PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Papa Diop (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and David Mortensen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that David Mortensen was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Diop
vs
Mortensen

191 cm
25
212 lbs
6 - 5 - 0

189 cm
21
204 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Good knees
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Papa Diop!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, David Mortensen!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Lombardi, John Roberts and Alyssa Summers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mortensen cracks Diop with an open hand slap.
Mortensen thuds his shin into the meat of Diop's side.

Diop gets caught flat footed, as Mortensen shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Diop is trying to control the position but Mortensen postures up.
Mortensen is looking to stand up but Diop won't let him.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Mortensen accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Mortensen is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Mortensen is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Mortensen has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Diop wants to sweep but no luck.
Diop is pulling down on Mortensen's head. It's preventing any offense from Mortensen, at least for the moment.

Diop isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Mortensen stacks Diop on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Mortensen!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mortensen in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Diop tries to bench press Mortensen off him but Mortensen keeps the position.
Check out the look on Mortensen's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
You can see the frustration on Diop's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Diop is looking to reverse the position.
Diop struggling a bit here.
Mortensen tries to move to mount but Diop blocks the move with his legs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mortensen scoring with punches and elbows.
You can see the frustration on Diop's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Diop is looking to reverse the position.
Diop being controlled for a moment.

Mortensen is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Diop knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mortensen stands up.
Diop misses with an uppercut. Mortensen saw that one coming.
Diop pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Mortensen throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Diop scores with a hook.

It looks like David Mortensen has been cut.
Diop tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Mortensen was well out of range. Poor timing from Diop.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Mortensen feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Diop is trying to keep Mortensen in close.
Mortensen trying to control but Diop is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mortensen trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Mortensen slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Mortensen would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Diop wants to sweep here but Mortensen controlling him for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

David Mortensen dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Diop throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Diop throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Papa Diop seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Mortensen gets a clinch.
Mortensen on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Mortensen fails to pull guard.
A head punch on the inside from Diop fails to land.
Diop has Mortensen pushed against the cage.
Mortensen lands with a short head shot on the inside.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Diop utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Diop tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Diop tries to land a knee to the head but Mortensen blocks with his arms.
Diop looking to slow down the pace here.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Diop as Mortensen tries to tie him up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diop is trying to maintain a safe position but Mortensen gets an underhook and turns Diop into the cage.
Diop misses with a hook to the ribs.
Mortensen lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

Mortensen has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Diop uses from the top position.

Diop gets to his feet. Mortensen looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Mortensen tests Diop's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Diop misses with a looping right.
Sloppy strikes from Mortensen. Those never looked like landing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diop misses with an uppercut. Mortensen saw that one coming.
Mortensen tries to clinch there but Diop circles away.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Mortensen.
Mortensen tries to clinch but Diop is having none of it.
Diop throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Mortensen lands with a good body shot.
Diop tries to land a leg kick but Mortensen saw it coming and moves away.
Diop misses with a kick to the body

and Mortensen counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Diop's guard now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diop avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Diop looking for a sweep. Not yet Diop, not yet.
Diop is working hard here to advance position.

Diop throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Mortensen with a nice head shot there.
Mortensen controlling from the top position.

Mortensen gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's four 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.
Diop circles away from the clinch attempt.
Diop misses with a hook. Mortensen ducked under it nicely.
Mortensen is looking to clinch.
A slow jab from Diop misses its intended target.
David Mortensen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Diop throws out a leg kick but Mortensen moves out of range and Diop only half commits.
Diop misses with a looping left.
Mortensen swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Diop misses with a shot to the body

and Mortensen counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Diop wants to control but Mortensen is keeping busy and won't allow it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

David Mortensen 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' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Mortensen gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Mortensen jumps guard but Diop stands there with Mortensen around his waist. Mortensen gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Mortensen prevents a body shot from Diop.

Mortensen breaks from the clinch.
Diop misses with a leg kick

and Mortensen counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Diop is looking to improve his position.
Diop trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Diop is looking to improve his position but Mortensen isn't that keen on the idea.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mortensen looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Diop is looking to improve his position but Mortensen isn't that keen on the idea.

Mortensen looking for a guillotine from mount but Diop is having none of it.
BOOM! Mortensen connects with a massive shot to the dome!
A nice elbow there by Mortensen.
Diop is trying desperately to improve position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mortensen is working for a guillotine from mount but Diop frees his head quite easily.
Mortensen looking to finish Diop with some ground and pound. This is bad for Diop!
Mortensen breaks from Diop's wrist control and lands an elbow.

Papa Diop's cut is getting worse.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Diop taking shots to the head.

Mortensen is working for a guillotine from mount but Diop frees his head quite easily.
Diop is trying desperately to improve position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mortensen putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Papa Diop has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diop is in all sorts of trouble here.
The referee warns Diop that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.

Jeez, Papa Diop's cut is really nasty now. The referee must be thinking about getting that checked.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Papa Diop's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:33 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). David Mortensen!