PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Diego Diaz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Phal Um (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Diaz
vs
Um

190 cm
25
182 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
33
180 lbs
28 - 13 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

Powerful takedowns
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Diego Diaz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 28 - 13 - 0, fighting out of New York, Phal Um!
The judges for this bout are Reed Andrews, Columbo Gatti and Chad Campbell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Um gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Um has hold of one of Diaz's legs. Diaz is fighting the takedown attempt but Um gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Um with a nice head shot there.

Diaz working for a triangle but Um defends it easily.

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

Diaz escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Um gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Diaz throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Um landing some decent shots from guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Um controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Diaz has momentary wrist control but Um slips an elbow through the middle.
Um postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Um is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Diaz has an active guard here but Um has managed to pass into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Um takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Um working the head and body with strikes.
Um lands strikes from half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Um is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Nice strikes from Um there.
Um slips a nice elbow through Diaz's hands, connecting with Diaz's forehead.
Um looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Um landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Diaz is staying active underneath Um, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Diaz on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

Diaz is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Um pulls his head out easily.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Um in particular looking to stall.
Um wants to control but Diaz is keeping him busy.
Um landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Um scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Diaz actively working from the bottom here.

Diaz looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Diaz regains full guard. Nicely done.
Um forces his way into half guard.
Um passes to side control.
Diaz is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Um's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Um content to control rather than advance.

Diaz looking for submissions off his back.

Diaz looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Diaz has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Um escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Um!
Diaz tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Um wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Diaz takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Diaz is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Diaz is not content to let Um control the position.
Um lands a decent elbow from side control.
Um tries to move into full mount but can't pass Diaz's legs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Um advances to mount.
Um punishing his opponent with strikes.
Diaz is trying to escape the mount.
Um landing punches.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Um tries to control but Diaz wriggling away.
Um landing punches.
Um lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
The referee warns Diaz that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.

Diaz is rocked!

It looks like Diego Diaz has been cut.
Diaz is looking to improve his position but Um isn't that keen on the idea.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Um controlling the position easily from mount.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Diaz is in a horrible position here. Um smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Phal Um dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Diego Diaz's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Diaz tries for a takedown but Um circles away easily

so Um counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Um is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

Um avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Diaz has momentary wrist control but Um slips an elbow through the middle.

Diaz looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Um makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Um wants to control from the top but Diaz keeps moving.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Um might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Diaz kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Um landing with the ground and pound.

Diaz escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Um gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Um is pushing down on Diaz's leg trying to pass to half guard. Diaz is fighting to maintain full guard but Um has managed to sneak the leg through.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Diaz looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Diaz moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Um scoring with punches to the head and body.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Um's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Um works over Diaz with some ground and pound from guard.
Um lands a couple of elbows.
Um must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Um landing some decent shots from guard.
Um works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Diaz is looking for a sweep. Um is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Diaz won't allow Um to pass to mount.

Diaz actively working from the bottom here.

Diaz looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Phal Um has got the better of the ground game so far.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Um drops an elbow to the side of Diaz's head.
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!
Um seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Um is keen to just control but Diaz is a slippery customer.

Diaz has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Um escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Um!
Diaz tries to improve position but can't.
Diaz taking punishment in the form of punches.
Diaz tries to improve position but can't.
Um connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Diaz some visible discomfort.
Um cracks Diaz with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Diaz manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

Diaz is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Um sees it coming and defends easily.
Um slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Um has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Um is on top in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Um trying to control but Diaz is working from the bottom.

Diaz looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Um landing some decent shots from guard.

Diaz working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Um doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Um manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Um forces his way into half guard.
Um drops an elbow to the side of Diaz's head.
Um wants to take a breather but Diaz is having none of it.
Nice strikes from Um there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Um trying to control from half guard but Diaz is working away.

Diaz looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Um works his way into side control.
Diaz tries to buck Um off but Um is having none of it.
Diaz looks to move to half guard but instead Um has passed into mount! Damn!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Um with good strikes from the mount here!
Um postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Diaz looks a forlorn figure.
Um looking to finish Diaz with some ground and pound. This is bad for Diaz!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Diaz is looking to improve his position but Um isn't that keen on the idea.
Um pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Phal Um showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Diego Diaz's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Um gets a takedown into half guard.
Diaz tries to get to full guard but Um has control of the leg.

Diaz is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Um pulls his head out easily.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Um lands a nice short elbow.
Um lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Um passes the guard and advances to mount!
Um is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Diaz working to try and regain half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Um looking to control but Diaz is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Um is landing with some decent strikes but Diaz is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Um cracks Diaz with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Oh Diaz is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Diaz is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Um with a couple of short strikes.
Diaz really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Um landing strikes from the mount.
BOOM! Um connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Oooooh, big shot lands for Um! Diaz is hurt baaadly! Um is firing away with more strikes - Diaz is covering up... the ref is warning him to do something. He's just covering up though still and the ref has to step in to end the fight! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Phal Um!