PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bryan Gracie (ranked 425 p4p, 617 weight class) and Noel Diaz (ranked 70 p4p, 104 weight class). Gracie comes to the cage accompanied by Limp Bizkit - Rollin'. The crowd seem to be enjoying Diaz's choice of entrance music: The Stockton Slap Song. Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Noel Diaz enters the cage!

Gracie
vs
Diaz

195 cm
39
195
19 - 14 - 0

180 cm
35
170
28 - 5 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent MT
KO power

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 19 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Bryan Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 28 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Noel Diaz!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Percy O'Donnell and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Diaz ducks under a wild hook from Gracie.

Gracie forces Diaz back against the cage and clinches.
Diaz blocks an elbow strike.
Gracie can't break the clinch.
Diaz fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

Gracie breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A big left from Gracie misses.

Gracie clinches up with Diaz and pushes him back against the cage.
Diaz lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Gracie throws an elbow that misses.

Diaz manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Gracie has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Gracie trying to control but Diaz is working from the bottom.
Diaz is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie wants to pass the guard but Diaz is keeping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gracie drops back looking for a leg! Diaz is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Diaz manages to kick Gracie off! Gracie jumps back into Diaz's guard.
Diaz has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Gracie will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Diaz looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Gracie controls from within his opponent's guard.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Diaz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Gracie controlling from the top position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Diaz throws a right and a left that Gracie avoids nicely.
Nice defenses there by Gracie.
Diaz lands a right hook to the body.

Gracie rushes Diaz and presses him up against the cage.
Gracie lands an elbow inside.
Gracie blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Gracie manages to pull guard.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Gracie has an active guard here but Diaz has managed to pass into half guard.
Diaz trying to control the action but Gracie is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Gracie is trying to escape the mount.
Diaz wants to take his opponent's back but he's not managed it.
Diaz controlling the pace for now.
Diaz trying to control but Gracie is having none of it.
Diaz avoids the attempt from Gracie to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Diaz being controlled here, momentarily.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Diaz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gracie postures up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gracie stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Diaz swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Diaz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Bryan Gracie will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Diaz looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Gracie changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Gracie walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Gracie slips a jab from Diaz.

Gracie clinches up against the cage.

Gracie breaks the clinch.
Gracie gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Diaz steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Gracie.
Gracie misses the jab.
Gracie looks to throw the jab but Diaz is out of range.
No joy there for Diaz, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Gracie half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Nice straight punches there by Diaz. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Diaz.
Diaz looks to score with a jab to the body but Gracie is just out of range.
Diaz moves out of range as Gracie strikes.
Gracie ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Gracie appears to be looking for a counter takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gracie dives in and scores a takedown into Diaz's guard.
Gracie stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Diaz swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Diaz working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Gracie doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Gracie manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Diaz is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Gracie controls from within his opponent's guard.
Diaz keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Diaz keeps moving.

Diaz escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Gracie gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Diaz trying to control the position.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Diaz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Diaz trying to control the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz scores with a punch to the head.

Gracie fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Diaz, pushing him back against the cage.
Diaz stalls.
Diaz scores with a nice hook to the head.
Diaz goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Diaz blocks an elbow strike from Gracie.
Diaz lands a hook to the side of the head.

Gracie has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Diaz uses from the top position.

Gracie looking for a guillotine here but Diaz defends easily.

Gracie has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Diaz is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Gracie.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Diaz is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Gracie is trying desperately to improve position.
Gracie wants to hold on but Diaz pushes him away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Diaz is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Gracie has managed to escape the submission attempt.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Diaz content just to control the position here.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Noel Diaz showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Diaz slips a straight right by Gracie.
Diaz slips under a jab from Gracie.

Gracie forces Diaz back against the cage and clinches.
Diaz lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Gracie backwards.

Gracie breaks the clinch.
Diaz ducks under a wild hook from Gracie.
Diaz connects with a single shot there.

Gracie moves into the clinch.

Gracie breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Diaz cracks Gracie with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Gracie takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
A jab from Gracie misses.
Diaz steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Gracie.
Diaz connects with a single shot there.
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!

Gracie closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Gracie jumps guard.
Diaz works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Bryan Gracie overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz moves into full mount! Gracie won't be happy about that!

Diaz working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.

Gracie defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Diaz.
Gracie tries to lock up and control but Diaz gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Diaz trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Diaz goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Gracie is on top in guard.
Diaz is trying to keep Gracie in close.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie wants to pass the guard but Diaz is keeping the position.

Diaz is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Gracie defends well.
Gracie looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Diaz trying to keep a closed guard but Gracie is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Diaz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gracie is really struggling to control Diaz but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Diaz not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Gracie controlling from the top position.
Gracie forces his way into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Gracie is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Gracie is working for a submission here. He's got hold of the far side arm and he's looking for a kimura. He's cranking on the arm and he's got it! Diaz is tapping out! Ouch, that looked like it hurt!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:30 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Bryan Gracie!
After the fight, Bryan Gracie was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.