Juan Diaz
Pegajoso
Peru
Submission win in UFC debut
Diaz defeated Malcolm Wellmaker via submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 4:08 of Round 2 at UFC Fight Night on Saturday in Las Vegas.
ANALYSIS
Diaz earned his UFC opportunity with a knockout win on Dana White's Contender Series in October. He made his official company debut here against Wellmaker and looked awesome by showcasing a different aspect of his game. Recognizing a hole in his opponent's game, Diaz fired off eight takedown attempts, landing five. He eventually worked his way to the back of his opponent, earning the submission well. Wellmaker clearly isn't as good as everyone original anticipated, but this was a darn good debut performance from Diaz in a tough spot. He's a fighter to keep an eye on at 135 pounds.
Diaz earned his UFC opportunity with a knockout win on Dana White's Contender Series in October. He made his official company debut here against Wellmaker and looked awesome by showcasing a different aspect of his game. Recognizing a hole in his opponent's game, Diaz fired off eight takedown attempts, landing five. He eventually worked his way to the back of his opponent, earning the submission well. Wellmaker clearly isn't as good as everyone original anticipated, but this was a darn good debut performance from Diaz in a tough spot. He's a fighter to keep an eye on at 135 pounds.
Fight Log
Loading Fight Log...
More Fantasy News
Set for UFC debut
Diaz will take on Malcolm Wellmaker in a bantamweight matchup at UFC Vegas 117 on Saturday.
ANALYSIS
Diaz will make his official UFC debut after getting his contract from a highlight-reel, spinning finish on Dana White's Contender Series last October. The 27-year-old is 15-1-1 as a professional, but finds himself roughly a (+200) underdog as of the start of fight week, likely due to the fact Wellmaker has already picked up two UFC victories (which also coincided with POTN bonuses). Wellmaker also owns two-inch advantages in both height and reach.
Diaz will make his official UFC debut after getting his contract from a highlight-reel, spinning finish on Dana White's Contender Series last October. The 27-year-old is 15-1-1 as a professional, but finds himself roughly a (+200) underdog as of the start of fight week, likely due to the fact Wellmaker has already picked up two UFC victories (which also coincided with POTN bonuses). Wellmaker also owns two-inch advantages in both height and reach.
Brings house down to earn contract
Diaz defeated Won Il Kwon via KO (spinning back elbow) at 4:58 of Round 2 at Dana White's Contender Series on Tuesday. After the show, he was one of five fighters to be officially awarded a UFC contract.
ANALYSIS
This fight was nip-and-tuck for much of Round 1, with Kwon doing good work to the body, and Diaz using his jab to begin combinations. That all changed in the waning seconds of the frame, as Kwon overextended on a strike once too often, resulting in the elbow that shut out the lights. While the fight was competitive, Diaz rarely got hit clean, which can be attributed to his lateral movement and ability to roll with shots. It's also worth noting that Diaz is a brown belt who holds a 1-1-0 record in the EBI grappling organization. This diversity of skill set could make him one to watch at bantamweight. He improved to 15-1-1 in professional MMA as a result of the victory.
This fight was nip-and-tuck for much of Round 1, with Kwon doing good work to the body, and Diaz using his jab to begin combinations. That all changed in the waning seconds of the frame, as Kwon overextended on a strike once too often, resulting in the elbow that shut out the lights. While the fight was competitive, Diaz rarely got hit clean, which can be attributed to his lateral movement and ability to roll with shots. It's also worth noting that Diaz is a brown belt who holds a 1-1-0 record in the EBI grappling organization. This diversity of skill set could make him one to watch at bantamweight. He improved to 15-1-1 in professional MMA as a result of the victory.