PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Nick Diaz (ranked 3505 p4p, 4974 weight class) and Magomed Bankalaev (ranked 426 p4p, 561 weight class). Diaz comes into the arena with The Next Episode - Dr. Dre blaring out of the sound system. On his way into the cage it seems that Nick Diaz has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Nick Diaz seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Diaz
vs
Bankalaev

183 cm
25
185
1 - 1 - 0

181 cm
25
191
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Solid chin

FinnFighter Nutrition (Five 160Q supps!)
Conviction

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Nick Diaz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Magomed Bankalaev!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Percy O'Donnell and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Diaz has managed to clinch.

Bankalaev lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Bankalaev seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Nice strikes from Bankalaev there.
Bankalaev lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Bankalaev takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bankalaev wants to control but Diaz is keeping him busy.
Still in half guard, Bankalaev seems content to control.
Bankalaev working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Bankalaev looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Diaz is staying active underneath Bankalaev, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Bankalaev seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Bankalaev is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Diaz sees it coming and defends easily.

Diaz actively working from the bottom here.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Bankalaev lands a nice short elbow.
Diaz has hold of Bankalaev's hands but Bankalaev slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Diaz is refusing to be controlled, as Bankalaev sits in half guard.
Bankalaev sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Diaz trying to hold on to Bankalaev's head to control him but Bankalaev postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bankalaev scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Bankalaev has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Bankalaev stalling.
Bankalaev lands with a punch from half guard.
Bankalaev wants to take a breather but Diaz is having none of it.
Bankalaev is pressing down on Diaz's thigh, looking to free his foot. Diaz is holding on for now.
Bankalaev sitting and controlling from the half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bankalaev passes the guard and advances to mount!
Diaz tries to reverse the position but Bankalaev maintains control.
Bankalaev with the ground and pound from mount.
Bankalaev unloading with bombs!
Bankalaev is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Bankalaev tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Diaz taking shots to the head.
Diaz taking shots to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bankalaev tries to control but Diaz wriggling away.
Bankalaev controlling the pace for now.
Bankalaev has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Diaz's face.
Diaz looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Bankalaev controlling his opponent.
A nice elbow there by Bankalaev.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Bankalaev scoring with strikes but Diaz is staying in there.
Bankalaev punishing his opponent with strikes.
Bankalaev lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Diaz is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Diaz is breathing heavily.
Bankalaev raining down hammerfists from mount.

Bankalaev is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Diaz is surviving well by controlling Bankalaev's body position as best he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Magomed Bankalaev dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Bankalaev gets tackled into the cage by Diaz. Diaz maintains the clinch.
Bankalaev has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Diaz misses with a body punch.
Diaz is looking to control Bankalaev's arms but Bankalaev gets an underhook and turns him. Now Diaz has his back to the cage.

Diaz manages to break the clinch.

Diaz tries to sprawl but Bankalaev drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Bankalaev wants to pass to mount but Diaz is defending the position.
Bankalaev stalling.
Diaz wants to get back to full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bankalaev is trying to control. Diaz wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Bankalaev scoring with strikes to the body and head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bankalaev not doing much here.

Bankalaev is looking for a kimura here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Bankalaev scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

Bankalaev is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Bankalaev is nestled in close to Diaz, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Bankalaev trying to control the action but Diaz is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bankalaev passes to side control.
Bankalaev in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.

Bankalaev looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Bankalaev looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Bankalaev creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.

Bankalaev has hold of Diaz's arm here. He's working for an Americana. It looks like he might have it! Diaz tries to escape but he's just digging himself in deeper - Bankalaev cranks the arm and Diaz screams in pain! The ref makes a decision and ends the fight before the tap - no complains from Diaz, who is just happy to have his arm attached to his body.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:57 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Americana). Magomed Bankalaev!
The defeated Nick Diaz had this to say: 'He was just the better fighter tonight, I'll come back better than ever.'.