PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Noel Diaz (ranked 29 p4p, 243 weight class) and Necmettin Hoca (ranked 2 p4p, 34 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Diaz might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to The Stockton Slap Song. The key to victory for Noel Diaz has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Diaz
vs
Hoca

180 cm
27
157
17 - 1 - 0

175 cm
27
162
12 - 4 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Granite chin

SynCity Fightwear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 17 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Noel Diaz!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Necmettin Hoca!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, Sam Margolis and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hoca swings for the body but Diaz moves out of range.
Diaz looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Hoca! But no joy.
Nice straight punches there by Diaz. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Diaz.
Hoca connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Diaz's hands.
Diaz is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Hoca scores with a jab.
Hoca avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hoca misses with a lunging right hand

and Diaz counters by clinching up.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Diaz.
A nice right hand lands inside from Diaz.
Hoca goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Diaz tries to pull guard but Hoca forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Diaz is trying to pull guard but Hoca has him pressed against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hoca manages to break the clinch.
Diaz slips under a jab.
Hoca throws a big shot that misses.
Diaz seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Diaz lands a right hook to the body.
Diaz scores with a nice strike.
Hoca rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Diaz holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Hoca throws a punch but it's blocked by Diaz.
Hoca misses with the head strike.

Hoca pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Hoca changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
The fighters circle momentarily. Hoca darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Hoca bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Diaz's head backwards.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hoca drops Diaz with a beautiful combination! Diaz stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Hoca is looking for the KO!

It looks like Noel Diaz has been cut.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hoca missing with a left hand there. Diaz was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Diaz seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Diaz throws a lazy uppercut
and Hoca cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Hoca misses with a wild body shot.
A slow jab from Diaz misses its intended target.
Diaz misses with a jab, cross combination.
A little jabbing left from Hoca on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Diaz throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Diaz is looking to clinch but Hoca is avoiding it.
Hoca misses with a left hand
and Diaz counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Diaz lands a really nice looking cross but Hoca seems unphased.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hoca keeps the fight on the outside.
Hoca connects with a body shot that sends Diaz's belly button to the back.
Diaz steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Hoca.
A telegraphed right hand from Hoca misses the target.
Diaz lands a jab.
Diaz moves out of range as Hoca strikes.
Diaz jabs at Hoca's body.
Diaz is looking to clinch.
A little jabbing left from Hoca on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.

Diaz clinches with his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hoca manages to break the clinch.
Diaz with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Hoca to score with a decent uppercut.
Hoca throws a big shot that misses.
Hoca uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Diaz.
Hoca might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Diaz is looking to clinch but Hoca is avoiding it.
Diaz lands a head shot.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Diaz takes one to the side of the head.
Diaz bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Diaz tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Hoca manages to circle out of the way.
Diaz misses with a wild body shot.
Nice defenses there by Diaz.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Necmettin Hoca dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Noel Diaz's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Diaz moves into range and clinches up with Hoca.
Diaz jumps guard but Hoca stands there with Diaz around his waist. Diaz gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Diaz misses with a hook to the ribs.
Diaz tries to pull guard but Hoca won't allow it.
A nice left hand lands by Hoca.

Hoca breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Hoca has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Diaz misses with a double jab
and Hoca counters with a straight right hand.
Diaz defending well as Hoca loads up on a big left hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hoca slips a jab from Diaz.
Hoca throws the left hand but Diaz avoids the punch easily.
Diaz looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hoca lands a hook to the side of the head.
Diaz is trying to pull guard but Hoca turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Noel Diaz. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Hoca escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Hoca just misses with a punch to the body.
Diaz closes the distance looking to clinch
and Hoca counters with a nice body shot.
Diaz tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hoca swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Diaz avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
A slow jab from Hoca misses its intended target.
Hoca uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Diaz.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz throws a shot to the body.
Hoca misses with an uppercut. Diaz saw that one coming.
Diaz seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Hoca showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Diaz.
Hoca throws out a loose jab but Diaz uses good head movement to avoid it.
Diaz swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Hoca cracks Diaz with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Diaz throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Diaz lands a nice shot that snaps Hoca's head back.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hoca misses with a looping left.
A swing and a miss from Hoca.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hoca just misses with a punch to the body.
Diaz seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Diaz misses with a double jab.
Diaz keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Hoca.
Diaz wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Jab from Diaz.

Diaz closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Hoca tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Diaz's elbow.
A short uppercut from Diaz.
Diaz swings wildly with an uppercut but Hoca uses good head movement to avoid it.
Hoca misses with a hook to the ribs.
Diaz lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Hoca.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diaz misses with a hook. Hoca ducked under it nicely.
Diaz throws a series of punches but Hoca avoids them all with ease.
Hoca misses with an uppercut
and Diaz counters with a two punch combo.
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!
Hoca throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Diaz is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Hoca.
Diaz slips under a jab.
Hoca ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Hoca looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Hoca connects with the punch.
Hoca throws a body shot but no joy.
Hoca swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Hoca has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Diaz finds it's way round the side to connect with Hoca's head.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Noel Diaz will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Noel 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.

Hoca ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Diaz moves away.
The fighters circling - Hoca throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Diaz takes a swing at Hoca's ribcage but misses.
Hoca looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Necmettin Hoca seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Jab, jab by Hoca - just one landing.
A looping hook to the body misses from Hoca. Diaz does a little dance to reset his feet.
Hoca darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Hoca misses with a left hand
and Diaz counters with a one-two to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Diaz lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Diaz uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Hoca.
Hoca ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Diaz moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Hoca throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Diaz is looking to counter the offense by Hoca and move into the clinch.
Hoca throws a lazy right hand but Diaz sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Hoca misses the body punch

and Diaz holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Diaz pulls guard effortlessly.
Diaz controls Hoca momentarily but Hoca frees himself.

Diaz looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Diaz throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hoca got a little sloppy there for a moment and Diaz has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Hoca has managed to get both his arms back between Diaz's legs - danger averted.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

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

Hoca is posturing up here but Diaz has hold of an arm and he's gone for an armbar! Hoca tries to roll out but it's too tight and Hoca has to tap! Slick submission there by Diaz!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Noel Diaz!
Noel Diaz retains his lightweight title!
After the fight, Noel Diaz was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.