PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Nick Diamond (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Heath Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nick Diamond has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Diamond
vs
Smith

200 cm
21
159 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

177 cm
20
162 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

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 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Nick Diamond!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Heath Smith!
The judges for this bout are , Timothy Bukovac and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Smith is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Diamond's half guard.
Diamond really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Diamond trying to control from the bottom.
Smith seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Diamond does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Smith wants to pass to mount but Diamond is defending the position.
Smith wants to lay and pray for a moment but Diamond keeps working.
Diamond tries to get to full guard but Smith has control of the leg.
Diamond works his way to full guard. Good work.
Smith trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Diamond fails with an attempt to clinch.
Diamond wants to clinch up but Smith keeps it at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Diamond.
Smith is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Diamond is controlling him well.
Diamond wants to control but Smith is keeping him busy.
Diamond postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.

Diamond is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Smith has escaped the position, nice work there.
Smith is trying to buck Diamond off.
Diamond wants to lay and pray for a moment but Smith keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diamond laying and praying for a moment but Smith takes advantage and regains half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Diamond misses with a low kick.
Heath Smith seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Diamond checks a leg kick.
Smith pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Smith fails to land with a series of punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diamond looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Diamond with a poor takedown

and Smith counters with a takedown into side control.
Diamond can't do much from the bottom here.
Diamond is looking for a sweep.
Diamond struggling a bit here.
Diamond gets back to half guard.
Diamond trying to control here.
Smith looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diamond is looking to control Smith's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Diamond avoid being mounted?

Smith is working for a submission of some sort.
Smith controlling the action here.
Smith winds up and cracks Diamond with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Smith wants to control but Diamond is keeping him busy.
Smith controlling the pace.
Diamond wants to control but Smith is keeping busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Heath Smith dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Diamond slips under a jab from Smith.
Smith misses with an uppercut.

Smith feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Smith pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Diamond is keeping the position for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Smith trying to control but Diamond is working from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Diamond is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Smith wants to control from the top but Diamond keeps moving.
Diamond wants to sweep but no luck.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Diamond is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Smith wants to pass the guard but Diamond is keeping the position.
Smith wants to control from the top but Diamond keeps moving.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Diamond with a poor takedown
and Smith counters with a three punch combo that has Diamond backing up. Diamond nods at Smith to acknowledge the strikes.

Smith shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Diamond is trying to defend but Smith finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

Smith looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Diamond is trying to maintain the position but Smith is very close to passing his half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith is pressing down on Diamond's thigh, looking to free his foot. Diamond is holding on for now.
Smith is just content to waste time from the top position. Diamond takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Smith 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.
Smith stopping the sweep attempt from Diamond.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Smith must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Diamond looking for a sweep. Not yet Diamond, not yet.
Smith passes Diamond's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Smith controlling the action here.
Diamond gets full guard.
Diamond trying to strike off his back.
Diamond trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Diamond keeping full guard, as Smith tries to pass.
Smith wants to control from the top but Diamond keeps moving.

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.
Diamond has Smith pulled in close to control his posture.

Diamond looking for subs off his back but Smith has passed one foot through into half guard.
Diamond trying to hold on to Smith's head to control him but Smith postures up.
Diamond is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Smith is working for a submission of some sort.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Heath Smith showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Smith scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Heath Smith has got the better of the ground game so far.
Smith is looking to take a break and control but Diamond is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Diamond is trying to improve his position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Diamond is trying to control Smith's posture but Smith avoids it.

Smith goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Diamond has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Smith but great work by Diamond.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Diamond tries for a kimura but Smith is defending well.

Diamond tries for a kimura but Smith is defending well.
Diamond sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Smith is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Diamond wants to control but Smith is keeping him busy.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Diamond has his takedown stuffed

and Smith counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Smith.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith tries to free his leg and advance position but Diamond is retaining full guard.
Diamond looking to hit a scissor sweep but Smith is one step ahead there.
Smith advances position into side control!
Diamond is trying to control Smith's posture but Smith avoids it.

Smith thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
A lull in the action here as Smith stalls from top position.
You can see the frustration on Diamond's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diamond tries to improve position but can't.
Diamond is working hard here to advance position.
Smith tries to move into full mount but can't pass Diamond's legs.
Diamond is trying to improve his position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Smith shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Smith was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Diamond really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Smith avoids the attempt from Diamond to control.

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.
Smith prevents Diamond from getting the reversal.
Smith looking to control and managing it successfully.
Diamond wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Nick Diamond has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Heath Smith is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Diamond is trying to break free.
What can Diamond do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!
Diamond trying to control but not successfully.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Smith is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Heath Smith comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Smith 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 Suge Night scores the fight 27:30
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Heath Smith!