PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Nathan Diaz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Daniel Tinto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Nathan Diaz has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Diaz
vs
Tinto

183 cm
25
165 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

168 cm
25
158 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
KO power

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Nathan Diaz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Daniel Tinto!
The judges for this bout are Peter Branson, Winston Alpacca and Dirk Anderson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Diaz throws a body punch but Tinto moves out of range.
Tinto jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Diaz tries to clinch but Tinto moves out of range.
Tinto tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Tinto moves out of range as Diaz strikes.
Tinto misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Diaz.
Diaz seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Tinto steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Diaz.
Tinto misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Diaz.
Diaz stuns Tinto with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Diaz misses with a looping left.
Diaz shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Tinto slips a straight right by Diaz.
Diaz works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tinto thows a left - swing and a miss!
Tinto fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Diaz manages to avoid it.
Diaz swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Tinto throws a leg kick that is checked
and Diaz counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Tinto tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Diaz was well out of range. Poor timing from Tinto.
Diaz tries to counter with a takedown but Tinto is quick to defend against it.
Tinto walks into a straight right hand from Diaz.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Tinto looks to score with a jab to the body but Diaz is just out of range.
A little feinted left hand from Diaz on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tinto throws a body shot but no joy.
Diaz attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Tinto is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Diaz with a nice cross.

It looks like Daniel Tinto has been cut.
A shot to the body from Tinto misses
and Tinto takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Tinto tried to score with a low kick but Diaz checks it.
Tinto throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Horrible takedown attempt by Diaz or perhaps it was just good defense by Tinto, which made it look bad.
Diaz moves in looking to clinch but Tinto pushes him off.
Diaz's jab looks to have found its range, popping Tinto under the eye.
Tinto misses with an uppercut. Diaz saw that one coming.
Diaz feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Diaz is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
The fighters circling - Diaz throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Tinto drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Diaz defends it well.
Tinto throws a body shot but no joy.
Diaz looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Tinto takes a swing at Diaz's ribcage but misses.
A little feinted left hand from Diaz on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Tinto throws a leg kick but Diaz sees it coming and moves out of range.
Diaz connects with a crisp jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tinto keeps the fight on the outside.
Tinto stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Tinto wants it to stay on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nathan Diaz. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Tinto is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Diaz's half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Tinto is thwarting Diaz's attempts to control the position.
Tinto not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Diaz trying to control here.
Tinto blocks the strikes from Diaz.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tinto is thwarting Diaz's attempts to control the position.
Diaz has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Tinto with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Tinto with the ground and pound but Diaz uses the opportunity to regain guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tinto working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Tinto with a flurry of punches that miss.
Diaz looking for a sweep. Not yet Diaz, not yet.
Tinto in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Diaz looking for subs off his back but Tinto has passed one foot through into half guard.

Tinto moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Diaz.
Tinto fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Diaz is looking for a sweep.
Tinto throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Diaz tries to improve position but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diaz is working hard here to advance position.
Tinto controls the position.
Diaz struggling a bit here.

Tinto tries for a kimura but Diaz is defending well.
Diaz is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Diaz blocking the ground and pound attempt from Tinto.

Tinto is looking for a kimura but Diaz is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Tinto to get the leverage.
Tinto misses with a head shot. Diaz uses the momentum to regain guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Diaz looking for a sweep. Not yet Diaz, not yet.
Tinto slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Daniel Tinto will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Daniel Tinto's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Diaz closes the distance and clinches up with Tinto, looking for a takedown. Diaz pushes Tinto against the cage but Tinto circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Diaz is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Tinto lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Tinto motions for Diaz to come forward. Tinto throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Diaz swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Diaz tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Tinto manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
A big left from Tinto misses.
It looked like Diaz was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Diaz scores with a nice strike.

Diaz closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Tinto did well to prevent Diaz getting side control.
Tinto wants to improve his position but Diaz is controlling well.
Diaz throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Tinto is looking for a sweep. Diaz is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Diaz is trying to work for a kimura but Tinto is defending well.
Diaz thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tinto avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Diaz.

Diaz decides to return to a standing position.
Diaz throws a jab when Tinto was well out of range.
Diaz throws a hook but Tinto blocks it.
Tinto misses with a straight left.

Tinto drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Diaz is trying to control Tinto's posture but Tinto avoids it.
Tinto content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Diaz is trying to control Tinto's posture but Tinto avoids it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Tinto wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Diaz gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Tinto slows the pace down in half guard.
Tinto throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Diaz looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Diaz is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Tinto pulls his head out easily.
Tinto landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Tinto sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Diaz has hold of Tinto's hands but Tinto slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

Diaz looking for a kimura from the bottom but Tinto passes into side control!
Diaz being controlled for a moment.
Tinto misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tinto cracks Diaz with a big elbow.
Diaz is trying to control Tinto's posture but Tinto avoids it.
Sloppy strikes there by Tinto.
Tinto scores with a couple of short elbows.

Tinto working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Diaz is letting Tinto control him for a moment.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Diaz is looking to regain half guard here but Tinto keeps moving and retains side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Diaz scores with a jab. Tinto acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Tinto throws out a loose jab but Diaz uses good head movement to avoid it.
Tinto throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Tinto looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Diaz!
Diaz is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Tinto off and has taken his back!

Diaz tightening his grip on Tinto, looking for the choke.
Tinto rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Tinto missing with punches from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tinto trying to control from the bottom.
Tinto is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Tinto missing with punches from the bottom.
Diaz is keen to just control but Tinto is a slippery customer.
Tinto has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Diaz is working away from the top position though.
Tinto is pressing down on Diaz's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

Tinto is looking for a triangle but Diaz pushes his legs off easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Diaz looking to sit in guard and control but Tinto gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Diaz doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

Diaz looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Tinto is pushing down on Diaz's leg trying to pass to half guard. Diaz is fighting to maintain full guard but Tinto has managed to sneak the leg through.
Tinto passes to side control.
Tinto working the body and head with strikes.
Diaz tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Tinto wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Tinto tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz tries to bench press Tinto off him but Tinto keeps the position.
Tinto controls the position.
Diaz manages to work his way to half guard, despite Tinto's best efforts.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Tinto lands strikes from half guard.
Tinto is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Daniel Tinto is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Diaz trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Tinto controlling from mount.
Diaz is looking to improve his position but Tinto isn't that keen on the idea.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tinto controlling the position easily from mount.
Diaz tries to hold on but Tinto postures up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Tinto takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Diaz tries to get back to half guard but can't.

And that's the end of the fight!
Daniel Tinto comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Tinto 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 Peter Branson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Winston Alpacca scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dirk Anderson scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Daniel Tinto!