PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Hugh Rection (ranked 2126 p4p, 226 weight class) and Robert Diggs (ranked 3617 p4p, 369 weight class). Rection comes into the arena with The Clash - Bankrobber blaring out of the sound system. Robert Diggs has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Rection
vs
Diggs

197 cm
28
270 lbs
10 - 2 - 0

190 cm
29
250 lbs
14 - 12 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

IniTech Nutrition

Urban Fighter

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hugh Rection!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 12 - 0, fighting out of London, Robert Diggs!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Taro Takaoka and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Diggs uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Rection.
Rection scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
A big left from Rection misses.
Diggs throws out a powerful jab.
Diggs throws an overhand right that lands on Rection's shoulder, as Rection tries to avoid the shot.
Diggs connects with a single shot there.
Diggs bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Diggs throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Rection misses with a jab, cross combination.
Rection looks to land a right hand but Diggs moved out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Diggs lands with a hook. Rection tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Rection checks a leg kick.
Diggs lands with a kick to the ribs.
Rection cracks Diggs with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Diggs with a hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rection tries to clinch there but Diggs circles away.
Diggs scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Robert Diggs seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Diggs scores with a leg kick.
Diggs throws a head kick that Rection semi-blocks.
A jab from Rection misses.
Hugh Rection is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Diggs throws the left hand but Rection avoids the punch easily.
A punch combination from Diggs misses.
Rection just misses with a punch to the body.
Diggs feints and then cracks Rection's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Rection down.
Diggs scores with a punch to the head.
Diggs misses with a looping left.
Rection lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Rection missing with a left hand there. Diggs was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Diggs lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rection looks to land a left hand but Diggs moved out of range nicely.
Diggs thuds a left hand into Rection's body.
Rection fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Diggs looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Diggs shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Rection but Rection pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Rection wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Rection tries to clinch but Diggs is having none of it.
A jab from Diggs misses.
Rection doesn't manage to clinch there - Diggs circles away.
Rection misses with a two punch combination.
Rection tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Diggs paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A good leg kick by Diggs.
Diggs cracks Rection with an open hand slap.

Rection closes the distance and clinches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Diggs breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Diggs clinches up against the cage.
Rection lands with a light punch inside.
Rection can't break the clinch.
Rection tries to throw a body punch but Diggs avoids it by throwing Rection back against the cage.
Diggs taking a breather.
Diggs taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Rection lands a hook that snaps the head of Diggs backwards.
Diggs can't find room to land a body shot as Rection controls the action.
Rection blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Rection is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Diggs has a couple of punches blocked by Rection.
Diggs misses with a short punch on the inside.

Diggs's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Diggs bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Diggs pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diggs uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Rection.
Diggs needs to keep his hands up - Rection had a free shot at his head there.
Jab by Diggs.
Diggs avoids the body shot from Rection.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Diggs dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Diggs bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Rection's head.
Rection lands with an uppercut that bounces Diggs off the cage and back into range.
Rection misses the jab.
Rection misses with a double jab
and Diggs counters with an outside leg kick.
Rection scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Rection looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Rection moves forwards but Diggs connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Diggs scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Robert Diggs dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Diggs lands a body shot.
Diggs throws a shot from downtown. Rection moves away and avoids it.
Rection walks into a jab.
Robert Diggs seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Rection moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Diggs scores with a jab to the jaw.
Rection tries to close the distance and clinch but Diggs swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Diggs looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
A looping hook to the body misses from Rection. Diggs does a little dance to reset his feet.
Good leg kick by Diggs there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Diggs waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Rection.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Rection closes the distance and pushes Diggs back into the cage.
A head punch on the inside from Diggs fails to land.
Diggs lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Rection backwards.

Diggs manages to break the clinch.
Diggs jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Diggs feints and then cracks Rection's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Rection down.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rection throws a lazy uppercut
and Diggs counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Rection on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.

Diggs moves into the clinch successfully.

Diggs escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Diggs with a hook.
Rection wants to clinch.
Diggs throws a head kick that misses.
Rection lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Diggs's coach down at Jed's Gym was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Diggs's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Rection stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Diggs.
Diggs takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Diggs chopping away at his opponent's legs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rection lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Diggs at a distance.
Diggs comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Rection takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Rection tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Diggs was well out of range. Poor timing from Rection.
Rection misses with a series of wild punches.
Rection misses with a hook.
Rection scores with a nice strike.
Diggs lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Diggs takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Diggs lands a body shot.
Diggs is looking to chop away at Rection's legs.
Rection takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diggs lands a body shot.
Rection slips a jab and a cross from Diggs.
Diggs lands with a cross.
Diggs circles away from the clinch attempt
and Diggs makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Rection misses with a straight left.
Diggs fails to land with a series of punches.
Rection misses with an uppercut. Diggs saw that one coming.
Rection looks to throw the jab but Diggs is out of range.
Rection misses with a hook. Diggs ducked under it nicely.
Rection takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Nice uppercut there from Diggs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diggs looks for a takedown but Rection sprawls well.
Diggs fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rection manages to avoid it.
Rection swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Rection tries to clinch but Diggs moves away

and Diggs counters with a takedown into side control.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rection is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Diggs is controlling him well.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Diggs trying to control the action but Rection is working from the bottom.
Diggs misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Diggs working the ground and pound but Rection is defending the strikes.
Diggs misses with the ground and pound.
Rection is trying to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Robert Diggs showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Diggs throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Diggs lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Diggs cracks Rection with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.

Diggs closes the distance and clinches.
Diggs has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Diggs working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

Rection breaks the clinch.

Diggs darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Diggs is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
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!
Diggs can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Rection is looking to escape.
Rection is really trying hard to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diggs lands a heavy elbow.
Diggs looking to control but Rection is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Diggs punching from mount but Rection doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Rection's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Diggs has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Diggs lands a heavy elbow.
Rection wants to try and get back to his feet.
Diggs thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Poor strikes thrown by Diggs there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Robert Diggs has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rection is trying to stand.

Diggs looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Rection wants to get back to his feet.

Rection somehow manages to escape the mount and get back to his feet!
The fighters circling - Diggs throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Diggs. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Rection misses with an uppercut
enabling Diggs to counter with a crisp jab.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Diggs with a jab.

Diggs closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Diggs stops Rection from getting back to his feet.
Diggs seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Rection does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Robert Diggs is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diggs wants to pass to mount but Rection is defending the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rection is trying to stand.
Diggs looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Rection looks like he's trying to stand up.
Hugh Rection has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Diggs takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Diggs scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Diggs throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Diggs misses with a body shot.
Rection throws a lazy right hand but Diggs sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rection on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Rection tries to clinch but Diggs is having none of it.
Diggs connects with a single shot there.
Rection lands with an uppercut that bounces Diggs off the cage and back into range.
Rection loads up on a big right hand but Diggs slips the punch.

Rection has Diggs up against the cage in a clinch.
Rection has a couple of punches blocked by Diggs.
Rection can't break the clinch.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Diggs.
Rection softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Robert Diggs comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Diggs has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 27:30
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Robert Diggs!
After winning the bout, Robert Diggs thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.