PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Rufus Diaz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Laster Gunner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rufus Diaz has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Diaz
vs
Gunner

222 cm
24
178 lbs
3 - 1 - 1

175 cm
25
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Very confident

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 3 - 1 - 1, 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, Laster Gunner!
The judges for this bout are Ron Honeybunn, Ben Hemmingworth and Steve Erwin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Diaz moves out of range of the leg kick from Gunner.
Gunner shoots in looking for a takedown. Diaz tries to sprawl out of it but Gunner 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.
Diaz is looking to clinch but Gunner is avoiding it.
Gunner with a poor takedown

so Diaz counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Diaz drops back looking for a leg! Gunner is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Gunner manages to kick Diaz off! Diaz jumps back into Gunner's guard.
Diaz content to stall in guard here.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Gunner holds on and takes a little breather.

Diaz avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Diaz thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Diaz wants to stand but Gunner is controlling his posture from full guard.
Gunner is adopting a defensive guard.

Diaz drops back, looking for a kneebar! Gunner looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Gunner looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Gunner!
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Gunner prevents Diaz from escaping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gunner tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Diaz is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Diaz is trying to improve his position.
Diaz is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Gunner's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gunner is looking to take a break and control but Diaz is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Gunner is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Diaz is just riding it out for now. Gunner eventually gives up the hold.
Gunner throwing shots but Diaz is blocking nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz is trying to stand back up but Gunner is controlling him
Diaz scrambles, trying to get to his feet, but Gunner manages to mount him!
Diaz tries to hold on but Gunner pushes him away.

Gunner jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Diaz is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Diaz and Gunner has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Diaz has one of Gunner's arms on lockdown, trying to prevent him from doing any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Diaz managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Gunner.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gunner throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Diaz tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Gunner throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Diaz is trying to buck Gunner off.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gunner is looking to take a break and control but Diaz is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Diaz is trying to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rufus Diaz dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Diaz is looking to clinch.
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.
Diaz avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Gunner misses with a wild body shot.
Nice takedown defense from Diaz. No joy for Gunner on that attempt.
Gunner has his takedown stuffed
and Diaz counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Gunner wants to clinch up but Diaz keeps it at a distance.
Diaz is looking to clinch.
Gunner tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Diaz swivels and escapes.
Rufus Diaz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Laster Gunner.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gunner has Diaz up against the cage in a clinch.

Diaz escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Diaz tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Gunner manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Gunner throws a leg kick
and Diaz counters with a big head kick but Gunner shrugs it off.
Gunner shoots in looking for a takedown. Diaz tries to sprawl out of it but Gunner 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.
Laster Gunner seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gunner tries a head kick but it misses.
Gunner fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gunner closes the distance looking to clinch
and Diaz counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Gunner scores with a nice right hand.
Gunner fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Gunner tries for a takedown but Diaz sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Gunner is breathing heavily.
Gunner avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Gunner forces Diaz back against the cage and clinches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Come on Diaz - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Diaz gets underhooks to prevent Gunner's takedown attempt.
Diaz throws a punch but it's blocked by Gunner.
Gunner wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Gunner tries for a takedown but Diaz manages to get underhooks.
Gunner fails to pull guard.
Gunner stalling in the clinch but Diaz improves position.
Gunner is working for takedown but Diaz is calmly controlling the position for now.
Gunner tries to circle away but Diaz has him pinned against the cage.
Diaz slows down the pace here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diaz tries a body shot but Gunner blocks it.
Diaz is pressed up against the cage. Gunner has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Diaz down to the mat. Diaz avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
A combination from Gunner does no damage.
Diaz tries to close the distance and clinch up but Gunner swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Diaz gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Diaz misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Diaz escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Laster Gunner will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Nice takedown defense from Diaz. No joy for Gunner on that attempt.
Gunner shoots in but no luck this time.

Gunner closes the distance and clinches.
Gunner misses with a punch to the body.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

Diaz pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A telegraphed right hand from Gunner misses the target.
Diaz fails in his attempt to clinch.
Gunner dives in for a single leg takedown but Diaz sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Rufus Diaz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Laster Gunner.

Diaz breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Diaz is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Gunner lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Diaz has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Diaz and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.

Gunner pushes Diaz up against the cage in a clinch.
Diaz missing with knees to the body.
Gunner tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Diaz smiles and moves away.
Gunner wants to clinch.
Gunner shoots for a takedown but Diaz saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Gunner tries for a takedown but Diaz circles away easily
and Diaz counters with a good, hard body kick but Gunner shrugs it off.
Gunner takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Gunner is looking to clinch but Diaz is avoiding it.
Gunner with a poor takedown
and Diaz counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Gunner is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Gunner closes this distance looking for a takedown but Diaz circles away.
Gunner with a poor takedown
and Diaz counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Gunner misses with a takedown
and Diaz counters with a slapping leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Diaz looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Diaz tries to close the distance and clinch but Gunner swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Diaz tries to clinch but Gunner is having none of it.
Gunner throws a lazy head kick
and Diaz counters with a big head kick but Gunner shrugs it off.
Diaz tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Gunner shoots in for a takedown but Diaz shows good takedown defense.
Diaz misses with a hook.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Diaz gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Diaz escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Gunner moves to clinch but Diaz breaks away

and Diaz decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Gunner's guard.
Diaz pushes down on Gunner's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Diaz looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Diaz working the head and body with strikes.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Diaz is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Diaz content to control rather than advance.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rufus Diaz showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Diaz has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Ron Honeybunn scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ben Hemmingworth scores the fight 29:28
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rufus Diaz!