PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Brian Grimes (ranked 737 p4p, 105 weight class) and Mat Diaz (ranked 753 p4p, 107 weight class). Diaz comes into a darkened arena with his song building. I Got Five On It kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! This should be a great matchup!

Grimes
vs
Diaz

178 cm
34
184 lbs
22 - 14 - 0

180 cm
34
184 lbs
19 - 10 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Perkele!

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 22 - 14 - 0, fighting out of New York, Brian Grimes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 10 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mat Diaz!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Alan Glass and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Grimes lands a jab to Diaz's midsection.
Grimes throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Grimes misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!

Diaz moves into the clinch.
Diaz tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Grimes's elbow.
Diaz is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Grimes pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Diaz works on Grimes's body with a couple of short punches.
Grimes tries to circle away but Diaz has him pinned against the cage.

Diaz breaks the clinch.
Diaz lands a lovely overhand right.
Diaz pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Grimes is looking to counter punch.
Diaz lands a jab to the head.
Grimes looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Diaz lands an overhand right.
Grimes takes a swing at Diaz's ribcage but misses.
Diaz is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Grimes with a body shot.

Diaz has Grimes up against the cage in a clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Grimes wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Grimes can't break the clinch.
Diaz lands a shot to the body.

Grimes breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Diaz connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz connects with a body shot.
Diaz jabs Grimes to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Grimes keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Grimes slips under a jab.
Diaz throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Diaz fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Diaz checks a low kick from Grimes.
Grimes looks to score with a jab to the body but Diaz is just out of range.
Grimes throws a leg kick but Diaz sees it coming and checks it nicely.
A swing and a miss from Diaz.
Grimes goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

It looks like Mat Diaz has been cut.
Grimes misses with a combination
and Diaz counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Diaz lands a nice looking body shot.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Diaz throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Grimes throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Grimes lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Diaz throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Grimes's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz staying out of range there.
Diaz throws out a counter right but Grimes avoids it with no problem.
Diaz tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Diaz thuds his right hand into Grimes's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Diaz takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.

Grimes is rocked!
Diaz shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Oh Grimes is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Grimes tries to bum rush Diaz with a series of wild strikes but Diaz uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Grimes seems to have got his legs back now.
Diaz blocks a low kick nicely.
Grimes takes one on the chin but seems OK.

Diaz cracks Grimes with an uppercut from hell and Grimes crumples to the canvas, he's out! Oh no, he's recovered and he's grabbed one of Diaz's legs and pulled him into guard. The ref thought about stopping it there but he's let it go - good reffing!
Diaz throws a big right hand that misses.
Diaz wants to control from the top but Grimes keeps moving.
Diaz is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Diaz content to stall in guard here.
Diaz prevents Grimes from getting back to his feet.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Grimes misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Diaz.

Diaz is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Grimes's half guard.
Diaz sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Grimes defending well though.
Diaz throwing shots but Grimes is blocking nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diaz wants to control but Grimes is keeping him busy.
Diaz lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Diaz scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Diaz thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Diaz winds up and cracks Grimes with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Grimes is looking to escape.
Diaz sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Grimes defending well though.
Diaz missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Diaz trying to advance position but Grimes counters by regaining guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mat Diaz dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Mat Diaz's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Grimes pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Diaz defending well as Grimes loads up on a big left hand.
Diaz has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Grimes with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Grimes throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Diaz.
Grimes looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Brian Grimes is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Grimes misses with the body kick

and Diaz moves into the clinch.
Diaz lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Grimes takes a shot to the head.
Grimes prevents a body shot from Diaz.
Grimes blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A hook to the body from Diaz.
Diaz makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Diaz misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Diaz has hold of one of Grimes's legs. Grimes is fighting the takedown attempt but Diaz gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Diaz connects with a couple of short punches.
Diaz throwing strikes from guard but Grimes blocks nicely.
Diaz is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Diaz working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Diaz landing some decent shots from guard.
Diaz throws a big elbow that misses.
Diaz wants to control from the top but Grimes keeps moving.
Diaz has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Diaz passes Grimes's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Diaz trying to control the action but Grimes is working from the bottom.
Diaz lands with a punch from half guard.
Grimes is trying to stand up here but Diaz is controlling him well.
Diaz not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Diaz landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Diaz stops Grimes from getting back to his feet.
Grimes has hold of Diaz's hands but Diaz slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Diaz thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Grimes's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Diaz misses with a head shot. Grimes uses the momentum to regain guard.

Grimes has his feet on Diaz's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.

Diaz closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Diaz wants to lay and pray for a moment but Grimes keeps working.
Diaz in side control, just content to control the action for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Grimes taking punishment in the form of punches.
Diaz is looking to take a break and control but Grimes is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Grimes tries to escape but Diaz is in control.
Diaz advances nicely into full mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mat Diaz showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Mat Diaz's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Grimes tries to bum rush Diaz with a series of wild strikes but Diaz uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Grimes throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Diaz stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Diaz throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Grimes is looking to wear down Diaz with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Grimes throws a body punch but Diaz moves out of range.
Diaz throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Grimes misses with a jab, cross combination.

Diaz shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Grimes manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Diaz wants to control from the top but Grimes keeps moving.
Diaz missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Grimes has momentary wrist control but Diaz slips an elbow through the middle.
Diaz connects with a couple of short punches.
Diaz throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Grimes works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz sitting in guard here, content to control.
Grimes keeping moving, preventing Diaz from controlling successfully.
Grimes working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Diaz.
Diaz sitting in guard here, content to control.
Diaz postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Diaz landing with the ground and pound.
Diaz throws a strike but Grimes rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz is trying to control the position but Grimes postures up.
Diaz is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Diaz keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Grimes pushes Diaz off looking to stand but Diaz dives back in and keeps control.
Diaz controlling the pace.
Grimes keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Diaz is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Grimes is trying to stand up here but Diaz is controlling him well.
Diaz thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Mat Diaz has got the better of the ground game so far.
Grimes is trying to stand back up but Diaz is controlling him
Brian Grimes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Diaz connects with a nice short shot to Grimes's temple.
Diaz is trying to control. Grimes wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Grimes wants to get back to his feet.
Diaz working Grimes over with strikes.
Diaz trying to pass the guard but Grimes defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Diaz not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Diaz seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Diaz not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Diaz drops an elbow to the side of Grimes's head.
Diaz is nestled in close to Grimes, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Grimes tries to kick Diaz off but Diaz keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Diaz in particular looking to stall.
Mat Diaz is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Diaz looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Grimes 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 fight!
Mat Diaz comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Diaz 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 Chris Downing scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 27:30

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