PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Gaspard Noulin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nicola Diaz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nicola Diaz will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Noulin
vs
Diaz

159 cm
19
136 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

180 cm
23
130 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Gaspard Noulin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nicola Diaz!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Wesley Smith and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Noulin darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Noulin lands a nice short elbow.
Diaz keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Noulin not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Diaz looks like he's trying to stand up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Noulin missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Noulin working the head and body with strikes.
Noulin not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Noulin thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Diaz to regain full guard.
Noulin might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Diaz is trying to keep Noulin in close.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Diaz throws a series of strikes that have Noulin backpedaling.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz works Noulin's body with a nice hook.
Noulin takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Diaz throws a one two combo.

Noulin fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Diaz sprawls well initially but Noulin persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Noulin is looking to stall here but Diaz recovers full guard.
Noulin in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Noulin throws a strike but Diaz rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Diaz throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Diaz is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Diaz throws a big right hand that misses.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Diaz accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Diaz pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Noulin is keeping the position for now.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Diaz punishes Noulin's body with a nice straight punch.
Noulin moves in looking to clinch but Diaz pushes him off.
Diaz scores with a jab to the head.

Noulin shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Diaz manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Noulin is breathing heavily.
Diaz wants to sweep here but Noulin controlling him for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Noulin working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Diaz wants to sweep here but Noulin controlling him for the moment.
Noulin looking to sit in guard and control but Diaz gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Diaz with a flurry of punches that miss.
Diaz looking to pass the guard.
Diaz forces his way into half guard.

That's four 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.
Diaz stalling away here and it's allowed Noulin to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Noulin keeping moving, preventing Diaz from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Diaz missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gaspard Noulin dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Noulin closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Noulin lands in his opponent's guard.
Diaz 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.
Noulin knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Diaz on the ground.
Noulin working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Noulin wants to control from the top but Diaz keeps moving.
Noulin is looking to work some ground and pound but Diaz has wrist control.
Noulin postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Diaz is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Noulin makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Noulin looking to sit in guard and control but Diaz gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Noulin utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Diaz wants to control from the top but Noulin keeps moving.
Diaz pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Noulin is keeping the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Diaz wants to control from the top but Noulin keeps moving.
Diaz is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Noulin keeping full guard, as Diaz tries to pass.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Noulin is on top in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Noulin trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Diaz is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Noulin won't allow Diaz to sweep him here.
Noulin in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Noulin trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Noulin postures up in Diaz's guard and throws a big left but Diaz blocks it.

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.
Noulin looking to pass the guard.
Noulin is stalling in the full guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Noulin misses with a takedown attempt - Diaz sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Diaz shoots in for a takedown but Noulin shows good takedown defense.
Noulin misses with a takedown attempt - Diaz sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Diaz throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Diaz misses with a takedown

and Noulin counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Diaz!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gaspard Noulin dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Diaz scores with a nice right hand.
Diaz fails to land with a series of punches.
Diaz scores with a body shot.
A cross from Diaz lands.
Diaz looks to land a combination but Noulin avoids it well.
Diaz lands a nice shot to the body.
Noulin on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Diaz is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Noulin rather than just go for the knockout.
Noulin takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.

Noulin changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Diaz looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Diaz can't do much from the bottom here.
Noulin lands an elbow.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Noulin happy to just control the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Noulin working the ground and pound but Diaz is defending the strikes.
Diaz is trying to improve his position.
Diaz managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Noulin.
The ground and pound from Noulin seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Noulin working the head with strikes.

That's two 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 parries the strikes from Noulin easily there. Noulin is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Diaz to escape.
Diaz manages to get back to half guard.
Diaz regains full guard. Nicely done.
Noulin thows a big elbow that misses.
Noulin working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Diaz is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Noulin pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Diaz is keeping the position for now.
Gaspard Noulin overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Diaz controls Noulin momentarily but Noulin frees himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz 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 keeping moving, preventing Noulin from controlling successfully.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Diaz cracks a nice hook into Noulin's ribs.

Noulin throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Diaz was covering up waiting for the punch and Noulin finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Noulin with a nice head shot there.
Noulin with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Noulin looking to pass the guard.
Diaz keeping moving, preventing Noulin from controlling successfully.
Noulin looking to sit in guard and control but Diaz gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Diaz wants to pass the guard but Noulin is keeping the position.
Nicola Diaz has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Noulin on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Noulin tries to get out of the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gaspard Noulin showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Noulin, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:27
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gaspard Noulin!