PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Offord Burnside (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and David Diaz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). David Diaz will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Burnside
vs
Diaz

185 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
22
184 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Offord Burnside!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, David Diaz!
The judges for this bout are , and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Diaz misses with a two punch combination.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Diaz throws a right and a left that Burnside avoids nicely.
Diaz fails in his attempt to clinch.

Burnside clinches.
Burnside wants a takedown.
Burnside wants a takedown.

Burnside is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Diaz can't fight it off and eventually Burnside manages to take the fight to the floor. Diaz looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Diaz had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Burnside is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Diaz Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Burnside's back instead.
Diaz missing with strikes.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Burnside looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Diaz punches the canvas rather than the man.
Diaz is hanging on to Burnside's back as he tries to escape.
Burnside looking to control the position.
Diaz throwing strikes and Burnside squirms under the pressure, ending up mounted.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burnside is trying desperately to improve position.
Burnside holds on to Diaz around his waist, trying desperately to prevent any attacks.
Burnside gets back to half guard.

Burnside kicks off Diaz and gets to his feet.
Diaz throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Burnside takes the fight into the clinch.
Burnside tries to pull guard but Diaz holds him up against the cage and eventually Burnside drops back down to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Offord Burnside. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Diaz has had enough of the clinch but Burnside keeps him there for the moment.
Diaz wants to get back to striking at distance but Burnside won't allow it.

Burnside manages to pull guard.
Burnside is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz is trying to stand up here but Burnside is controlling him well.
Diaz looks gassed!
Burnside seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Diaz has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Diaz is looking to escape.
Burnside stalling.
Burnside has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz pushes Burnside off looking to stand but Burnside dives back in and keeps control.
Burnside lands with a punch from half guard.
Burnside stops Diaz from getting back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Burnside controlling the pace.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Offord Burnside just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Diaz will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Burnside gets a takedown into half guard.

Diaz looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Burnside controlling the action here.
Diaz looks like he's trying to stand up.
Burnside content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Offord Burnside dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Diaz darts in trying to clinch

and Burnside counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Burnside 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.
Burnside stops Diaz from standing up.
Burnside's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Burnside won't allow Diaz to get back to his feet.
Diaz not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Burnside makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burnside controls from within his opponent's guard.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Offord Burnside just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.

Burnside shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Diaz is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Burnside tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Diaz wants to get back to his feet.
Burnside controlling the pace for now.
Burnside fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Burnside in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Burnside looking to control and managing it successfully.
Diaz sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Diaz tries to kick Burnside off but Burnside keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Burnside is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Diaz tries to kick Burnside off but Burnside keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Diaz flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burnside keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Diaz looks like he's trying to stand up.
Burnside is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Diaz tries to get to full guard but Burnside has control of the leg.
Burnside perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Burnside is keen to just control but Diaz is a slippery customer.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Offord Burnside just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Diaz lands a jab-cross combination.
Diaz lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Burnside circles away quickly and effectively.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Diaz lands a right hook to the body.
Diaz misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Diaz throws a combination that misses

and Burnside counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Diaz's guard now.
Diaz wants to stand up but Burnside is controlling him.
Diaz will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Diaz wants to stand but Burnside is controlling the position.
Burnside advances position into side control!
Burnside is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Diaz will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Diaz prevents Burnside from improving position.
Diaz pushes Burnside away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Burnside gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Offord Burnside dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Diaz moves out of range as Burnside throws a body kick.

Diaz rushes Burnside and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Diaz tries to throw a body punch but Burnside avoids it by throwing Diaz back against the cage.
Diaz wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Burnside has him pressed against the cage.
Nice body punch from Diaz - that landed with a thud.
Burnside drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Diaz is trying to break the clinch but Burnside has him pressed against the cage.
A left hand lands to the body for Diaz.
Diaz is working Burnside over against the cage.
Burnside goes for a takedown attempt but Diaz pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Diaz misses with a combination

and Burnside counters with a takedown into side control.
Burnside happy to just control the position for now.
Diaz wants to get back to his feet but Burnside drags him back down.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz is trying to escape the position but Burnside is controlling the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Diaz wants to get back to his feet.
Burnside just content to control the position.
Diaz tries to improve position but can't.
Burnside is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Diaz is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Burnside remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Diaz wants to get back to his feet but Burnside is dominant here and he's now got Diaz's back!
Burnside controlling the position well here. Diaz rolled but Burnside kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.
A lull in the action here.
Burnside avoiding Diaz 's attempts to control his hands.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burnside trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Diaz doesn't escape.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Offord Burnside just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Diaz cracks Burnside with a right hand to the side of the head.
Diaz misses with a jab, cross combination.
Diaz throws a series of punches but Burnside avoids them all with ease.
Diaz misses with a double jab.

Burnside closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Burnside lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Burnside taking a breather here.
Burnside trying to control the action but Diaz is working from the bottom.
Diaz tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Diaz prevents Burnside from moving into mount.
Diaz is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Burnside has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Burnside happy to just control the position for now.
Burnside wants to lay and pray for a moment but Diaz keeps working.

And that's the end of the fight!
Offord Burnside showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Burnside, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Suge Night scores the fight 30:27
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Offord Burnside!