PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Chip Diaz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ross Peerson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Diaz comes to the cage accompanied by Broken Sunday. The crowd seem to be enjoying Peerson's choice of entrance music: Good Feeling. Ross Peerson is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Diaz
vs
Peerson

183 cm
23
157 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

170 cm
28
150 lbs
7 - 6 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Great elbows
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Knockout power

Master Lee's One Stop

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Chip Diaz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Ross Peerson!
The judges for this bout are Russell Pearce, Jonathan Paton and Steve Montenegro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Peerson works over Diaz's head and body with a nice combination.
Diaz tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Diaz takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Diaz showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Peerson.
Peerson throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Diaz closes this distance looking for a takedown but Peerson circles away.
Peerson is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Diaz has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

Peerson dives in and scores a takedown into Diaz's guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Diaz striking off his back but it's not causing Peerson any problems.
Peerson slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Peerson wants to stand but Diaz is controlling his posture from full guard.

Diaz throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Diaz throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Peerson must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Diaz avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Peerson wants to pass the guard but Diaz is keeping the position.

Peerson got a little sloppy there for a moment and Diaz has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Peerson has managed to get both his arms back between Diaz's legs - danger averted.
Diaz definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.

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

Peerson stands up and waves to Diaz to follow him.
Peerson misses with a double jab.
Peerson swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Peerson closes the distance and pushes Diaz back into the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz tries for a takedown. No joy.
Diaz wants a takedown but no success here.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Chip Diaz. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Diaz gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Peerson working hard to break the clinch.
Diaz drops down looking for an ankle pick but Peerson pulls his leg out and moves away.
Peerson lands a nice shot to the body.
Diaz showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Peerson.
Diaz takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Peerson misses with a few strikes there.
Peerson scores with a three punch combo!
Diaz slips a jab and a cross from Peerson.
Diaz shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Peerson as he avoids it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz fails with a takedown attempt.
Peerson swinging wildly here.
Diaz tries to close the distance and clinch but Peerson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Peerson throws a series of punches but Diaz avoids them all with ease.

Peerson shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Peerson was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Peerson trying to control the position but Diaz is working away.
Diaz is looking to reverse the position.
Diaz gets back to half guard.
Diaz wants to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Diaz looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Peerson looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Diaz wants to improve his position but Peerson is controlling well.
Peerson wants to stand up but Diaz has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Peerson working over Diaz with some ground and pound. Diaz looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Peerson is controlling the pace.

Diaz actively working from the bottom here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ross Peerson dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Peerson swats away the attempt to clinch by Diaz.
Diaz shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Peerson pinned against the cage. Peerson gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Peerson has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Diaz takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Peerson fails to land with a series of punches.
Diaz changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Peerson tries to avoid it but Diaz manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Peerson to the ground. Peerson escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Diaz dodges the punch combination from Peerson.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Peerson lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Diaz.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Chip Diaz. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Horrible takedown attempt by Diaz or perhaps it was just good defense by Peerson, which made it look bad.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Peerson looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Diaz!
Peerson in side control lands a decent elbow.
Peerson trying to control the position but Diaz is working away.
Diaz is trying to get back to half guard.
Peerson content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Diaz throws a couple of elbows from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Peerson working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Diaz gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

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

Diaz looking for submissions off his back.

Peerson decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Diaz shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Peerson sprawls well. Peerson wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Diaz gets slowly back to his feet.
Peerson throws a counter combo.
Peerson looks to land a combination but Diaz avoids it well.
Peerson keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz with a poor takedown
and Peerson counters with a series of strikes. Diaz will be more careful next time no doubt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Peerson's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Peerson duly obliges.

Peerson feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

Peerson gets to his feet - Diaz follows without any prompting.
Peerson misses with a few strikes there.
Diaz tries for a takedown but Peerson sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Diaz doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Peerson counters with a straight right hand.
Diaz gets cracked there but stands up to it.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Diaz fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Diaz has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Peerson.
A punch combination from Peerson misses.
Diaz appears to be looking for a big counter.
Peerson works Diaz's body with a nice hook.
Diaz will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Peerson moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Peerson looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diaz has a takedown stuffed.
Peerson unleashes a big counter combination but Diaz bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Peerson lands with a nice combination. Diaz backs away looking to recover.
Peerson displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Diaz gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Peerson counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Peerson swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Diaz on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Peerson swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Diaz has a takedown stuffed.
Diaz misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Peerson tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Diaz manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Diaz went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Diaz walks into a jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ross Peerson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Peerson misses with a wild combination.
Peerson misses with a wild combination.
Diaz misses with a takedown
and Peerson counters with a series of strikes. Diaz will be more careful next time no doubt.
Peerson throws a series of punches but Diaz avoids them all with ease.
Peerson scores with a crisp jab that stopped Diaz in his tracks.
Peerson throws a quick inside leg kick.
Peerson misses with a double jab.
Diaz half committed to a counter leg kick.
Peerson tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Diaz paws at him with a jab and circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Diaz throws a right hand that Peerson ducks under and follows up with a left that Peerson also avoids with ease.
Peerson will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Diaz throws a front kick aimed at Peerson's knee but Peerson avoids it well.
Peerson stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Peerson wants it to stay on the feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Diaz shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Peerson as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Chip Diaz. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Peerson throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Peerson, as that shot connected.
Peerson connects with a leg kick. Diaz looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Diaz doesn't manage to clinch there - Peerson circles away.
Diaz looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Peerson scores with a one two! Diaz had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Peerson lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Diaz avoids a punch combination nicely.
Diaz avoids the head kick by Peerson.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Diaz walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Peerson shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Diaz is trying to defend but Peerson finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Peerson trying to control from half guard but Diaz is working away.
Diaz looks like he's trying to stand up.
Peerson is taking a breather. Diaz says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Peerson prevents Diaz from standing back up.
Peerson working over Diaz with some ground and pound. Diaz looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Diaz missing with punches from the bottom.
Peerson stalling away here and it's allowed Diaz to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Peerson showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

Diaz is looking for a triangle but Peerson pushes his legs off easily.
Peerson wants to get up but he can't break Diaz's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Diaz working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Peerson has passed into half guard!

Diaz looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Diaz looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Diaz manages to escape and get back to his feet!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Peerson is trying to break the clinch but Diaz is controlling him.
Diaz tries to pull guard but Peerson won't allow it.
Diaz misses with some punches.
Diaz wants a takedown.
Diaz is working for takedown but Peerson is calmly controlling the position for now.
Peerson is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Diaz is defending well.
Diaz looking to throw knees to the head but Peerson is blocking nicely.
Chip Diaz has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ross Peerson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Peerson can't break the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ross Peerson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Peerson has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Russell Pearce scores the fight for Ross Peerson!
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight for Ross Peerson!
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight for Ross Peerson!

Ross Peerson wins by unanimous decision!
A relieved looking Ross Peerson thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.
Chip Diaz was interviewed post fight and said 'I gave it my all but it wasn't good enough. Back to the gym for me.'.