PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Zack Pineiro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nick Cristobal Diaz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nick Cristobal Diaz told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Pineiro
vs
Cristobal Diaz

160 cm
24
135 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

175 cm
24
135 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Solid chin

New World Order Clothing

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Zack Pineiro!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Nick Cristobal Diaz!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Elvis Blanc and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pineiro defending well as Diaz loads up on a big left hand.
A lazy body kick from Diaz
and Pineiro counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Pineiro cracks a nice hook into Diaz's ribs.

Diaz shoots in and bounces Pineiro off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Diaz throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Pineiro trying to control the position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Pineiro utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Pineiro trying to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Diaz is pushing down on Pineiro's leg trying to pass to half guard. Pineiro is fighting to maintain full guard but Diaz has managed to sneak the leg through.
Pineiro is looking to escape.
Diaz is looking to take a break and control but Pineiro is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Pineiro is defending against the submission attempts here by Diaz.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz prevents Pineiro from improving his position.
Pineiro wants to control but Diaz is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Pineiro tries to roll over but Diaz keeps him under control.
Well, if Diaz is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Pineiro is trying to stand back up but Diaz is controlling him

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pineiro trying to hold on to Diaz's head to control him but Diaz postures up.
Pineiro has hold of Diaz's hands but Diaz slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Pineiro blocking the ground and pound attempt from Diaz.
Pineiro is trying to maintain the position but Diaz is very close to passing his half guard.
Diaz drops an elbow to the side of Pineiro's head.
Pineiro tries to get to full guard but Diaz has control of the leg.
Diaz content to control rather than advance.
Diaz trying to control the action but Pineiro is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Diaz cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Diaz is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Pineiro can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Diaz avoids the attempt from Pineiro to control.

Diaz goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Pineiro is on top in guard.
Diaz trying to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pineiro won't allow Diaz to sweep him here.
Diaz manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Pineiro manages to get himself to full guard.
Pineiro looking for a sweep. Not yet Pineiro, not yet.
Diaz is in close to Pineiro's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Pineiro is trying to keep Diaz in close.
Diaz is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Diaz missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nick Cristobal Diaz 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.

A looping hook to the body misses from Diaz. Pineiro does a little dance to reset his feet.
Diaz blocks a head kick by Pineiro.
Diaz is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Pineiro tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Pineiro with a lazy takedown attempt

and Diaz counters with a single leg into guard. Pineiro didn't expect that.
Diaz scoring with punches to the head and body.
Diaz slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Pineiro knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Diaz on the ground.
Diaz pushes down on Pineiro's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Pineiro is looking for a sweep. Diaz is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Diaz passes to full mount!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Diaz with shots to the head and body - Pineiro looks very uncomfortable down there.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Diaz has control of Pineiro's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Pineiro regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Pineiro is squirming around, avoiding Diaz's attempts to control the action.
Diaz breaks from Pineiro's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Nick Cristobal Diaz has got the better of the ground game so far.
Pineiro is trying to escape the mount.
Diaz punishing his opponent with strikes.
Diaz is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Diaz lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Diaz raining down shots from the mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz wants to control the pace but Pineiro is squirming around nicely.
Diaz breaks from Pineiro's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Diaz can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Pineiro is looking to escape.
Diaz has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Pineiro wants to hold on but Diaz pushes him away.
Diaz lands a nice shot to the head.
Pineiro in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Pineiro wants to hold on but Diaz pushes him away.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Diaz cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Pineiro tries to hold on but Diaz pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz cracks Pineiro with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Pineiro takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Diaz content just to control the position here.
Diaz punishing his opponent with strikes.
Diaz wants to control the pace but Pineiro is squirming around nicely.

Diaz is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Pineiro is surviving well by controlling Diaz's body position as best he can.
BOOM! Diaz connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Diaz working Pineiro over with strikes here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Diaz working for a submission but Pineiro is keeping him at bay.
Diaz pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Diaz punishing his opponent with strikes.
Pineiro is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Diaz lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Diaz landing shots from mount.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Diaz breaks from Pineiro's wrist control and lands an elbow.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Pineiro in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Diaz lands a heavy elbow.

Diaz working for a guillotine from mount but Pineiro is in no mood to give up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nick Cristobal Diaz showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. This is the final round!

Jab by Pineiro.
Pineiro slips under a jab.
Diaz throws a leg kick
and Pineiro cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Pineiro fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Pineiro gets a clinch.

Pineiro's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Pineiro lands with a good body shot.

Diaz gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Pineiro wants to control from the top but Diaz keeps moving.
Pineiro controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Pineiro avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Pineiro might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Diaz not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Diaz looking to hit a scissor sweep but Pineiro is one step ahead there.
Pineiro has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Pineiro tries to stand but Diaz is controlling from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Pineiro is fighting to break Diaz's control of his arms but Diaz is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Pineiro trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Diaz lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Pineiro!
Pineiro tries to hold on but Diaz postures up.
Diaz has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Pineiro's face.
Diaz tries to control but Pineiro wriggling away.

Diaz goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Pineiro is on top in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pineiro wants to get up but he can't break Diaz's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Diaz had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Pineiro defends it easily.
Pineiro is fighting to break Diaz's control of his arms but Diaz is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Pineiro keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Diaz's head.
Diaz trying to control the position here.
Pineiro trying to control the position from guard on top but Diaz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diaz trying to strike off his back.
Diaz tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Pineiro got a little sloppy there for a moment and Diaz has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Pineiro has managed to get both his arms back between Diaz's legs - danger averted.
Diaz keeping moving, preventing Pineiro from controlling successfully.
Pineiro being controlled here momentarily.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Diaz can do anything to dispel that myth.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Pineiro preventing the sweep.

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 Zack Pineiro.
I think Diaz 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 Trevor Gratis scores the fight for Nick Cristobal Diaz!
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight for Nick Cristobal Diaz!
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight for Nick Cristobal Diaz!

Nick Cristobal Diaz wins by unanimous decision!