PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Nate Diaz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Frank Irons (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Irons has chosen Get On Your Knees - Age Against the Machine as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Diaz
vs
Irons

183 cm
23
160 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

175 cm
22
165 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

BLKOUT Clothing
BLKOUT Clothing

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

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Diaz will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Diaz misses with a few strikes there.
Diaz ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Irons moves away.
Diaz tries to clinch but Irons is having none of it.

Diaz fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Irons, pushing him back against the cage.
Irons jumps guard but Diaz stands there with Irons around his waist. Irons gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Diaz is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
A body shot lands from Diaz.
Diaz looking to stall.
Diaz wants to break the clinch but can't.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Diaz can't find room to land a body shot as Irons controls the action.
Irons prevents Diaz from breaking the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Irons successfully pulls guard.
Diaz tries to free his leg and advance position but Irons is retaining full guard.

Diaz avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Diaz is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Irons working for submissions but it's allowed Diaz to get to half guard.
Irons makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Irons.
Diaz wants to pass the guard but Irons is keeping the position.

Irons isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Diaz stacks Irons 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 Diaz!
Irons is trying to control Diaz's posture but Diaz avoids it.

Diaz working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Diaz tries for a kimura but Irons is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Irons wants to control but Diaz postures up.
Irons regains half guard.
Diaz passes the guard and advances to mount!
Irons is squirming around, avoiding Diaz's attempts to control the action.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Irons is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Irons tries to lock up and control but Diaz gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Diaz is looking to work his way around to Irons's back. He needs to be careful though, as he's in danger of losing this dominant position.

Diaz goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Irons turns into him and now he's in Diaz's guard.
Irons trying to control but Diaz is working from the bottom.
Irons slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Irons is trying to get an arm triangle but Diaz is defending well.
Irons working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Irons tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Diaz tries to improve position but can't.
Diaz is working hard here to advance position.
Diaz wants to control but Irons postures up.
Irons landing strikes.
Irons trying to control the position but Diaz is working away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Frank Irons will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Irons thows a left - swing and a miss!
Diaz tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Diaz moves in looking to clinch but Irons pushes him off.
Diaz lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Irons circles away quickly and effectively.
Diaz moves out of range as Irons strikes.
Irons jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Irons throws a solid leg kick but Diaz takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Irons.
Irons missing with a left hand there. Diaz was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Irons works Diaz's body with a nice hook.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Irons throws a looping overhand right but Diaz ducks down to avoid it.
Diaz bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Irons misses with a combination
and Diaz counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Irons swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Irons slips a straight right by Diaz.
A telegraphed right hand from Irons misses the target.
Irons walks into a left hand.
Irons throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Irons throws a predictable looking body shot
and Diaz counters with a left to the body.
A big left from Diaz misses.
Irons takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Some wild striking there from Diaz.
Diaz throws a series of punches but Irons moves out of range.
Diaz with a nice cross.
Diaz fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Irons throws a jab when Diaz was well out of range.
Irons ducks right into an uppercut from Diaz.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Irons.
Diaz doesn't manage to clinch there - Irons circles away.
Irons misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Diaz counters with a right hand to the body.
A looping hook to the body misses from Diaz. Irons does a little dance to reset his feet.
Diaz connects with a jab.
Nate Diaz is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Diaz fails with an attempt to clinch.
Diaz misses with the combination.
Diaz throws a combination that misses
and Irons cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Diaz displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Irons throws out the jab.
Irons scores with a jab.
Diaz will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Irons looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Diaz avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz tries to clinch there but Irons circles away.
Irons throws a combination that misses
and Diaz counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Diaz uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Irons.
Diaz smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Diaz fails in his attempt to clinch.
Irons swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Diaz counters with a two punch combo.
Irons misses with a shot to the body
and Diaz counters with a one-two to the body.
Irons is breathing heavily.
The crowd cheers as Diaz lands an impressive looking overhand right. Irons doesn't seem phased though.
Diaz uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Irons.
Irons takes a shot right to the bread basket.
A big left from Irons misses.
A nice combination there by Diaz.
Diaz moves in looking to clinch but Irons pushes him off.
Diaz uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diaz connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Irons's hands.
Diaz stuns Irons with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Irons thows a left - swing and a miss!
Donk. Diaz catches Irons right on the button with a cross.
Diaz connects with a crisp jab.
Irons misses with a combination
and Diaz counters with a two punch combo.
Diaz dips to his left and cracks Irons with an uppercut!
Diaz looks to land a combination but Irons avoids it well.
Diaz stuns Irons with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Frank Irons seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Irons swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Diaz throws a one two combo.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Diaz tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Diaz ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nate Diaz dominated that second round.
That's time! Diaz's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Diaz throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Irons on the side of the head.
Irons throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Diaz counters by moving into the clinch.
Diaz throws a head punch that misses.
Irons tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Diaz smiles and moves away.
Irons looks to land a left hand but Diaz moved out of range nicely.
Diaz throws a right and a left that both miss.
Diaz tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Diaz wants to clinch up but Irons keeps it at a distance.
Diaz lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Irons circles away quickly and effectively.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Diaz throws a combination that misses
and Irons counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Irons throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Diaz connects with a right hand. Irons shakes it off.
Irons throws a combination that misses
and Diaz counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Irons avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Irons takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Diaz looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Diaz scores with a one two! Irons had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Diaz is looking to clinch but Irons is avoiding it.
Diaz slips under a jab.
Irons misses with an uppercut. Diaz saw that one coming.
Diaz swinging wildly here.

Diaz moves into the clinch.
Irons is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Diaz tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Irons avoids it.
Diaz swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Nice body punch from Diaz.
Diaz using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Diaz lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Irons or not.
Diaz trying to land knees to the body.
Diaz is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Irons fails to pull guard.

Diaz breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Irons swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Diaz misses with a wild combination.
Diaz looks to land a combination but Irons avoids it well.
Diaz slips under a jab.
Diaz just misses with a punch to the body.
Diaz blocks a jab.
Irons throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Diaz sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Irons has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Irons throws a combination that misses
and Diaz counters with a nice body shot.
Irons throws a combination that misses
and Diaz counters with a right hand to the body.
Diaz works Irons's body with a nice hook.
Diaz lands a body shot.
Diaz lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Diaz.
Diaz lands a nice looking body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Irons swats away the attempt to clinch by Diaz.
Irons missing with a left hand there. Diaz was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Diaz fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Diaz throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Irons looks to land a left hand but Diaz moved out of range nicely.
Diaz works Irons's body with a nice hook.
Diaz lands with a right hand.
Diaz throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Diaz tries to clinch up.
Diaz cracks Irons with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
A right-left combo lands from Diaz.
Diaz lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Diaz.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Irons avoids a punch combination nicely.
Irons throws a predictable looking body shot
enabling Diaz to counter with a crisp jab.
Irons swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Diaz counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Diaz slips under a jab from Irons.
Diaz tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Irons manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Nate Diaz is winning the standup battle so far.
Diaz fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Irons misses with a body punch
and Diaz counters with a right hand to the body.
Diaz lands with a shot to the body.
Diaz smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Irons closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Diaz throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Irons gets tackled into the cage by Diaz. Diaz maintains the clinch.

Diaz breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Diaz swings and misses with a hook to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nate Diaz showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Diaz has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Robert Twigg scores the fight 29:28
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 29:28
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nate Diaz!