PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Craig Daniels (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kai Diao (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Daniels
vs
Diao

180 cm
25
178 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

173 cm
24
173 lbs
6 - 5 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
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 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Craig Daniels!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 5 - 1, fighting out of London, Kai Diao!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Sam Margolis and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Daniels drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Daniels takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Daniels tries to bum rush Diao with a series of wild strikes but Diao uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Diao.
Kai Diao seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Diao moves into the clinch.
Diao slows down the pace here.
Diao working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

Daniels jumps into guard, dragging Diao to the mat.
Daniels bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Diao's guard.
Diao 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.
Diao wants to hit a switch here but Daniels passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Diao there!
Diao is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diao is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Daniels looking to control but Diao is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Diao manages to control the position for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Diao is trying to escape the mount.
Daniels avoids the attempt from Diao to control.
Diao is looking to get to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Diao can do anything to dispel that myth.
Daniels controlling the position easily from mount.

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.
Diao is squirming around, avoiding Daniels's attempts to control the action.
Diao doing his best to control the position. Can he escape?
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Daniels wants to control the pace but Diao is squirming around nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kai Diao dominated that round.
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.

Diao keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Daniels.
Diao wants to clinch up but Daniels keeps it at a distance.
Diao thows a body shot but no joy.

Daniels closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Diao to the mat! Diao manages to get full guard.

Daniels stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Daniels circles away from the clinch attempt.
Diao throws the left hand but Daniels avoids the punch easily.
Daniels lands with a hook. Diao tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Diao misses with a low kick as Daniels jumps back.
Daniels throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Diao throws a front kick that sends Daniels stumbling back into the cage.
Diao lands a right hook to the body.

Daniels is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Diao's half guard.
Daniels prevents Diao from improving his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Daniels is trying to control. Diao wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Daniels is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Diao is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Daniels stalling.

That's two 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.
Diao is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Craig Daniels has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
An inside leg kick lands from Diao.
Daniels takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
That kick from Diao tenderised Daniels's leg. Daniels is trying to keep his angry face on.
Diao throws a nice outside leg kick.

Diao fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Daniels, pushing him back against the cage.
Diao avoiding damage as Daniels throws knees to the body.

Daniels gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Diao can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Daniels controls the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diao is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Diao has Daniels pulled in close to control his posture.
Daniels wants to stand but Diao is controlling his posture from full guard.
Diao wants to sweep here but Daniels controlling him for the moment.

That's four 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.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Daniels throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Diao's waist but Diao gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Daniels off to one side.
Craig Daniels is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Daniels has closed the distance and engaged Diao in a clinch.
Diao gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Diao lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Diao stalls.
Daniels tries to land knees in the clinch but Diao avoids the damage to the body.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Nice elbow from Diao.
Daniels fails to pull guard.
Diao scores a nice knee to the body.
Diao throws a punch but it's blocked by Daniels.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Craig Daniels dominated that second round.
That's time! Daniels's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Diao will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Diao doesn't manage to clinch there - Daniels circles away.

Daniels tries to keep at a distance but Diao has taken the fight into the clinch.
Diao tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Diao pushes off an throws an elbow but Daniels leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Daniels tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Diao smiles and moves away.
Diao lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Daniels fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Diao manages to avoid it.
An inside leg kick lands from Diao.
Diao scoring well with a low kick there.
Crunch! Diao slams his shin into Daniels's torso.
Daniels is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Diao lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Diao lands a leg kick that knocks Daniels off balance momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Daniels throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Diao's waist but Diao gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Daniels off to one side.
A shot to the liver by Diao. Beautiful body shot.
Daniels misses with a series of wild punches.
Diao tries to clinch but Daniels moves out of range.
Daniels fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Diao.
A jab lands there for Diao.
Diao tries to close the distance and clinch up but Daniels swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Diao tries to clinch but Daniels moves out of range.
Diao slips under a jab from Daniels.
A good leg kick by Diao.
Daniels is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.

Diao fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Daniels, pushing him back against the cage.
Daniels can't break the clinch.
Daniels is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Diao pulls him back up using the underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Craig Daniels. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Diao stalling the fight.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Diao obliges.
Diao using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Daniels has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Daniels fails to pull guard.
Diao stops a takedown attempt from Daniels.
Diao stalls.
Diao landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Diao crunches a lovely knee into Daniels's ribcage.
Diao cracks Daniels with a nice body shot.
Daniels changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Diao fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Diao lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Diao lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Daniels shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Diao pinned against the cage. Diao gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Diao scores with a crisp jab that stopped Daniels in his tracks.
Diao scores with a leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Diao has managed to clinch.
Diao taking a breather.
A right handed body shot lands from Diao.
Diao is looking to control Daniels's arms but Daniels gets an underhook and turns him. Now Diao has his back to the cage.
Diao lands a nice shot to the body.
Diao working Daniels over with knees to the body.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Diao holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Diao is pressed up against the cage. Daniels 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 closes the distance but Daniels moves to the side

and Daniels counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Diao controls Daniels momentarily but Daniels frees himself.
Diao pulls Daniels in to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diao manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Daniels manages to get himself to full guard.
Diao controls from within his opponent's guard.
Diao trying to control the position from guard on top but Daniels is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Diao might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Daniels kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

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 Atkins scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 28:29
Judge James Glass scores the fight 28:29

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