PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between James Diaz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Papas Kanamun (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Papas Kanamun has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Diaz
vs
Kanamun

183 cm
25
220 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

199 cm
24
210 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter fighter
Determined

Machine Fight Gear

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, James Diaz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Papas Kanamun!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Matheus Silva and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A thudding body kick lands there by Diaz!
Kanamun with a poor takedown

and Diaz counters by moving into the clinch.
Diaz stalling.

Diaz escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Kanamun fails with a takedown attempt.
Diaz has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Kanamun has his takedown stuffed
and Diaz counters with a solid body kick.
James Diaz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Papas Kanamun.
Kanamun looks winded!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Diaz sizes up Kanamun with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Kanamun is trying hard to land a takedown here. Diaz sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Diaz gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Diaz escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Horrible takedown attempt by Kanamun or perhaps it was just good defense by Diaz, which made it look bad.
Good leg kick by Diaz there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Diaz displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Diaz lands with a hook. Kanamun tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Kanamun with a lazy takedown attempt
and Diaz counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Diaz misses with a two punch combination.
Diaz thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Kanamun if he has to take too many more of those.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.

Diaz takes the fight into the clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Diaz stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Diaz landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
The referee calls for Diaz to work.
Diaz unloads a knee to the mid-section. Kanamun lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Diaz landing knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Diaz lands a nice knee to the body.
Diaz lands a good knee to the midsection. Kanamun won't want to take too many of those.
Diaz landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Kanamun's coach down at BLOODY KNUCKLES MMA ($700/ wk) was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Kanamun's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.

Diaz turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Diaz scores with punches from side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kanamun is working to avoid the ground and pound but Diaz connects with a decent elbow.
Diaz is staying tight to Kanamun's torso, preventing him from escaping.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Diaz tries to move into full mount but can't pass Kanamun's legs.
Diaz is staying tight to Kanamun's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Diaz works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Diaz continues to stall.
More hug and hope from Diaz.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Diaz dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Kanamun defending well as Diaz loads up on a big left hand.
Kanamun tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
James Diaz is winning the standup battle so far.
Kanamun with a poor takedown

and Diaz moves into the clinch.
Kanamun jumps guard but Diaz stands there with Kanamun around his waist. Kanamun gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Kanamun takes a knee right on the jaw!

It looks like Papas Kanamun has been cut.
Diaz taking a breather.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Diaz takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Diaz is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Kanamun is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz is defending well against a takedown attempt.
James Diaz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Papas Kanamun.
Diaz putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Kanamun in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Diaz lands a nice knee to the body.
Kanamun fails to pull guard.
Kanamun is looking for a takedown.
A bit of stalling here from Diaz.
Diaz landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Diaz closes the distance and pushes Kanamun back into the cage.
Diaz using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

Diaz's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Diaz closes the distance and clinches.
Diaz lands a knee to the head.
Diaz landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Diaz turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Diaz tries to move into full mount but can't pass Kanamun's legs.

Diaz decides to stand up, so the ref orders Kanamun to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kanamun takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
That kick from Diaz tenderised Kanamun's leg. Kanamun is trying to keep his angry face on.
A solid body kick from Diaz.
Papas Kanamun seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A good leg kick by Diaz.
Diaz lands a front kick.

Diaz clinches up against the cage.
Diaz connects with a knee to the head.
A short body shot lands from Diaz as the two fighters clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diaz lands a left hand that snaps the head of Kanamun backwards.
James Diaz has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Kanamun takes a knee to the side of the body.
Knees in the clinch landing for Diaz.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Diaz lands a knee to the head.
Knees to the body from Diaz.
Diaz stalling.
Diaz working Kanamun over with knees to the body.

Diaz breaks the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Diaz dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Papas Kanamun's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Diaz pushes Kanamun up against the cage in a clinch.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Diaz obliges.

Diaz gets a trip takedown into half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Kanamun is looking to improve his position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Diaz perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Kanamun takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz wants to pass the guard but Kanamun is defending well.
Kanamun trying to hold on to Diaz's head to control him but Diaz postures up.
Kanamun tries to roll over but Diaz keeps him under control.
Diaz sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Diaz knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Kanamun on the ground.
James Diaz overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Diaz looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Diaz is thwarting Kanamun's attempts to control the position.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Diaz trying to control the pace.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Diaz. Kanamun shrugs it off though.
Kanamun uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Diaz.

Diaz forces Kanamun back against the cage and clinches.
A nice right hand lands inside from Diaz.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kanamun takes a knee to the side of the body.

Diaz manages to break the clinch.
Kanamun shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Diaz defends it nicely.
Diaz is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Kanamun can do to turn this around?
Nice body punch from Diaz.
Diaz misses with a wild body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diaz misses with the combination.
A nice inside leg kick there by Diaz. That's going to slow Kanamun down.
James Diaz is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Kanamun has his takedown stuffed
and Diaz counters with a big head kick but Kanamun shrugs it off.
Papas Kanamun has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Diaz with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Diaz connects with a body shot that sends Kanamun's belly button to the back.
Kanamun on the wrong end of a kick to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
James Diaz showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Diaz has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Luis Engracia scores the fight 30:25
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 30:24
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 30:24

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... James Diaz!
James Diaz thanked the fans post fight for their support.