PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Paul Hunt (ranked 289 p4p, 40 weight class) and Mat Diaz (ranked 135 p4p, 19 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Diaz's choice of entrance music: I Got Five On It. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Hunt
vs
Diaz

188 cm
29
174 lbs
19 - 11 - 1

180 cm
30
184 lbs
15 - 7 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

Aspire Clothing

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Bullet Proof System

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 19 - 11 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Paul Hunt!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 7 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mat Diaz!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Roosa Järviläinen and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hunt delivers a nice body kick.
Diaz staying out of range there.
Hunt jabs at Diaz's body.
Diaz misses the jab.
Hunt looks to land a right hand but Diaz moved out of range.
Diaz throws a hook to the side of Hunt's head but Hunt sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Diaz throws a jab but it's blocked by Hunt.
Hunt is looking to counter punch.
Diaz changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Hunt dips to his left and cracks Diaz with an uppercut!
Diaz shoots in but Hunt avoids the takedown attempt easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Diaz loads up on a big right hand but Hunt slips the punch.

Diaz gets a double leg takedown into Hunt's guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hunt looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Diaz postures up.
Diaz trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hunt bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Diaz's guard.

Diaz tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Hunt is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Diaz looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Hunt landing some decent shots from guard.
Diaz keeping full guard, as Hunt tries to pass.
Hunt trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Diaz tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Hunt looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Hunt throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Diaz manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Hunt manages to get himself to full guard.

The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Hunt is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Diaz defends well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hunt keeping moving, preventing Diaz from controlling successfully.
Hunt wants to hit a switch here but Diaz passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Hunt there!
Hunt manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Hunt tries to get to full guard but Diaz has control of the leg.
Diaz is taking a breather. Hunt 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hunt keeps working.
Diaz thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Hunt wants to improve his position but Diaz is controlling well.
Hunt won't allow Diaz to pass to mount.
Diaz scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Diaz trying to mount his opponent but Hunt defends it.

Hunt looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Hunt is trying to control but can't.
Hunt gets back to full guard.

Hunt is looking for a triangle but Diaz pushes his legs off easily.
Diaz working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hunt looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Hunt keeping moving, preventing Diaz from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Paul Hunt will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Hunt uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Diaz.
Diaz dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Hunt uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Diaz.
Diaz uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Hunt.
Hunt connects with a single shot there.
Diaz ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Hunt throws a leg kick but Diaz moved away.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Diaz! But no joy.
Hunt fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Diaz manages to avoid it.
Hunt slips a jab from Diaz.
Diaz walks into a left hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hunt misses with a wild body shot.
Diaz takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Hunt digs a good body shot into Diaz's ribs.
Diaz takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Hunt throws a lazy body kick
and Diaz counters with a stiff right hand.
Hunt closes this distance looking for a takedown but Diaz circles away.
Hunt misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Diaz.
Hunt looks to land a right hand but Diaz moved out of range.
Diaz throws a big shot that misses.
Hunt connects with a solid leg kick.

Diaz gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Hunt postures up in Diaz's guard and throws a big left but Diaz blocks it.
Diaz tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Diaz working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Hunt.
Diaz tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hunt trying to control but Diaz is working from the bottom.
Hunt 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.
Diaz looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Hunt missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Diaz looking for a sweep. Not yet Diaz, not yet.
Diaz manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Hunt manages to get himself to full guard.

The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Diaz throwing strikes from guard but Hunt blocks nicely.
Hunt looking for a sweep. Not yet Hunt, not yet.
Diaz throws a strike but Hunt rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Diaz wants to sweep but no luck.
Diaz lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hunt had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Diaz defends it easily.

Hunt looking for subs off his back but Diaz has passed one foot through into half guard.
Hunt is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Hunt is trying to control but Diaz passes into side control!
Mat Diaz has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Diaz working the ground and pound from side control.
Hunt trying his best to control but Diaz has mounted him.
Diaz breaks from Hunt's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Hunt is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Diaz with good strikes from the mount here!
Diaz putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Diaz looking to finish Hunt with some ground and pound. This is bad for Hunt!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hunt is in a horrible position here. Diaz smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Diaz lands a nice shot to the head.

Hunt is rocked!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mat Diaz showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Hunt throws a big shot that misses.
Diaz misses with a hook to the body
enabling Hunt to counter with a crisp jab.
Hunt steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Diaz.
Hunt connects with a body shot.
Hunt uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Diaz.
Diaz throws the left hand but Hunt avoids the punch easily.
Diaz works Hunt's body with a nice hook.
Jab from Hunt.
Hunt throws a right and a left that both miss.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Diaz ducks under a wild hook from Hunt.
Diaz pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Diaz scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
A jab from Diaz misses.
Hunt appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Diaz misses the shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz throws out a loose jab but Hunt uses good head movement to avoid it.
Hunt lands with a right hand.
Diaz throws a nice looking combination but Hunt bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Diaz takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Diaz avoids a punch combination nicely.
Diaz moves away from the strike by Hunt.
Hunt jabs at Diaz's body.
Diaz uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Hunt.
Hunt misses with a body kick.
Diaz walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Diaz lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Hunt ducks under a wild hook from Diaz.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz throws the left hand but Hunt avoids the punch easily.
Hunt throws a good cross that connects.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A shot to the liver by Diaz. Beautiful body shot.
Diaz lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Hunt ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Diaz moves away.
The crowd cheers as Diaz lands an impressive looking overhand right. Hunt doesn't seem phased though.
Diaz misses with a right hand
and Hunt counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Hunt lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Diaz uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Hunt.
Diaz connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Diaz throws a looping overhand right but Hunt ducks down to avoid it.
An attempted straight right counter from Hunt misses the target.
Diaz on the wrong end of a nice hook.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz connects with the punch.
Hunt ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Diaz scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Hunt scores with a jab to the jaw.
Hunt is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Hunt misses with a body shot.
Diaz fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Paul Hunt is winning the standup battle so far.
Hunt uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Diaz.
Diaz looks to score with a jab to the body but Hunt is just out of range.
Hunt throws a low kick but Diaz moves out of range easily.
Diaz misses with a body shot
letting Hunt counter with a right hand.
Diaz scores with a nice right hand.
A looping hook to the body misses from Hunt. Diaz does a little dance to reset his feet.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Diaz throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diaz wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Diaz fails with the takedown.
Diaz misses with a body shot
and Diaz takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Hunt misses with a wild body shot.
Diaz swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Diaz takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Diaz uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Hunt.
Hunt fails to land the takedown.
Hunt swings for the body but Diaz moves out of range.
A big right from Diaz misses.
Diaz lands a slapping body shot.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Mat Diaz.
I think Diaz has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Mat Diaz!
Mat Diaz seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.