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Aleksander Kudryavtsev.
Diaz throws a head kick but Kudryavtsev moves out of range.

Diaz scores a takedown into full mount!
Kudryavtsev tries to hold on but Diaz pushes him away.
Kudryavtsev is looking to get to half guard.
Diaz looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Kudryavtsev looks a forlorn figure.
Diaz looking to finish Kudryavtsev with some ground and pound. This is bad for Kudryavtsev!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kudryavtsev tries to reverse the position but Diaz maintains control.
Diaz with shots to the head and body - Kudryavtsev looks very uncomfortable down there.
Kudryavtsev working to try and regain half guard.
Kudryavtsev tries to hold on but Diaz pushes him away.
Kudryavtsev is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Kudryavtsev is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Kudryavtsev is wriggling around trying to escape.
Kudryavtsev tries to hold on but Diaz postures up.
Diaz with shots to the head and body - Kudryavtsev looks very uncomfortable down there.
Diaz controlling the pace for now.
Kudryavtsev is trying desperately to improve position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Diaz lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Frank Diaz showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Diaz 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 Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 29:28
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Frank Diaz!