PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Rufus Diaz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ayarauuftwo Balpal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Diaz
vs
Balpal

222 cm
24
178 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

173 cm
25
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Rufus Diaz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Ayarauuftwo Balpal!
The judges for this bout are Damien Edna, Francis DeMontford and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Balpal tries to close the distance and clinch but Diaz swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Ayarauuftwo Balpal seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Balpal shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Diaz is positioning himself well to prevent Balpal advancing to mount.
Balpal trying to mount his opponent but Diaz defends it.
Diaz trying to hold on to Balpal's head to control him but Balpal postures up.

Diaz makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Diaz avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Balpal closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Diaz's guard.
Balpal connects with a couple of short punches.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Balpal stopping the sweep attempt from Diaz.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz looking to control.
Diaz wants to stand and escape but Balpal is having none of it.
Diaz trying to keep a closed guard but Balpal is proving a slippery customer.

Diaz has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Balpal is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
Diaz is trying to break the clinch but Balpal has him pressed against the cage.
Balpal drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Diaz prevents the takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balpal is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Rufus Diaz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ayarauuftwo Balpal.

Balpal's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Balpal tries to close the distance and clinch but Diaz swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Balpal gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Diaz makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Balpal really felt that one!
Balpal doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Diaz counters with a left and a right that stings Balpal.
Balpal changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Diaz tries to avoid it but Balpal manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Diaz to the ground. Diaz escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balpal misses with a head kick.
Balpal tries to clinch there but Diaz circles away.
Balpal misses with a left hand

and Diaz moves into the clinch.
Balpal tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Diaz's elbow.
Diaz tries to throw a body punch but Balpal avoids it by throwing Diaz back against the cage.
Balpal has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Diaz avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Diaz breaks from the clinch.
Diaz defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Balpal.
Balpal looks winded!
Balpal tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Balpal shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Diaz moves into the clinch successfully.
Balpal is working for takedown but Diaz is calmly controlling the position for now.
Balpal is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Diaz to keep the fight standing.
Diaz lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
A short body shot lands from Diaz as the two fighters clinch.
Diaz holding his opponent close, against the cage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Balpal is trying to pull guard but Diaz turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ayarauuftwo Balpal will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Diaz fails with a takedown attempt.
Diaz stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Diaz wants it to stay on the feet.
Balpal throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Balpal moves in looking to clinch but Diaz pushes him off.
Diaz really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Balpal shoots in looking for a takedown. Diaz tries to sprawl out of it but Balpal keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Diaz manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Balpal tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Diaz paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balpal will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Rufus Diaz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ayarauuftwo Balpal.
Balpal has his takedown stuffed
and Balpal takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Ayarauuftwo Balpal is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Diaz takes the fight into the clinch.
Balpal has Diaz pressed against the cage, preventing Diaz from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Diaz is trying to break the clinch but Balpal has him pressed against the cage.
Diaz just leaning against Balpal, taking a breather.
Balpal crunches a lovely knee into Diaz's ribcage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz misses with a body punch.
Diaz tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Balpal avoids it.

Diaz manages to break the clinch.
Balpal doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Diaz counters with a one-two to the body.
Balpal tries to clinch but Diaz moves out of range.
Balpal tried to score with a low kick but Diaz checks it.

Balpal moves into the clinch successfully.
Balpal is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Diaz pulls him back up using the underhooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balpal is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Diaz is keeping busy.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
A frustrated look appears on Balpal's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Diaz lands a hook that snaps the head of Balpal backwards.
Diaz misses with a hook to the ribs.
Diaz is trying to maintain a safe position but Balpal gets an underhook and turns Diaz into the cage.
Balpal managing to block the knees to the body from Diaz.
Diaz can't break the clinch.
Balpal is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Diaz is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balpal is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Diaz to keep the fight standing.

Balpal pulls guard.
Balpal really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Diaz. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Diaz trying to control the position from guard on top but Balpal is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Diaz stopping the sweep attempt from Balpal.
Diaz's corner is telling him to maintain position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Rufus Diaz.
Balpal throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Balpal fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Balpal is breathing heavily.

Balpal closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Balpal lands in his opponent's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Ayarauuftwo Balpal will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Balpal has Diaz up against the cage in a clinch.
Balpal slows down the pace here.
Diaz misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Balpal.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Balpal avoiding damage as Diaz throws knees to the body.
Balpal wants to stall.
Balpal managing to block the knees to the body from Diaz.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balpal lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Diaz.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Balpal is trying to pull guard but Diaz turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Diaz lands a shot to the body.
Diaz is trying to break the clinch but Balpal is controlling him.

Balpal manages to break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balpal tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Diaz paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Balpal throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Diaz counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Diaz trying to control the position from guard on top but Balpal is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Balpal has a closed guard, preventing Diaz from standing up.

Diaz is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Balpal is looking for a triangle but Diaz pushes his legs off easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Balpal is trying to keep Diaz in close.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Balpal is working an open guard so Diaz takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Balpal dives in and grabs Diaz's left leg, looking for a takedown. Diaz pushes down on Balpal's head and hops out.
Balpal takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Balpal tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Diaz paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Balpal swings widly with a right hand
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Balpal keeps the fight on the outside.
Balpal throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Diaz clinches with his opponent.
Diaz's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Rufus Diaz has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Balpal is trying to pull guard but Diaz has him pressed against the cage.
Rufus Diaz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ayarauuftwo Balpal.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diaz wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Balpal has him pressed against the cage.

Balpal breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Balpal tries to close the distance and clinch up but Diaz swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Balpal tries for a takedown but Diaz circles away easily
and Diaz counters with a flying knee. Nice.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Balpal is defended easily by Diaz.
Rufus Diaz has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ayarauuftwo Balpal is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Diaz is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

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 Rufus Diaz.
I think Balpal 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 Damien Edna scores the fight 29:29
Judge Francis DeMontford scores the fight 28:29
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!