PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between LaMarcus Diaz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pearse Mullen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Pearse Mullen has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Diaz
vs
Mullen

184 cm
22
179 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

170 cm
21
170 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, LaMarcus Diaz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Pearse Mullen!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, Phil Schofield and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Diaz scores with a shot to the body.
Mullen lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.

It looks like LaMarcus Diaz has been cut.
Mullen misses with a head kick.
Mullen throws a left and a right that both miss
and Diaz counters with a straight right hand.
Mullen throws a right and a left that Diaz avoids nicely.
Diaz lands with a straight right. Mullen didn't see that one coming.
Mullen looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Diaz lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Pearse Mullen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Mullen goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Diaz blocks a head kick by Mullen.
Mullen fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
A shot to the liver by Diaz. Beautiful body shot.
Mullen dives in and grabs Diaz's left leg, looking for a takedown. Diaz pushes down on Mullen's head and hops out.
Mullen shoots in but Diaz avoids the takedown attempt easily.
LaMarcus Diaz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Pearse Mullen.
A punch lands to the side of Mullen 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Mullen throws a leg kick but Diaz sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Diaz will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mullen takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Diaz connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
A left and a right from Diaz both land. Nice combination.
Diaz moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Diaz!
Mullen needs to keep his hands up - Diaz had a free shot at his head there.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Mullen throws the kick towards the body but Diaz avoids it.
Mullen shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Diaz counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Mullen looks winded!
Diaz misses with a double jab.
Diaz rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Mullen moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
As Diaz backs off Mullen throws a huge counter combo but Diaz manages to avoid it all.
Diaz misses with a two punch combination.
Mullen feints the counter takedown.
Mullen slips a jab and a cross from Diaz.
Mullen misses with an uppercut
and Diaz counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Diaz connects with a jab.
Mullen takes a body punch but keeps moving.
LaMarcus Diaz is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Mullen on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Mullen lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Diaz avoids a punch combination nicely.
Diaz misses with a jab, cross combination.
Diaz is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Diaz leaves Mullen with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Diaz swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Mullen throws a right and a left that Diaz avoids nicely.
Nice jab there from Diaz.
Mullen thows a leg kick but Diaz checks it
and Diaz counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Diaz lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mullen shoots and misses
and Diaz counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Diaz lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Diaz stalks Mullen and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Mullen's face. Mullen staggers backwards, shaken.
Diaz feints a jab promting Mullen to slip. Diaz then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Mullen slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Mullen throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Diaz counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Mullen wants to clinch
and Diaz counters with a series of strikes. Mullen will be more careful next time no doubt.
Diaz is working the combinations to good effect here.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Mullen goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Diaz dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Diaz scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Diaz throws a right and a left that both miss.
Mullen connects with a leg kick. Diaz looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Mullen swings and misses with a shot to the body
enabling Diaz to counter with a crisp jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A punch combination from Mullen misses.
Mullen is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Diaz.
Mullen tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Diaz defends well and Mullen ends up having to push Diaz into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Diaz displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Diaz fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Mullen swinging wildly here.
Mullen tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Diaz defends well and Mullen ends up having to push Diaz into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Mullen showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Diaz.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mullen shoots in for a double leg but Diaz sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Mullen drops his hands momentarily and Diaz takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Diaz looks to land a combination but Mullen avoids it well.
Diaz fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Mullen looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

LaMarcus Diaz dominated that round.
The cut man is working on LaMarcus Diaz's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Diaz looks to land a combination. Mullen sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Diaz stuns Mullen with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
LaMarcus Diaz is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A left and a right from Mullen both land. Nice combination.
Mullen lands a nice looking kick to the body. Diaz takes a step back to recover.
Diaz circles away from the clinch attempt.
Diaz connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Mullen dodges the punch combination from Diaz.
Diaz is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Mullen fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Mullen doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Diaz counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
LaMarcus Diaz is winning the standup battle so far.
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 scores with a body shot.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Diaz will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Mullen tries to clinch but Diaz is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz lands a jab-cross combination.
Diaz throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Mullen looks to throw the jab but Diaz is out of range.
Diaz fails to land with a series of punches.
Diaz misses with a series of wild punches.
Mullen shoots in but no luck this time.
Mullen swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Mullen tries to clinch up.
A punch lands to the side of Mullen 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Mullen throws a left and a right that both miss
and Diaz counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Mullen tries to clinch up.
Mullen has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Diaz defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Mullen.
LaMarcus Diaz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Pearse Mullen.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz misses with a series of wild punches.
Diaz scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
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 moves out of range of the body kick.
Diaz swinging wildly here.
Mullen throws a series of punches but Diaz moves out of range.
Diaz lands a jab to the nose.
Diaz avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Diaz throws a good cross that connects.
Diaz swinging wildly here.
Mullen takes a shot right to the bread basket.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Diaz tries to keep at a distance but Mullen has taken the fight into the clinch.
I was talking to Diaz's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Diaz has had enough of the clinch but Mullen keeps him there for the moment.

