PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Hick Diaz (ranked 3318 p4p, 3783 weight class) and Balink Tarlah (ranked 405 p4p, 453 weight class). Balink Tarlah will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Diaz
vs
Tarlah

180 cm
22
185
8 - 6 - 0

179 cm
35
180
17 - 11 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Brawler
Powerful

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 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Hick Diaz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Balink Tarlah!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, William Peck and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tarlah lands with a straight right. Diaz didn't see that one coming.
Diaz shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.

Diaz looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Diaz is stalling in the full guard.
Diaz scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Diaz trying to control but Tarlah is working from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Diaz passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Diaz wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Tarlah, who protects the arm well.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Diaz looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Diaz postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.

Diaz thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
An elbow from Diaz crashes against the mat.

Diaz is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Tarlah is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Tarlah wants to control but Diaz postures up.

Diaz tries for a kimura but Tarlah is defending well.

Diaz working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Diaz is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Tarlah knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tarlah is looking for a sweep.

Diaz tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Diaz has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Tarlah is looking for a sweep.

Diaz is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Tarlah is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Diaz creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Tarlah sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.

Diaz working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Diaz is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Tarlah knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Diaz fails to land a wild elbow strike.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Hick Diaz dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Tarlah rushes Diaz and presses him up against the cage.
Diaz tries to land knees in the clinch but Tarlah avoids the damage to the body.
Tarlah goes for a takedown in the clinch but Diaz prevents it.
Diaz goes for a takedown in the clinch but Tarlah prevents it.
Tarlah is trying to force a seperation but Diaz has the dominant position.
Diaz goes for a takedown in the clinch but Tarlah prevents it.
Diaz tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Tarlah changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Diaz fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Diaz shoots for a double leg takedown but Tarlah sprawls well. He's pushed Diaz's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hick Diaz. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tarlah misses with a hook.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tarlah swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Diaz feinted with a counter takedown.
Diaz is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Tarlah can do to turn this around?
Tarlah lunges at Diaz with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Diaz's hand.
Diaz gets cracked there but stands up to it.

Tarlah gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Diaz has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Tarlah uses from the top position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tarlah wants to control from the top but Diaz keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz controls Tarlah momentarily but Tarlah frees himself.
Tarlah makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Diaz trying to control the position.

Diaz looking for a guillotine here but Tarlah defends easily.
Diaz looking for a sweep. Not yet Diaz, not yet.
Diaz pulls Tarlah in to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Tarlah wants to control from the top but Diaz keeps moving.
Diaz pulls Tarlah in close to his closed guard and prevents Tarlah from doing any damage or advancing position.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Tarlah postures up and lands a big shot to Diaz's brow.
Diaz working a defensive guard here.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Tarlah's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Diaz is looking to sweep but instead, Tarlah has passed into half guard.
Tarlah is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz wants to improve his position but Tarlah is controlling well.
Hick Diaz overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Tarlah throwing shots but Diaz is blocking nicely.
Diaz wants to get back to his feet.
Diaz blocking the ground and pound attempt from Tarlah.
Diaz is trying to stand back up but Tarlah is controlling him
Tarlah looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Tarlah lands a nice short elbow.
Diaz tries to roll over but Tarlah keeps him under control.
Tarlah thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Diaz's head.
Diaz manages to get to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tarlah content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Tarlah connects with a couple of short punches.
Tarlah scoring with punches to the head and body.
Diaz controlling Tarlah's posture.
Diaz tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Diaz is pulling down on Tarlah's head to control his posture.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Tarlah throws a strike but Diaz rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Balink Tarlah showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Tarlah tries to close the distance and clinch up but Diaz swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A jab from Tarlah finds it's way through Diaz's defenses.
Tarlah throws an overhand right that lands on Diaz's shoulder, as Diaz tries to avoid the shot.
Tarlah digs a good body shot into Diaz's ribs.
Balink Tarlah seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tarlah scores with a nice head shot.

Diaz is rocked!
Nice sprawl there from Tarlah as Diaz shoots in.
Hick Diaz is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Diaz will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Tarlah lunges at Diaz with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Diaz's hand.
Oh Diaz is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Tarlah steps in with a hook that catches Diaz right on the chin and knocks him to the floor! Tarlah follows him down with more strikes and that's all she wrote! Diaz looks absolutely devastated.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:29 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Balink Tarlah!
Balink Tarlah seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.