PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mickey Diaz (ranked 4338 p4p, 456 weight class) and Mao Kai (ranked 5292 p4p, 543 weight class). Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Mao Kai enters the cage!

Diaz
vs
Kai

185 cm
25
185 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

190 cm
25
185 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Good elbows
Solid chin

Evil Empire Nutrition - 160Q $150
Pit Bull Development

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Mickey Diaz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Mao Kai!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Hogan, Francis DeMontford and Ben Hemmingworth.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kai tries to land a leg kick but Diaz saw it coming and moves away.
Diaz throwing a counter right hand but Kai manages to avoid it.
Kai misses with an uppercut. Diaz saw that one coming.

Kai fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Diaz, pushing him back against the cage.

Diaz jumps into guard, dragging Kai to the mat.

Diaz had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Kai defends it easily.

Diaz has an active guard here but Kai has managed to pass into half guard.
Diaz is looking for a sweep. Kai is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Kai is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Diaz has his hands clasped together around Kai's back. He's all about the action.
Kai is trying to control. Diaz wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Diaz looking for submissions off his back.
Kai is thwarting Diaz's attempts to control the position.
Diaz manages to get to full guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Kai accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Diaz has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Kai can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Kai looking to sit in guard and control but Diaz gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Kai trying to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Kai is keeping the position for now.

Kai throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Diaz postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Kai is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Diaz, into his guard.

Diaz wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Kai trying to control but Diaz is working from the bottom.

Diaz is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Kai defends well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kai pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Diaz is keeping the position for now.

Diaz looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Diaz is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Kai is aware though and is defending well.
Kai throws a big elbow that misses.
Kai throws a big elbow that misses.
Kai tries to free his leg and advance position but Diaz is retaining full guard.
Kai makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Kai is pushing down on Diaz's leg trying to pass to half guard. Diaz is fighting to maintain full guard but Kai has managed to sneak the leg through.

Kai is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Kai seems to be working for a kimura but Diaz defends the submission attempt.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diaz is trying to maintain the position but Kai is very close to passing his half guard.
Kai is trying to control. Diaz wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Kai missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Diaz is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Kai is trying to work for a kimura but Diaz is defending well.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Kai looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Diaz with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mao Kai dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Kai ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Diaz moves away.
Kai misses with a double jab.

Kai moves into the clinch.
Kai with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Diaz pulls Kai into guard.
Kai advances to half guard.

Kai is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Diaz is just riding it out for now. Kai eventually gives up the hold.
Diaz is not content to let Kai control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Diaz keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Diaz is trying to get back to full guard.
Diaz works his way to full guard. Good work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Diaz is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Kai defends well.
Diaz has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Kai wants to control from the top but Diaz keeps moving.

Diaz is looking for a triangle but Kai pushes his legs off easily.
Diaz has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.

Diaz is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Kai is aware though and is defending well.
Mao Kai has got the better of the ground game so far.
Kai trying to control but Diaz is working from the bottom.
Diaz seems keen to control Kai's posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Kai trying to control the position from guard on top but Diaz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kai throwing strikes but missing.
Kai throwing strikes but missing.

Kai got a little sloppy there for a moment and Diaz has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Kai has managed to get both his arms back between Diaz's legs - danger averted.
Kai stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Diaz swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

Diaz working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Kai doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Kai manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Kai throwing strikes but missing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kai in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Kai throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Kai throwing strikes from guard but Diaz blocks nicely.
Kai throwing strikes but missing.
Kai trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Diaz avoids a punch combination nicely.
Kai has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
A jab from Diaz misses.

Kai closes the distance and clinches.
Diaz tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Kai smiles and moves away.

Kai clinches up with Diaz and pushes him back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diaz fails to pull guard.
Diaz jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Kai walks away with a smile on his face. Diaz gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mickey Diaz. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Kai, right into the meat.

Kai moves into range and clinches up with Diaz.
Diaz is trying to pull guard but Kai turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Kai gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

It looks like Mickey Diaz has been cut.
Kai lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Diaz jumps guard but Kai stands there with Diaz around his waist. Diaz gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Diaz managing to block the knees to the body from Kai.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Kai throws an elbow but it misses.
Kai's coach down at Blackscar Fitness was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Kai's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Diaz takes an elbow to the forehead.
Kai with a knee to the head.
Kai lands an elbow just above Diaz 's eye.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mao Kai showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Mickey Diaz's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Kai misses with a two punch combination.

Diaz fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Kai, pushing him back against the cage.

Diaz pulls guard successfully.
Kai throwing strikes from guard but Diaz blocks nicely.

Kai is trying to tuck his arms in to keep them safe but Diaz has managed to isolate one of them and has got a loose triangle. Kai is looking to defend but Diaz has done well to lock his legs together - this could be big trouble for Kai! Diaz pulls down on the head and a little smile comes across his face - he knows he's got it. Yep, Kai taps out and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:33 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Mickey Diaz!
As Mickey Diaz got his breath back, he grabbed the microphone and managed to blurt out the following: "The Tree" is gonna get chopped down!'.
Mao Kai was interviewed post fight and said 'Whoops'.