Mullen breaks the clinch.
Diaz's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Diaz duly obliges.
Diaz misses with the combination.
Mullen misses with a series of wild punches.
Mullen throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Diaz counters with a straight right hand.
Diaz is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Diaz shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Mullen eats them both and turns towards Diaz to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Mullen tries to close the distance and clinch up but Diaz swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mullen throws a series of strikes that have Diaz backpedaling.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Diaz throws a right and a left that both miss.
Diaz keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Mullen.
Mullen is trying desperately to land a takedown but Diaz is having absolutely none of it. This is turning into a bit of a nightmare for Mullen.
Mullen throws a right and a left that Diaz avoids nicely.
Mullen takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Diaz displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Mullen.
Diaz stuns Mullen with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Diaz swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Diaz, as that shot connected.
Diaz lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Diaz connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
No joy there for Mullen, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

LaMarcus Diaz dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on LaMarcus Diaz's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Diaz works Mullen's body with a nice hook.
Mullen is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Mullen fails with an attempt to clinch.
Diaz rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Mullen moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Sloppy strikes from Diaz. Those never looked like landing.

Mullen dives in and scores a takedown into Diaz's guard.
Mullen throws a big elbow that misses.
Mullen throwing strikes but missing.

Diaz manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.
Mullen trying to stall but Diaz improves his position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Mullen slowing the pace effectively.
Mullen misses with a knee to the head.
Mullen can't find room to land a body shot as Diaz controls the action.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Mullen has him pressed against the cage.
Diaz is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Mullen is trying to pull guard but Diaz has him pressed against the cage.
Mullen has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Diaz is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Mullen is looking for a takedown.
LaMarcus Diaz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Pearse Mullen.
Mullen has Diaz pressed against the cage, preventing Diaz from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Mullen manages to break the clinch.
Diaz ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Diaz scores with a shot to the body.
Diaz jabs at Mullen's body.
Mullen takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Mullen avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz scores with a body shot.
Diaz moves into range and connects with a jab.
Mullen lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Diaz lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Mullen misses with a takedown attempt
and Diaz counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Diaz works Mullen's body with a nice hook.
Mullen takes one on the button.
Diaz throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Mullen scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Diaz tries to bum rush Mullen with a series of wild strikes but Mullen uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Mullen tries to clinch up but Diaz circles away and keeps his distance.
Mullen closes this distance looking for a takedown but Diaz circles away.
Diaz is looking to counter with a shot to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz jabs Mullen to the body, keeping him at a distance.
A punch lands to the side of Mullen 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Mullen drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Mullen with a poor takedown
and Diaz connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Diaz lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Mullen fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Diaz avoids it really well and circles away.
Diaz jabs Mullen to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Diaz stuffs the takedown.
Diaz scores with a hook.
Pearse Mullen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diaz scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Mullen takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Diaz lands a jab-cross combination.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Mullen, right into the meat.
Diaz slips a jab and a cross from Mullen.
Mullen misses with a double jab
and Diaz makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Diaz lands with a shot to the body.
Mullen has his takedown stuffed
and Diaz counters with a stiff right hand.
Mullen throws a right hand that misses
and Diaz makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Diaz pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Mullen back to the cage. Diaz follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
LaMarcus Diaz is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Mullen throws a leg kick but Diaz sees it coming and checks it nicely.

And that's the end of the fight!
LaMarcus Diaz showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Diaz, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 William Gold scores the fight 30:27
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 30:27
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... LaMarcus Diaz!
LaMarcus Diaz took his opportunity to call for a title shot in his post fight interview.