PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ryker Gordon (ranked 3642 p4p, 3126 weight class) and John Okafor (ranked 370 p4p, 331 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Gordon
vs
Okafor

170 cm
26
270
4 - 3 - 0

199 cm
19
243
2 - 3 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ryker Gordon!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, John Okafor!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Ben Zyskovitsi and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gordon takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Okafor misses with a hook.
Okafor scores with a crisp jab that stopped Gordon in his tracks.
Okafor has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Gordon is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Okafor lands the left hand.
Gordon keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Okafor.
Okafor scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Gordon doesn't seem bothered though.
Okafor throws an overhand right that lands on Gordon's shoulder, as Gordon tries to avoid the shot.
Okafor dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Okafor lands a jab.
Okafor is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Okafor tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Gordon was well out of range. Poor timing from Okafor.
Okafor lunges at Gordon with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Gordon's hand.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Okafor connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Okafor throws a jab but it's blocked by Gordon.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Okafor throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Gordon sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Gordon is looking to counter the offense by Okafor and move into the clinch.
Gordon takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Okafor has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Okafor throws a poor cross that misses

and Gordon counters by moving into the clinch.

Okafor manages to break the clinch.
Okafor is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Gordon.
As Okafor tries to get set, Gordon tries to push him back and clinch up but Okafor manages to avoid the attempt.
Jab, jab by Okafor - just one landing.
Okafor fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Gordon manages to avoid it.
Gordon is looking to counter the offense by Okafor and move into the clinch.
Okafor lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Okafor throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Gordon stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Okafor thows a left - swing and a miss!
Gordon is looking to counter the offense by Okafor and move into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Okafor lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Gordon slips under a jab from Okafor.
Gordon walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gordon steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Okafor.
Okafor thuds his right hand into Gordon's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Okafor is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Gordon had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
Gordon takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Okafor throws a lazy right hand but Gordon sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Gordon seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Gordon uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Okafor.
Gordon tries to counter by clinching up but Okafor breaks away and moves out of range.
Okafor throws a big shot that misses.
Gordon tries to counter by clinching up but Okafor breaks away and moves out of range.
Gordon slips a straight right by Okafor.
Gordon wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Okafor connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Gordon's hands.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Okafor misses the shot to the body.
Okafor scores with a sloppy right hand. Gordon should have avoided that one.
Gordon walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
John Okafor is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Okafor misses with a straight right.

Okafor lands a big uppercut and Gordon crumbles to the floor! The ref thinks about stopping the fight but Gordon looks OK. Okafor waves Gordon back to his feet!
Gordon uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Okafor.
Gordon is looking to counter the offense by Okafor and move into the clinch.
Okafor ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Gordon moves away.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Gordon bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Okafor swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Okafor throws a hook to the side of Gordon's head but Gordon sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Okafor slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Gordon takes a jab right on the kisser.
Okafor might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Okafor lands a jab to the nose.
Okafor throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Nice body punch from Okafor.
Okafor slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Nice jab there from Okafor.
John Okafor seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gordon moves out of range as Okafor strikes.
Gordon is looking to counter the offense by Okafor and move into the clinch.
A slow jab from Okafor misses its intended target.
Gordon is looking to counter the offense by Okafor and move into the clinch.
Gordon ducks under a wild hook from Okafor.
Gordon wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Nice uppercut there from Okafor.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Okafor dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Gordon takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Gordon displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Okafor throws out the jab.
As Okafor tries to get set, Gordon tries to push him back and clinch up but Okafor manages to avoid the attempt.
Okafor connects with a jab.
Okafor keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Okafor throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Okafor misses with a looping right.
John Okafor seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Okafor lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gordon ducks under a wild hook from Okafor.
Gordon wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Okafor scores with a nice head shot.
Okafor jabs at Gordon's body.
Gordon takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Okafor jabs Gordon right on the nose. Gordon blinks but takes it well.

Gordon is rocked!
Okafor is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Oh Gordon is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Gordon displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Okafor throws out the jab.
Gordon is looking to counter the offense by Okafor and move into the clinch.
Gordon seems to have got his legs back now.
Okafor cracks Gordon with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Okafor throws the left hand but Gordon avoids the punch easily.
As Okafor tries to get set, Gordon tries to push him back and clinch up but Okafor manages to avoid the attempt.
Okafor misses with a straight left.
Gordon looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Gordon uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Okafor.
Gordon wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Gordon walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Okafor throws a hook but Gordon blocks it.
Okafor lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Okafor throws a hook but Gordon avoids it easily.
Gordon tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Okafor manages to circle out of the way.
Gordon on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Okafor has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Okafor looks to score with a jab to the body but Gordon is just out of range.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Okafor missing with a left hand there. Gordon was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Gordon seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Nice shot lands for Okafor.
Gordon shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Okafor throws a shot from downtown. Gordon moves away and avoids it.
Gordon wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Okafor sizes up Gordon with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Okafor lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
The fighters circling - Okafor throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Gordon tries to counter by clinching up but Okafor breaks away and moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gordon looks up at the clock. Bad move! Okafor lands a right hand from hell, dropping Gordon. Okafor pounces and finishes the fight with a flurry of punches and elbows.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:10 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). John Okafor!
After winning the bout, John Okafor thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.