PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Joko Diaz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and William Fairtex (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Diaz
vs
Fairtex

164 cm
30
144 lbs
14 - 2 - 0

173 cm
23
140 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Counter striker
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
Powerful

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 14 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Joko Diaz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, William Fairtex!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Tiny Johnson and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Fairtex throws the kick towards the body but Diaz avoids it.
Joko Diaz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A nice leg kick lands there from Fairtex.
Fairtex throws a right and a left that Diaz avoids nicely.
Fairtex walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Diaz checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Diaz throws a low kick but Fairtex moves out of range easily.
Fairtex throws a leg kick which misses Diaz's front leg but catches the back leg as Diaz tries to avoid it.
Fairtex lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Fairtex misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Diaz.
Diaz looks to land a body kick but Fairtex moved away.
Diaz avoids the body shot from Fairtex.
Fairtex takes a swing at Diaz's ribcage but misses.
Diaz shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Fairtex counters with a good low kick that Diaz was not able to check.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Fairtex. Diaz does a little dance to reset his feet.
Fairtex will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
A slapping leg kick lands for Fairtex.
Sloppy strikes from Fairtex. Those never looked like landing.
Fairtex is looking to score with low kicks.
Fairtex uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Diaz.
Diaz throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Fairtex takes a swing at Diaz's ribcage but misses.
Fairtex misses with a double jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice body kick there by Fairtex.
A bone on bone clash there as Diaz blocks the leg kick.
Fairtex takes a swing at Diaz's ribcage but misses.
Fairtex looks to score with a jab to the body but Diaz is just out of range.
Fairtex attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Diaz stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Fairtex.
Fairtex cracks Diaz with a right hand to the side of the head.
Diaz looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Fairtex is fending him off so far but Diaz persists. Nope, Fairtex circles away and we're back to standing.
Diaz swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fairtex misses with a wild combination.
Fairtex keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joko Diaz. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Fairtex swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Fairtex fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Diaz looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Fairtex thows a body kick. Diaz tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Fairtex moves out of range of the body kick from Diaz.
Fairtex throws a hook but Diaz blocks it.
Diaz misses with a head kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diaz looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Fairtex misses with a telegraphed body shot

and Diaz counters with a shoot takedown. Fairtex fights it but they end up in guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Fairtex working a defensive guard here.
Diaz looking to pass the guard.
Diaz is looking to work some ground and pound but Fairtex has wrist control.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Fairtex is trying to keep Diaz in close.
Fairtex is looking to stand up but Diaz isn't so interested in that idea.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Diaz trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

William Fairtex dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Diaz jabs Fairtex to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Diaz shoots in for a double leg but Fairtex sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Diaz uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Fairtex.
Fairtex displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Diaz.
Fairtex throws a leg kick that misses.
Diaz has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Fairtex.
Fairtex misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Diaz.
Diaz looks for a takedown but Fairtex sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joko Diaz. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A swing and a miss from Diaz.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fairtex throws a front kick that sends Diaz stumbling back into the cage.
Diaz throws a body punch but Fairtex moves out of range.
Diaz checks a low kick from Fairtex.
Diaz gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Fairtex counters with a nice low kick that buckles Diaz's knee momentarily.
Fairtex throws a series of punches but Diaz avoids them all with ease.
Diaz looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Fairtex is fending him off so far but Diaz persists. Nope, Fairtex circles away and we're back to standing.

Diaz shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Fairtex's guard.
Diaz trying to control the position from guard on top but Fairtex is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fairtex trying to keep a closed guard but Diaz is proving a slippery customer.
Diaz prevents Fairtex from getting back to his feet.
Diaz trying to control the position from guard on top but Fairtex is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Fairtex can do anything to dispel that myth.
Fairtex seems keen to control Diaz's posture.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Diaz shoots in for a takedown but Fairtex shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Diaz shoots in for a double leg but Fairtex sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Diaz misses with a kick to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz dives in and grabs Fairtex's left leg, looking for a takedown. Fairtex pushes down on Diaz's head and hops out.
Diaz misses with a kick to the body.
Diaz tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Fairtex feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Diaz's calf.
Fairtex throws a body kick that misses.
Fairtex throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Diaz looks to land a body kick but Fairtex moved away.
Diaz closes this distance looking for a takedown but Fairtex circles away.
Diaz shoots for a double leg takedown but Fairtex sprawls well. He's pushed Diaz's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diaz steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Fairtex.
Diaz shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Fairtex but Fairtex pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Fairtex throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Diaz misses with a double jab
and Fairtex counters with a leg kick.
A good leg kick by Fairtex.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Diaz avoids the body shot from Fairtex.

Diaz gets a double leg takedown into Fairtex's guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Diaz won't allow Fairtex to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but William Fairtex will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Fairtex thows a left - swing and a miss!
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Diaz.
Diaz avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Diaz is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Diaz fails with a takedown attempt.
Nice sprawl there from Fairtex as Diaz shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joko Diaz. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Fairtex looks for the body kick but Diaz saw that one coming.
Nice takedown defense from Fairtex. No joy for Diaz on that attempt.
Diaz shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Fairtex sprawls well. Fairtex wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Diaz gets slowly back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz throws a body kick that misses
and Fairtex makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.

Diaz shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Fairtex's guard.
Diaz wants to control from the top but Fairtex keeps moving.
Fairtex looking to hit a scissor sweep but Diaz is one step ahead there.
Fairtex controlling the position.
Fairtex keeping moving, preventing Diaz from controlling successfully.
Fairtex looking for a sweep. Not yet Fairtex, not yet.
Diaz trying to control the position from guard on top but Fairtex is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Joko Diaz has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

We're going to have a standup here because Joko Diaz wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Fairtex looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Fairtex fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Diaz.
Diaz throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Diaz shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Fairtex pinned against the cage. Fairtex gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Fairtex misses with a kick to the body.
William Fairtex is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Fairtex bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
William Fairtex is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A bone on bone clash there as Diaz blocks the leg kick.
Diaz shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Fairtex but Fairtex pushes him off and we're back to square one.
The fighters circling - Fairtex throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Horrible takedown by Diaz or perhaps it was just good defense by Fairtex which made him look bad.
Fairtex lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Fairtex dodges the punch combination from Diaz.
Fairtex scores with a slapping inside leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fairtex keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Fairtex slips under a jab from Diaz.
Fairtex blocks a head kick by Diaz.
Diaz fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Diaz gets a double leg takedown into Fairtex's guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Fairtex pulls Diaz in close to prevent any damage.
Fairtex is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Joko Diaz.
I think Fairtex 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 Alan Glass scores the fight 29:29
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... William Fairtex!