*JMM vs. Diaz * Let's Talk it out!!!

[Pravus]

JMM fought a great fight tonight, and he certainly deserves to be right up there on the p4p rankings. I'm also glad he won. But I think he fought a terrible tactical fight in the first few rounds. He should have never allowed himself to get backed up against the ropes. Diaz was killing him in there. And the corner should've been more vocal about that between rounds. Luckily, JMM's counterpunching started to take their effect on Diaz, and eventually did him in. But JMM could've made it a bit easier on himself had he stayed off the ropes more. The difference between the ropes and middle of the ring were like between night and day.

Absolutely. JMM was frustrating the hell out of me every time he backed up against the ropes, especially the times Diaz wasn't pressuring - almost seemed like he wanted it there (and maybe he did - he does love to counter). Diaz was getting some nice work done there, and only there, so JMM should have kept it in the middle of the ring. Nacho was pleading with him to stay off the ropes though, and finally in round 8, JMM really began to listen - the beginning of the end for Diaz. His signature uppercut was surgical tonight (as usual), and the triple uppercut in the 6th was very entertaining. In all honesty, however, I think JMM was looking past Diaz - Diaz woke him up early on and made it a fight. When JMM almost went down in the second I though wow, time to go to work.

Diaz will carry on and tonight was a wonderful lesson for a skilled but learning fighter. Unless he decides to choose law-school over boxing, he'll be back and can hopefully use this brutal lesson to propel him to the next level. He does need to toughen up IMO - after he got the cut he was asking about it constantly in his corner, who abruptly told him to stop worrying about it and focus on his gameplan. In the post fight interview, he was all about the cut, reminiscent of the fight with Campbell. For some reason, getting cut up really affects this kid badly, and if you're going to compete with the elite fighters, you better be prepared to bleed. (I can't remember a fight when JMM wasn't bloodied up, including this one - doesn't phase the man a bit)

JMM deserves the big, big, big money fights (and has for years IMO). Future Hall of Famer and FotY award contender nearly every time (as with his little bro, and my second favorite fighter , Rafael).

We all won tonight