PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Abelinha Amarela (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ralph Diaz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Amarela
vs
Diaz

187 cm
24
216 lbs
11 - 6 - 1

186 cm
27
225 lbs
16 - 14 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Abelinha Amarela!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ralph Diaz!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Felipe Paraventi and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Diaz shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Amarela pinned against the cage. Amarela gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Amarela drives through with a takedown into guard.
Amarela throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Diaz works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Amarela makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Amarela in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Amarela has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Amarela looking to sit in guard and control but Diaz gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Diaz stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Amarela throws a jab but it's blocked by Diaz.
Diaz fails with a takedown attempt.
Diaz rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Amarela moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Ralph Diaz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Horrible takedown by Diaz or perhaps it was just good defense by Amarela which made him look bad.
Abelinha Amarela has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ralph Diaz.
Amarela shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Diaz sprawls well. Diaz wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Amarela gets slowly back to his feet.
Diaz is trying hard to land a takedown here. Amarela sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Amarela connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Diaz scrambles back to his feet.
Nice shot lands for Amarela.
Amarela loads up on a big right hand but Diaz slips the punch.
Diaz looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Amarela decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Amarela passes to full mount!
Amarela punishing his opponent with strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Amarela breaks from Diaz's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Amarela thowing shots but they're missing.
The referee warns Diaz that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Amarela throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Diaz takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Diaz wants to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diaz is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Amarela throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Diaz because Amarela loaded up on that one.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Amarela working for a submission but Diaz is keeping him at bay.
Amarela with a couple of short strikes.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Amarela thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Abelinha Amarela dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

The fight stays on the outside here - Diaz looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Sloppy strikes from Diaz. Those never looked like landing.
Amarela swats away the attempt to clinch by Diaz.
Diaz fails with an attempt to clinch.
Diaz shoots in but Amarela avoids the takedown attempt easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Diaz.
Diaz moves out of range of the strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz tries to clinch there but Amarela circles away.
Amarela smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Diaz lands with a slapping head kick.
Diaz tries to score a power double leg takedown but Amarela sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Diaz somewhat.
Abelinha Amarela has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ralph Diaz.
Diaz fails to land the takedown.
Amarela looks to score with a jab to the body but Diaz is just out of range.
Diaz takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Diaz is looking to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz shoots in looking for a takedown but Amarela manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Diaz's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Amarela swings for the body but Diaz moves out of range.
No luck for Diaz with that takedown attempt.
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!
Diaz shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Amarela sprawls well. Amarela wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Diaz gets slowly back to his feet.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Diaz is defended easily by Amarela.
Amarela keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Amarela works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
No luck for Amarela with that takedown attempt.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Diaz is defended easily by Amarela.
Diaz misses with a wild combination.
A chopping leg kick lands by Diaz.

Amarela closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Diaz to the mat! Diaz manages to get full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Amarela advances position into side control!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Diaz is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Amarela is controlling him well.
Amarela working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Diaz is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Amarela is controlling him well.
Amarela trying to control the action but Diaz is working from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Amarela lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Diaz down.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Abelinha Amarela dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Diaz fails with a takedown attempt.
Diaz changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Amarela tries to avoid it but Diaz manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Amarela to the ground. Amarela escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Ralph Diaz is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Amarela thows a body shot but no joy.
Amarela blocks a leg kick.
Diaz connects with a nice looking jab.
Diaz doesn't succeed with the takedown
letting Amarela counter with a right hand.
Abelinha Amarela has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ralph Diaz.
A big right from Amarela misses.
Amarela avoids the head kick by Diaz.
Diaz slips a jab and a cross from Amarela.
Amarela fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Diaz tries for a takedown but Amarela circles away easily
and Diaz takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Diaz takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Diaz fails to land the takedown.
Amarela jabs Diaz to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Amarela misses with a straight right.
Amarela misses with a straight left.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Amarela.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Amarela fails to land a wild elbow strike.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Amarela looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Diaz is avoiding damage well.
Diaz prevents Amarela from improving position.
Sloppy strikes there by Amarela.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Amarela wants to control but Diaz is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Amarela misses with the ground and pound.
Amarela lands a nice forearm strike.
Amarela trying to control the position but Diaz is working away.
Amarela works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Amarela advances nicely into full mount.
Ralph Diaz has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Amarela controlling the pace for now.
Diaz wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Amarela.
Diaz takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Amarela looking to finish Diaz with some ground and pound. This is bad for Diaz!
Abelinha Amarela is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Amarela landing strikes from the mount and Diaz is in trouble!

And that's the end of the fight!
Abelinha Amarela showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Amarela has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Matheus Silva scores the fight 30:27
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 30:27

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