PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Kevin Rose Jr (ranked 4400 p4p, 5732 weight class) and Pablo Diaz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Pablo Diaz will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Rose Jr
vs
Diaz

173 cm
25
173
2 - 2 - 0

170 cm
25
172
2 - 2 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Determined

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Kevin Rose Jr!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Pablo Diaz!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Wesley Smith and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rose Jr closes the distance and clinches up with Diaz, looking for a takedown. Rose Jr pushes Diaz against the cage but Diaz circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Rose Jr fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Diaz is looking for the big counter here.

Diaz looking to score a takedown here. Rose Jr is defending well but Diaz drives through and ends up in Rose Jr's guard.
Rose Jr wants to hit a sweep here but Diaz passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Rose Jr there!
Rose Jr really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Rose Jr tries to hold on but Diaz pushes him away.
Diaz controlling the pace for now.
Rose Jr working to try and regain half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rose Jr 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.
Rose Jr is looking for a sweep. Diaz is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Diaz performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Rose Jr manages to get to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz preventing the sweep.
Diaz tries to free his leg and advance position but Rose Jr is retaining full guard.
Diaz wants to control from the top but Rose Jr keeps moving.

Rose Jr looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Diaz is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Rose Jr is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Diaz preventing the sweep.
Diaz is working Rose Jr over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rose Jr keeping full guard, as Diaz tries to pass.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Rose Jr had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Diaz defends it easily.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Diaz preventing the sweep.
Rose Jr is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Rose Jr is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Rose Jr seems to be looking for submissions.

Rose Jr is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Diaz sees it coming and defends easily.
Diaz regains full guard. Nicely done.
Diaz wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rose Jr stands and throws Diaz's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Rose Jr thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Rose Jr goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Diaz rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Rose Jr's guard! Nice work there by Diaz!
Diaz lands a couple of elbows.
Diaz content to stall in guard here.
Rose Jr manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Diaz manages to get himself to full guard.

Rose Jr stopping the sweep attempt from Diaz.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diaz keeping full guard, as Rose Jr tries to pass.
Diaz pulls Rose Jr in close to prevent any damage.
Rose Jr looking to pass the guard.

Rose Jr postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Diaz is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Rose Jr, into his guard.

Rose Jr looking for a sweep. Not yet Rose Jr, not yet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Diaz working some strikes from top position.
Rose Jr tries to land a sweep but no joy.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Pablo Diaz dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Diaz looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Rose Jr!
Diaz working the body and head with strikes.
Rose Jr is trying to improve his position.
Diaz trying to control the action but Rose Jr is working from the bottom.
Diaz working the body and head with strikes.
Diaz scoring with punches from side control.
Rose Jr is being controlled here.
Rose Jr tries to bench press Diaz off him but Diaz keeps the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Diaz tries to advance to mount but Rose Jr denies him.
Diaz working the ground and pound.
Rose Jr is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Diaz off and has taken his back!
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!

Rose Jr is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Diaz is defending well though. Rose Jr let's go of the attempt for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rose Jr is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.

Diaz is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Rose Jr gets his way!
Diaz breaks Rose Jr's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.

Diaz got a little sloppy there for a moment and Rose Jr has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Diaz has managed to get both his arms back between Rose Jr's legs - danger averted.
Rose Jr looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Rose Jr is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Diaz is aware though and is defending well.
Diaz's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Diaz is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz wants to control from the top but Rose Jr keeps moving.

Rose Jr throws his legs up looking for a submission but Diaz uses it to pass to side control.
Diaz scores with punches from side control.
A lull in the action here.
Rose Jr is looking for a sweep.
Rose Jr sneaks back into half guard.
Rose Jr is trying to control but can't.
Diaz takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Let's hope that Diaz has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rose Jr is trying to get back to full guard.
Diaz with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Diaz looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Rose Jr is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Diaz is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Rose Jr wants to control but Diaz is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Nice strikes from Diaz there.
Diaz is looking to take a break and control but Rose Jr is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Rose Jr regains full guard. Nicely done.
Rose Jr keeping moving, preventing Diaz from controlling successfully.
Diaz has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Rose Jr tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Rose Jr looking to control.
Rose Jr manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Diaz manages to get himself to full guard.

Rose Jr wants to pass the guard but Diaz is keeping the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rose Jr postures up.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Pablo Diaz 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. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

A head kick misses from Diaz.

Diaz darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Rose Jr is refusing to be controlled, as Diaz sits in half guard.
Rose Jr tries to get to full guard but Diaz has control of the leg.
Diaz is thwarting Rose Jr's attempts to control the position.
Diaz is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Diaz is continuing to stall.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Diaz wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rose Jr keeps working.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rose Jr moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Rose Jr is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Diaz landing some decent shots from guard.
Diaz postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Diaz pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rose Jr is keeping the position for now.
Pablo Diaz has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rose Jr keeping moving, preventing Diaz from controlling successfully.
Rose Jr looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Diaz wants to pass the guard but Rose Jr is keeping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Rose Jr's head.
Diaz won't allow Rose Jr to sweep him here.
Diaz controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Rose Jr can't keep his opponent in guard - Diaz advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Diaz controlling the action here.
Rose Jr is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Diaz's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Diaz's back!

Rose Jr is working hard for the rear naked choke here.

Rose Jr working for a choke but Diaz is defending well.

Rose Jr goes for a risky armbar from back mount and it's not paid off. Diaz escapes and is now in half guard on top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz working the head and body with strikes.
Diaz is trying to control the action in half guard but Rose Jr is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Nice strikes from Diaz there.
Rose Jr is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Rose Jr is working hard here to advance position.
Pablo Diaz is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Diaz works his foot free and advances to mount.
Rose Jr tries to reverse the position but Diaz maintains control.
Diaz tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Rose Jr is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Diaz content just to control the position here.
Rose Jr is trying to escape the mount.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kevin Rose Jr has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

And that's the end of the fight!
Pablo Diaz comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Diaz 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 Chris Downing scores the fight 27:30
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Pablo Diaz!