PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mahmed Hassan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nigel Diaz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Diaz has chosen Pastor Troy- Just to Fight as his entrance music. Nigel Diaz has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Hassan
vs
Diaz

183 cm
20
210 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

187 cm
22
215 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mahmed Hassan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Nigel Diaz!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Valeri Chadov and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No joy there for Diaz, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Diaz drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.

It looks like Nigel Diaz has been cut.
A shot to de liver by Diaz. Beautiful body shot.
Hassan is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Diaz.
Hassan stuffs the takedown.
Hassan throws a combination that misses
and Diaz counters with a left and a right that stings Hassan.
Hassan needs to keep his hands up - Diaz had a free shot at his head there.
Hassan misses with the combination.
Hassan throws a poor cross that misses

and Diaz counters with a single leg into guard. Hassan didn't expect that.
Hassan not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Diaz gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Diaz has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Hassan finds it's way round the side to connect with Diaz's head.
Diaz slips a jab and a cross from Hassan.
Nigel Diaz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Diaz falls off balance throwing a combination
and Hassan cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz misses with a body kick.
Diaz misses with a takedown
and Hassan counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Diaz misses with the combination.
Diaz fails with the takedown
and Hassan counters with a nice uppercut.
Mahmed Hassan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nigel Diaz.
Diaz looks gassed!
Diaz scores with a kick to the midsection.
Hassan misses with a double jab.

Diaz shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Diaz looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Hassan doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hassan trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Diaz trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Diaz trying to control the position from guard on top but Hassan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hassan pulls Diaz in to control the position.
Hassan working a defensive guard here.
Hassan striking from the bottom here.
Hassan tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Hassan swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Diaz.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz slips under a jab from Hassan.
Hassan fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Diaz manages to avoid it.
Hassan jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Hassan walks into a stiff left hand from Diaz.
Hassan fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Diaz gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Hassan counters with a stiff right hand.
Diaz tries for a takedown but Hassan sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Hassan looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Hassan misses the body punch
and Diaz counters with a slapping leg kick.
Hassan throws a series of punches but Diaz moves out of range.
Nice defenses there by Diaz.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Hassan throws a combination that misses

and Diaz counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Hassan will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Hassan trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Diaz wanted to stand there but Hassan had control of the position.
Hassan looking for a sweep. Not yet Hassan, not yet.
Hassan trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Hassan is trying to control the position but Diaz postures up.
Diaz trying to control but Hassan is working from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Diaz fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Diaz fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nigel Diaz dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Nigel Diaz's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Hassan throws a big shot that misses.
Diaz throws a left and a right that both miss
and Hassan cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
A solid leg kick lands there for Diaz.
Diaz doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Hassan counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Mahmed Hassan is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hassan jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Hassan punishes Diaz's body with a nice straight punch.
Diaz misses with a takedown attempt
and Hassan counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Diaz thinking.
Diaz lands with a thumping leg kick.
Hassan throws a leg kick but Diaz sees it coming and moves out of range.
Hassan connects with a good right hand that stumbles Diaz. Diaz circles away out of range and recomposes himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Diaz shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Diaz showed some decent athleticism there.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Diaz prevents Hassan from improving his position.
Diaz wants to control but Hassan is keeping him busy.
Hassan scores with a few weak punches.
Diaz seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Hassan does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Hassan trying to control from the bottom.
Diaz is keen to just control but Hassan is a slippery customer.
Hassan on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Hassan tries to get out of the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Diaz bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Diaz scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Ground and pound from Diaz.
Diaz slows the pace down in half guard.
Diaz seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Hassan does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Diaz is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Hassan!
Hassan wants to control but Diaz is having none of it.
Diaz controlling the pace for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz prevents Hassan from getting the reversal.
Hassan wants to hold on but Diaz pushes him away.
Diaz prevents Hassan from getting the reversal.
Hassan wants to hold on but Diaz pushes him away.
Diaz blocks Hassan's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Hassan is squirming around, avoiding Diaz's attempts to control the action.

That's four 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 blocks Hassan's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Hassan flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Hassan regains half guard.
Hassan throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Hassan is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Hassan is staying active underneath Diaz, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Well, if Diaz is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hassan desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Diaz trying to control the action but Hassan is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Nigel Diaz will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Nigel Diaz's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Diaz ducks right into an uppercut from Hassan.
Hassan takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Hassan fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Diaz manages to avoid it.
Hassan lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Mahmed Hassan is winning the standup battle so far.
Diaz tries to clinch but Hassan moves away
and Hassan counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Hassan scores with a shot to the body.
Hassan misses with an uppercut. Diaz saw that one coming.
Diaz misses with the combination.
Diaz shoots and misses
and Hassan counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Hassan displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hassan throws a left and a right that both miss
and Diaz connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hassan fails to land with a series of punches.
Diaz blocks a jab.
Hassan misses with a double jab.
Diaz throws the kick towards the body but Hassan avoids it.
Hassan stuffs the takedown attempt from Diaz. Diaz gets slowly back to his feet.
Hassan staying out of range there.
Diaz throws a push kick but Hassan slaps the foot to one side.
Good leg kick by Diaz there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Hassan throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Diaz misses with a kick to the body
and Hassan counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Nice cross by Diaz.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Hassan misses with a few strikes there.
Hassan throws a lazy uppercut

and Diaz counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Hassan tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Hassan missing with punches from the bottom.
Hassan is looking to improve his position.
Diaz wants to pass the guard but Hassan is defending well.
Hassan is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Hassan misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Diaz controlling the action here.
Diaz has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Nigel Diaz has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hassan is just holding on here. Diaz manages to take his back.
Hassan surviving as best he can, preventing damage.
Diaz controlling well, preventing Hassan from escaping the position.
Diaz just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.
Diaz scores with punches and elbows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Hassan just trying to survive but Diaz is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.

Diaz looking for the choke from the back.
Diaz biding his time, controlling Hassan.
Hassan tries to break free.
Mahmed Hassan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Diaz tries to get the hooks in deep but Hassan pushed the leg off.
Hassan wants to control his opponent's hands but Diaz gets his hands free.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Diaz controlling well, preventing Hassan from escaping the position.
Diaz tries to get the hooks in deep but Hassan pushed the leg off.
Hassan tries to break free.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Mahmed Hassan.
I think Diaz has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 29:29
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Nigel Diaz!