PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Johnny Truant (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kai Diao (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kai Diao has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Truant
vs
Diao

182 cm
23
170 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

173 cm
23
173 lbs
3 - 2 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Knockout power

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 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Johnny Truant!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 1, fighting out of London, Kai Diao!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Andrew Berry and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Diao misses with a hook. Truant ducked under it nicely.

Diao closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
Truant tries to score a body lock takedown but Diao shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Truant has picked Diao up - he's going for a ride! Truant dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Truant scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Diao is looking to escape.
Truant sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Diao defending well though.
Truant landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Diao wants to get back to his feet.
Truant throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Diao is trying to stand back up but Truant is controlling him
Truant is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Truant thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Diao's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Truant not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Diao is refusing to be controlled, as Truant sits in half guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Truant!

It looks like Kai Diao has been cut.
Diao tries to close the distance and clinch up but Truant swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Truant lands a left and a right that send Diao crashing to the mat, dazed. Truant thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!

Diao is rocked!
Kai Diao seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Truant throws a series of punches but Diao moves out of range.
Diao is still on wobbly legs! Can Truant finish him?
Truant avoids the body shot from Diao.
Diao seems to have recovered his senses.
Truant keeps the fight on the outside.
Truant throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Diao misses with a straight right.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Diao looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Diao throws a head kick but Truant moves out of range.
Diao is looking to clinch.
Truant rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Diao moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Truant has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Diao finds it's way round the side to connect with Truant's head.
Truant takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Diao wants to clinch.
Some wild striking there from Truant.
Truant throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diao throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Truant.
Truant throws a series of punches but Diao avoids them all with ease.
Diao fails with an attempt to clinch.
Diao wants to clinch up but Truant keeps it at a distance.

Diao closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
Diao connects with a nasty looking knee right to Truant's face.
Diao is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Truant avoids the elbow strike from Diao, against the ropes.

Truant escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Diao with a nice cross.
Diao tries a head kick but it misses.
The fight stays on the outside here - Diao looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Truant throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Diao looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A punch combination from Truant misses.
Diao is looking to land body kicks.
Truant misses with a series of wild punches.
Truant looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Diao fails in his attempt to clinch.
Truant throws a series of punches but Diao moves out of range.
Truant throws a right hand that Diao ducks under and follows up with a left that Diao also avoids with ease.
Diao thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Truant if he has to take too many more of those.
Truant swats away the attempt to clinch by Diao.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Johnny Truant dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Kai Diao's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Diao misses with a body shot.
Truant looks to land a combination but Diao avoids it well.
Diao pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Diao throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Truant checks a leg kick.
Diao swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Diao goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Diao tries to close the distance and clinch but Truant swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Diao showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Truant.

Diao pushes Truant up against the ropes in a clinch.
Truant managing to block the knees to the body from Diao.
Diao creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diao has Truant pressed against the ropes, preventing Truant from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Diao tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Diao stalling.
Truant tries to circle away but Diao has him pinned against the ropes.
Truant goes for a takedown attempt but Diao pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Diao misses with a body kick.
Johnny Truant is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Diao tries to clinch but Truant moves out of range.
Truant swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Truant will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Diao loads up on a big right hand but Truant slips the punch.
Truant closes the distance and clinches up with Diao, looking for a takedown. Truant pushes Diao against the ropes but Diao circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

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.
Truant avoids the head kick by Diao.
Diao throws a head kick that Truant semi-blocks.
Diao tries to clinch there but Truant circles away.
Diao misses with a straight right.
Diao connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Truant's hands.
Truant moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Diao goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Diao lands a high kick!
Diao lands with a nice body kick.
Truant avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Diao uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Truant.
Diao is looking to slow Truant down with leg kicks.
Diao throws a leg kick which misses Truant's front leg but catches the back leg as Truant tries to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diao lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Diao throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Truant circles away from the clinch attempt.
Diao pulls out of a head kick attempt.

The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Diao instigates a clinch.
Truant managing to block the knees to the body from Diao.
Diao lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

It looks like Johnny Truant has been cut.
Diao lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Diao landing knees to the head.
Diao is breathing heavily.

Truant pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Truant shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Diao sprawls well. Diao wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Truant gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Johnny Truant. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Diao throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Truant misses with a double jab.
Truant closes this distance looking for a takedown but Diao circles away.
Truant throws a right and a left that Diao avoids nicely.
Diao lands with a kick to the temple. Truant shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Truant throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Diao throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Kai Diao is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Diao moves into range and connects with a jab.
Nice uppercut lands for Diao. That snapped Truant's head back.
Diao throws a quick inside leg kick.
Diao scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Diao thumps Truant with a low kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kai Diao showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Diao throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Truant sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Diao fails in his attempt to clinch.
Diao pivots, looking for a leg kick but Truant is out of range and Diao settles back down.
Kai Diao seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Diao throws a quick inside leg kick.
Diao throws a nice head kick!
Diao connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Diao scores with a jab to the head.
Diao doesn't manage to clinch there - Truant circles away.
Diao throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Diao fails in his attempt to clinch.
Diao fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Truant looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
With the two fighters working up against the ropes, Diao just misses with a elbow thrown towards Truant's brow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Truant has Diao pressed up against the ropes and is working for takedown. Diao manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Diao misses with an elbow strike.
Diao effectively controlling the action here.
Diao is pressed up against the ropes. Truant has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Diao down to the mat. Diao avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Diao misses with a head kick.
Truant takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Diao throws a leg kick which misses Truant's front leg but catches the back leg as Truant tries to avoid it.
Truant looks for a takedown but Diao sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Johnny Truant. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Diao tries to clinch up but Truant circles away and keeps his distance.
Diao scores with a body shot.
Diao lands with a kick to the temple. Truant shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Diao clinches up against the ropes.
Truant blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Truant tries to score a body lock takedown but Diao shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Diao leaning against his opponent.
Truant looking for a takedown.
Diao is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Truant is keeping busy.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Diao lands an elbow inside that Truant shrugs off.
Diao looking to stall.
Diao gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Diao lands a nice knee to the body.
Diao tries to stall but Truant uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Truant blocks the elbow strike.
Diao slows down the pace here.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Kai Diao.
Truant defending well as Diao loads up on a big left hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Diao!
Diao lands a high kick!
Truant takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Diao moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Truant throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Truant circles away from the clinch attempt.
Diao misses with a head kick.
Truant avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Truant throws a series of punches but Diao moves out of range.
Truant tries to move into range but Diao moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Diao moves into range and clinches up with Truant.
Diao with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Diao prevents the takedown attempt.
Truant is working for a takedown up against the ropes. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Diao lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Diao with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Truant tries to score a body lock takedown but Diao shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Truant wants a takedown.
Diao wants to stall.
Diao slowing the pace effectively.

Truant wants the takedown. Diao is fighting it off but Truant persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Diao's guard against the ropes.
Diao wants to stand but Truant is controlling the position.
Truant throwing strikes but missing.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kai Diao comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Diao 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 James Glass scores the fight 27:29
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 27:29
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 27:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kai Diao!