PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Dylan Diaz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Howlett (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Diaz comes to the cage accompanied by Attitude Adjustment. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Diaz
vs
Howlett

182 cm
21
164 lbs
8 - 1 - 0

176 cm
25
168 lbs
8 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Crashforce Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Dylan Diaz!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, James Howlett!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Diaz displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Howlett throws out the jab.
Howlett lands a glancing blow to the side of Diaz's head.
Diaz steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Howlett.
Diaz misses the shot to the body.
Diaz will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Howlett misses the jab.
Howlett wants to clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A slow jab from Diaz misses its intended target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz misses with a body shot.
Howlett slips under a jab from Diaz.
Diaz lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Diaz stuffs the takedown attempt from Howlett. Howlett gets slowly back to his feet.
Howlett scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Diaz doesn't seem bothered though.
Diaz misses with a hook to the body
and Howlett counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Howlett cracks Diaz with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Diaz shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Howlett but Howlett pushes him off and we're back to square one.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Diaz swings away with a body shot that misses
and Howlett counters with a right hand to the body.

Howlett gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Diaz works over Howlett with some ground and pound from guard.
Howlett keeping moving, preventing Diaz from controlling successfully.
Diaz has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Diaz throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Diaz trying to control the position from guard on top but Howlett is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Diaz postures up in Howlett's guard and throws a big left but Howlett blocks it.
Diaz is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz is looking to work some ground and pound but Howlett has wrist control.
Howlett keeping moving, preventing Diaz from controlling successfully.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Howlett moves out of range of the strikes.
Howlett displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Diaz throws out the jab.
Diaz wants to clinch up but Howlett keeps it at a distance.
Howlett lands a right hook to the body.
Dylan Diaz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Diaz uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Howlett.
Howlett tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Diaz paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Howlett takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.

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.
Diaz tries for a takedown but Howlett circles away easily
and Howlett counters with a nice uppercut.
Howlett misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Diaz.
Howlett lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Diaz circles away quickly and effectively.
Diaz takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Howlett lands with a right hand.
Howlett fails to land the takedown.
Diaz throws a right and a left that both miss.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Dylan Diaz will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Diaz throws a jab but it's blocked by Howlett.
Diaz swings away with a body shot that misses
and Howlett counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Howlett displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Diaz throws out the jab.
Diaz tries to close the distance and clinch up but Howlett swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Diaz misses with a hook to the body
and Howlett counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Diaz looks to score with a jab to the body but Howlett is just out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Diaz throws a shot to the body.
Diaz misses with a body punch
and Howlett counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Howlett keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Diaz.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A jab from Howlett does it's job there.
Diaz pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
A swing and a miss from Howlett.
Howlett slips under a jab.
Howlett fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Howlett tries to clinch there but Diaz circles away.
Howlett throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Diaz throws a sloppy body shot
and Howlett counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Howlett loads up on a big right hand but Diaz slips the punch.
Howlett dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Diaz throws a sloppy body shot
and Howlett counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Diaz thinking.
Howlett slips a straight right by Diaz.
Howlett is looking to clinch but Diaz is avoiding it.
Howlett dives in and grabs Diaz's left leg, looking for a takedown. Diaz pushes down on Howlett's head and hops out.
Diaz misses with a double jab
and Howlett counters with a stiff right hand.
Howlett misses with a straight right.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Howlett manages to avoid it.
Howlett ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Diaz thows a body shot but no joy.
Diaz misses the jab.
Howlett misses with a body shot.
Diaz keeps the fight on the outside.
Diaz tests Howlett's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Howlett throws a nice looking combination but Diaz bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

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.
Howlett scores with a jab to the body.
Diaz misses the body punch
and Diaz takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Diaz misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Howlett counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Howlett looks to score with a jab to the body but Diaz is just out of range.
Diaz loads up on a big right hand but Howlett slips the punch.
A big right from Howlett misses.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Diaz gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Howlett wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Diaz throws a punch but it's blocked by Howlett.
Diaz lands with a left to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but James Howlett will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Decent striking displayed by Howlett there.
Howlett shoots in for a takedown but Diaz shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Diaz misses the jab.
Diaz misses with a jab to the body
letting Howlett counter with a right hand.
Diaz scores with a punch to the head.
Diaz darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Diaz throws a looping overhand right but Howlett ducks down to avoid it.
Diaz throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Nice defenses there by Howlett.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howlett bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Howlett takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Diaz throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Howlett sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Howlett lands a glancing blow to the side of Diaz's head.
Diaz misses the shot to the body.
Jab, jab by Howlett - just one landing.
Howlett fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Diaz manages to avoid it.
Nice body punch from Diaz.
Howlett has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

It looks like James Howlett has been cut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Howlett jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Howlett staying out of range there.
Diaz ducks under a wild hook from Howlett.
Howlett with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Howlett misses with a straight right.
Diaz looks to land a left hand but Howlett moved out of range nicely.
Howlett throws an overhand right that lands on Diaz's shoulder, as Diaz tries to avoid the shot.
Diaz thows a body shot but no joy.
Diaz misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Howlett.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz misses with a body punch
letting Howlett counter with a right hand.
Howlett uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Diaz.
Howlett connects with a body shot.
Diaz fails in his attempt to clinch.
Diaz lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Howlett shoots in looking for a takedown. Diaz tries to sprawl out of it but Howlett keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Diaz manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Dylan Diaz is winning the standup battle so far.
Diaz throws a hook but Howlett avoids it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Howlett tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Diaz counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Diaz connects with a body shot.
Jab, jab by Howlett - just one landing.
Diaz scores with a one two! Howlett had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Howlett connects with a jab.
Diaz swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Howlett counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dylan Diaz clearly takes that round.
The cut man is working on James Howlett's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Diaz pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Howlett dips to his left and cracks Diaz with an uppercut!
Howlett tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Diaz was well out of range. Poor timing from Howlett.
Diaz falls off balance throwing a combination
and Howlett counters with a nice uppercut.
Diaz throws a combination that misses
and Howlett counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Howlett shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Diaz defends it nicely.
Diaz looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Diaz stuffs the takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz misses with a double jab
and Diaz takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Diaz misses with a looping left.
Diaz scores with a crisp jab that stopped Howlett in his tracks.

Howlett is rocked!
Diaz misses with a straight left.
Diaz cracks Howlett on the jaw with a powerful right hand and Howlett falls backwards against the cage. Diaz follows up with more strikes that drop Howlett to his knees. Diaz keeps the pressure on and the referee jumps in to save Howlett! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:51 of round 4, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Dylan Diaz!
Dylan Diaz retains his lightweight title!