PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Chris Diaz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael Eldridge (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Diaz comes into the arena with Its not my time blaring out of the sound system. The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Diaz
vs
Eldridge

195 cm
22
205 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

188 cm
23
205 lbs
3 - 6 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite 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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Chris Diaz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Michael Eldridge!
The judges for this bout are Jonathan Paton, Reed Andrews and Alyssa Summers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Diaz uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Eldridge.
Eldridge slips a jab and a cross from Diaz.
Eldridge shoots for a takedown but Diaz saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Diaz fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Eldridge has closed the distance and engaged Diaz in a clinch.
Eldridge unloads a knee to the mid-section. Diaz lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
A frustrated look appears on Diaz's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Diaz wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Eldridge stalling against the cage.
Diaz wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Diaz tries to break free but Eldridge pushes him back against the cage.
Diaz is trying to break free.
Eldridge wants a takedown but no success here.
Eldridge leaning his opponent against the cage.
Eldridge keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Diaz's efforts to push away.
Eldridge trying to land knees to the body.
Diaz wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz blocks an elbow strike.

Eldridge has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Diaz clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Eldridge trying to control.
Eldridge trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Diaz doesn't escape.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Eldridge punishes Diaz with strikes from the back mount.
Eldridge softening up his opponent with strikes here.
Eldridge is hanging on to Diaz's back as he tries to escape.
Will Eldridge go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Eldridge is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Diaz defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
Eldridge tries to get the hooks in deep but Diaz pushed the leg off.
Eldridge has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Diaz is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Diaz trying to get back to his feet but Eldridge is in full control for now.
Eldridge lands with a nice looking elbow that stuns Diaz.
Diaz has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here.
Eldridge lands a punch that was close to the back of the head but the ref thinks it's OK.
Diaz is trying to stand back up.
Eldridge trying to control.
Diaz tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!

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.
Eldridge lands a heavy elbow.
Diaz tries to buck Eldridge off but he can't manage it.
Eldridge misses with a head shot.
Eldridge fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Eldridge trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Diaz is trying to escape the mount.
Eldridge raining down shots from the mount!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Eldridge dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Diaz misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Eldridge wants to clinch up but Diaz keeps it at a distance.
Diaz looks for the body kick but Eldridge saw that one coming.

Eldridge fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Diaz sprawls well initially but Eldridge persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Eldridge is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Diaz is not content to let Eldridge control the position.
Eldridge missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Eldridge wants to take a breather but Diaz is having none of it.
Still in half guard, Eldridge seems content to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Eldridge is just content to waste time from the top position. Diaz takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Eldridge looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Eldridge missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Eldridge trying to control but Diaz is working from the bottom.

Despite being in the dominant position, Michael Eldridge just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Diaz defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Eldridge.
Eldridge shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Diaz defends it nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Diaz throws a big shot that misses.
Diaz misses with the combination.
Eldridge tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Diaz was well out of range. Poor timing from Eldridge.
No joy there for Diaz, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Eldridge uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Diaz.
Eldridge scoring well with a low kick there.

Eldridge has managed to clinch.
Diaz working hard to break the clinch.
Eldridge tries for a takedown but Diaz manages to get underhooks.
Chris Diaz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Michael Eldridge.

Diaz breaks from the clinch.
Chris Diaz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Diaz fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Eldridge wants to clinch.
A telegraphed right hand from Diaz misses the target.
Eldridge avoids a punch combination nicely.
Diaz throws a head kick that misses.
A low kick from Diaz misses
and Eldridge cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Diaz misses with a straight left.
Eldridge slips under a jab.
Diaz catches Eldridge with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Eldridge looks for a takedown but Diaz sprawls well.
Diaz misses with a double jab

and Eldridge counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Eldridge.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Eldridge loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Eldridge trying to control the position from guard on top but Diaz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Eldridge stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Diaz swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Eldridge trying to control the position from guard on top but Diaz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Diaz is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Eldridge controls from within his opponent's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Eldridge showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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 slaps away a takedown attempt from Eldridge, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Eldridge looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Eldridge loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Eldridge showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Diaz lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Eldridge!
Diaz knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Eldridge on the ground.
Eldridge is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Eldridge can't escape the position.
A nice elbow there by Diaz.
Diaz looking to control and managing it successfully.
Michael Eldridge has got the better of the ground game so far.
Diaz is landing with some decent strikes but Eldridge is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Eldridge really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Diaz throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Eldridge because Diaz loaded up on that one.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Diaz throwing strikes here but Eldridge is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Eldridge is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Eldridge is trying desperately to improve position.
Eldridge takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Diaz content just to control the position here.
Diaz looking to finish with strikes here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Michael Eldridge is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Diaz throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Chris Diaz has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Eldridge takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Diaz unloads with some shots from mount but Eldridge bucks and avoids them well.
Eldridge blocking the ground and pound.
Diaz dominating with strikes here.
Eldridge can't escape the position.
Eldridge is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Eldridge really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Diaz throws some wild stikes that Eldridge manages to avoid easily.
BOOM! Diaz connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Diaz thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Diaz throwing strikes here but Eldridge is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Diaz unloads with some shots from mount but Eldridge bucks and avoids them well.
Eldridge is in all sorts of trouble here.
Diaz throws some wild stikes that Eldridge manages to avoid easily.
Diaz in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Eldridge wants to control but Diaz is having none of it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chris Diaz showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Eldridge 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 Jonathan Paton scores the fight 28:29
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Michael Eldridge!