PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Tayeb Taheri (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kai Diao (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Taheri
vs
Diao

185 cm
19
180 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

173 cm
24
173 lbs
4 - 2 - 1

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Tayeb Taheri!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 1, fighting out of London, Kai Diao!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Daniel Bishop and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Diao tries to work over Taheri's front leg with a kick but Taheri checks it.
A nice inside leg kick there by Diao. That's going to slow Taheri down.
Diao lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Diao scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Nice sprawl there from Diao as Taheri shoots in.
Taheri fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Diao moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Diao throws a sloppy head kick and Taheri moves out of range easily.
Diao swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Taheri scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Taheri controlling the action here.
Taheri prevents Diao from standing back up.
Diao is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Taheri sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Taheri seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Diao does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diao wants to get back to his feet.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Diao scores with a shot to the body.
Kai Diao seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A jab lands there for Diao.
Diao avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Diao's corner calls for a 1-2. Diao obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Diao slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Taheri shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Diao throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Taheri's head.
Taheri tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Taheri tries to clinch up but Diao circles away and keeps his distance.
Diao misses with a few strikes there.
Diao moves out of range of the leg kick from Taheri.
Diao throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Taheri fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diao throws a front kick that sends Taheri stumbling back into the ropes.
Diao jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Diao connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Taheri slips a jab and a cross from Diao.
Diao lands with a right hand.
Diao pushes Taheri away with a front kick.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Diao lands with a kick to the ribs.
Taheri is breathing heavily.
Diao throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Taheri stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Diao swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Taheri tries to clinch there but Diao circles away.
Taheri tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Diao with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Taheri tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Diao throws a nice outside leg kick.
Diao scores with a jab to the jaw.
Diao defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Taheri.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tayeb Taheri. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Diao comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diao misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Diao throws a nice inside leg kick.
A solid body kick from Diao.
Diao cracks Taheri with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the ropes.
Diao tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Taheri is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Taheri walks into a jab.
Diao comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Diao scores with a jab to the head.
Taheri gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Taheri chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Diao can pounce on him.
Diao lands a nice leg kick that just misses Taheri's sensitive parts.
Kai Diao is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Good standup being displayed there by Diao as he connects with a hook.
Diao misses with a series of wild punches.
Diao keeps the fight on the outside.
Diao scores with a push kick.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Diao. Taheri shrugs it off though.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Diao lands a high kick!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diao misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A cross from Diao lands.
Diao lands a slapping body shot.
Diao lands with an overhand left.
A chopping leg kick lands by Diao.
Diao connects with a high kick.
Taheri blocks a head kick by Diao.
Diao lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Diao lands with a slapping head kick.
Diao thumps Taheri with a low kick.
Diao scores with a nice strike.
Taheri misses with a takedown attempt - Diao sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Diao scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Diao is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Taheri had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Diao scores with a head kick.

It looks like Tayeb Taheri has been cut.
Diao slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Diao connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Taheri's hands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kai Diao dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Tayeb Taheri's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Taheri has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Taheri closes the distance and clinches up with Diao, looking for a takedown. Taheri pushes Diao against the ropes but Diao circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Taheri showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Diao.
Diao connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
A good leg kick by Diao.
Diao swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Diao lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Diao.
Taheri on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Diao. Diao obviously looking to wear him down.
Diao cracks a nice hook into Taheri's ribs.
Taheri looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Diao lands with a thumping leg kick.
Taheri takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Diao scores with a jab to the jaw.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Diao - that will leave a mark!
Diao connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Taheri momentarily.
Diao throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Taheri.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Diao throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Taheri's head.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Diao fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Taheri.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diao thumps Taheri with a low kick.
Taheri takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Taheri tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Diao lands a really nice looking cross but Taheri seems unphased.
Taheri moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Taheri moves forwards but Diao connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Diao throws a head kick that Taheri semi-blocks.

Taheri is rocked!
Taheri misses with a takedown attempt - Diao sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Diao connects with a solid leg kick.
Tayeb Taheri is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Diao feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Taheri's calf.
Diao lands a body shot.
Diao tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Diao throws a combination. Taheri tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Diao lands a head kick!
Diao feints and then cracks Taheri's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Taheri down.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diao thuds a left hand into Taheri's body.
Diao scoring well with a low kick there.
Diao lands a nice looking body shot.
Diao misses with a head kick.
Diao throws a leg kick which misses Taheri's front leg but catches the back leg as Taheri tries to avoid it.
Diao thumps Taheri with a low kick.
Taheri blocks a head kick by Diao.
Diao lands a jab to the nose.
Diao lands with a nice body kick.
Taheri takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Taheri.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tayeb Taheri. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Diao stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Diao wants it to stay on the feet.
A chopping leg kick lands by Diao.
Taheri takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Diao tries a head kick but it misses.
Diao lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diao with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Diao throws a head kick but Taheri moves out of range.
Diao jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Taheri blocks a head kick by Diao.
Diao throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
An inside leg kick lands from Diao.
Taheri blocks a head kick by Diao.
Diao throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Taheri wants to clinch up but Diao keeps it at a distance.
A slapping leg kick lands for Diao.
Diao misses with a hook. Taheri ducked under it nicely.
Diao lands a high kick!
Taheri tries to clinch there but Diao circles away.

Taheri closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Diao really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Taheri. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Diao wants to get back to his feet.
Taheri has knee on belly and moves into mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taheri lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Diao hang on?
Taheri tries to control but Diao wriggling away.
Taheri lands a big shot there that rocks Diao but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Diao has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Diao is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Taheri tries to control but Diao wriggling away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Diao wants to get back to his feet but in bucking up he's left an arm hanging out! Taheri has locked onto it and has pulled off a slick armbar! Diao taps furiously! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:51 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Tayeb Taheri!