PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Isaiah Okongwu (ranked 4746 p4p, 25306 weight class) and Azir Zarus (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Okongwu
vs
Zarus

180 cm
18
222
0 - 0 - 0

191 cm
21
204
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Big right hand

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Isaiah Okongwu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Azir Zarus!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Alan Glass and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zarus avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Okongwu lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Zarus circles away quickly and effectively.

Okongwu closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Okongwu lands with a right to the head.
Zarus tries to break the clinch but Okongwu is controlling the position.
Okongwu lands a hook to the side of the head.
Zarus's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Zarus has Okongwu pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Okongwu manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Zarus jumps guard but Okongwu turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Okongwu lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Okongwu lands with a left to the head.
Zarus tries to pull guard but Okongwu holds him up against the cage and eventually Zarus drops back down to his feet.
Isaiah Okongwu has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Azir Zarus.
Zarus drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Okongwu pushes Zarus back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zarus blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Zarus missing with knees to the body.
Okongwu lands a right hand that snaps the head of Zarus backwards.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Okongwu is looking to control Zarus's arms but Zarus gets an underhook and turns him. Now Okongwu has his back to the cage.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Zarus.

Zarus breaks the clinch.
Okongwu rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Zarus counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Okongwu is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Zarus throws a big elbow that misses.

Zarus stands up from Okongwu's guard - Zarus perhaps looking for a knockout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zarus ducks under a wild hook from Okongwu.
Okongwu wants to clinch up but Zarus keeps it at a distance.
Isaiah Okongwu is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Okongwu clinches with his opponent.
Okongwu taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Zarus goes for a takedown attempt but Okongwu pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Okongwu throws a leg kick

so Zarus counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Okongwu wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Zarus manages to pass to side control.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Zarus tries to pass to full mount but Okongwu defends it.
Zarus throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zarus passes the guard and advances to mount!
Zarus lands a big shot there that rocks Okongwu but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Zarus has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Okongwu is working to get back to half guard.
Zarus is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Zarus lands a couple of good shots and Okongwu has given up his back, trying to escape the position!
You know, I was talking to some of our celebrities at ringside tonight and they were split right down the middle on who was going to win this fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Zarus controlling well, preventing Okongwu from escaping the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Isaiah Okongwu will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Okongwu fails with an attempt to clinch.
Okongwu fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Isaiah Okongwu seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Zarus drives through with a takedown into Okongwu's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Okongwu can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Zarus controls the pace.
Okongwu is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zarus controlling from the top position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Zarus drops back for a leg here. A bit of a high risk move... He's looking for a kneebar by the looks of things. Now both of them are looking for submissions. Zarus seems to have locked his on tight now - Okongwu screams in pain and taps out furiously! It certainly was a high risk move but it's paid off for Zarus, as he picks up the win!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:18 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kneebar). Azir Zarus!