PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Samy Diabate (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ray Marsh (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Samy Diabate has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Diabate
vs
Marsh

210 cm
22
190 lbs
2 - 2 - 1

174 cm
21
182 lbs
1 - 1 - 1

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Enjoys gardening

FNF Energy - Sale!

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 2 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Samy Diabate!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ray Marsh!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Tiny Johnson and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Diabate is looking to land body kicks.
Diabate digs a good body shot into Marsh's ribs.
Marsh circles away from the clinch attempt.
Diabate moves in looking to clinch but Marsh pushes him off.
Diabate throws a low kick but it's checked well by Marsh.

Marsh feints and as Diabate raises his hands in defense, Marsh changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Diabate keeping moving, preventing Marsh from controlling successfully.
Marsh passes Diabate's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Diabate trying to hold on to Marsh's head to control him but Marsh postures up.
Diabate looks like he's trying to stand up.
Marsh wants to control but Diabate is keeping him busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Well, if Marsh is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Marsh wants to control but Diabate is keeping him busy.
Marsh stops Diabate from getting back to his feet.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Marsh shoots in for a takedown but Diabate shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Diabate tries to land a front kick but Marsh steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Diabate tries to close the distance and clinch but Marsh swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Marsh shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Diabate defends it nicely.
Diabate tries to clinch but Marsh is having none of it.

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.
Diabate tries to clinch but Marsh moves out of range.
Diabate doesn't manage to clinch there - Marsh circles away.
Diabate moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Diabate is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Marsh fails with a takedown attempt.
Samy Diabate has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ray Marsh.
Diabate tries to close the distance and clinch but Marsh swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Marsh avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Diabate fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marsh keeps the fight on the outside.
Diabate is looking to clinch.

Marsh feints and as Diabate raises his hands in defense, Marsh changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Marsh wants to get up but he can't break Diabate's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Marsh controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Marsh won't allow Diabate to get back to his feet.
Marsh is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Diabate thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Diabate is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Marsh wants to control from the top but Diabate keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marsh looking to pass the guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Diabate wants to clinch up but Marsh keeps it at a distance.
Marsh keeps the fight on the outside.
Marsh shoots in but no luck this time.
Diabate fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

Marsh changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Diabate looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Marsh prevents Diabate from escaping the position.
Marsh trying to control the position but Diabate is working away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ray Marsh will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Diabate is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Marsh dives in and grabs Diabate's left leg, looking for a takedown. Diabate pushes down on Marsh's head and hops out.
Diabate is looking to clinch.
Marsh avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Marsh shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Marsh gets to his feet. Diabate looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Samy Diabate is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Marsh shoots in but Diabate avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Marsh scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Diabate is looking for a sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diabate is trying to buck Marsh off.

Marsh decides to stand up, so the ref orders Diabate to his feet.
Marsh fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Samy Diabate has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ray Marsh.
Marsh is breathing heavily.
Diabate wants to clinch.
A head kick misses from Diabate.
Horrible takedown by Marsh or perhaps it was just good defense by Diabate which made him look bad.
Diabate throws a head kick but Marsh moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Diabate tries a head kick but it misses.
Diabate fails with an attempt to clinch.
Marsh shoots in but no luck this time.
Diabate misses with a low kick.
Diabate tries to clinch but Marsh moves out of range.
Diabate tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Marsh paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Diabate wants to clinch up but Marsh keeps it at a distance.
Diabate tries to clinch up.
Marsh tries for a takedown but Diabate sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Diabate fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diabate throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Diabate tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Marsh fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Diabate avoids it really well and circles away.
Marsh avoids the body shot from Diabate.
Diabate misses with a takedown attempt

and Marsh counters with a single leg into guard. Diabate didn't expect that.
Marsh trying to control but Diabate is working from the bottom.
Marsh won't allow Diabate to get back to his feet.
Marsh is standing up over Diabate. Diabate looks to escape but Marsh dives into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Marsh swings around for an armbar but Diabate sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Marsh's guard.
Marsh is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Diabate pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Marsh is keeping the position for now.
Marsh is pulling down on Diabate's head. It's preventing any offense from Diabate, at least for the moment.
Diabate is looking to stand up but Marsh won't let him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ray Marsh showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Diabate tries to clinch but Marsh moves away

so Marsh counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Diabate really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Diabate is working an open guard so Marsh takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Marsh takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Diabate scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Diabate misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Samy Diabate seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Marsh fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Marsh takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Diabate misses with a jab, cross combination.
Diabate is looking to land body kicks.

Marsh throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Diabate was covering up waiting for the punch and Marsh finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Marsh is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Diabate is working an open guard so Marsh takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Marsh takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Diabate throws a wild body kick that Marsh sees coming a mile off.
Diabate tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Marsh counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Marsh wants to stand up but Diabate manages to regain full guard.
Diabate wants to stand up but Marsh is controlling him.
Diabate is trying to control the position but Marsh postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diabate has a closed guard, preventing Marsh from standing up.
Diabate wants to get back to his feet but Marsh is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Marsh wants to stand but Diabate is controlling his posture from full guard.
Diabate wants to stand but Marsh is controlling the position.
Marsh wants to stand but Diabate has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
A head kick by Diabate misses

and Marsh counters with a nice double leg into side control. Diabate won't be happy with that.
Diabate is trying to improve his position.

Marsh stands up.
Marsh tries for a takedown but Diabate circles away easily
and Diabate counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Marsh shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Diabate counters with a three punch combo that has Marsh backing up. Marsh nods at Diabate to acknowledge the strikes.
Samy Diabate has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ray Marsh.
Diabate misses with a double jab.
Marsh throws a sloppy head kick and Diabate moves out of range easily.
Diabate darts in trying to clinch

and Marsh counters with a single leg into guard. Diabate didn't expect that.
Samy Diabate has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marsh prevents Diabate from getting back to his feet.

Marsh stands up from guard. Let's bang!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Marsh tries for a takedown but Diabate circles away easily
and Diabate cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

Marsh scores a takedown into full mount!
Marsh controlling his opponent.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Diabate throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ray Marsh comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Marsh 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 Robert Twigg scores the fight for Ray Marsh!
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight for Ray Marsh!
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight for Ray Marsh!

Ray Marsh wins by unanimous decision!