PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Bobby Mercer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Koji Okano (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Okano has chosen Aalto - Resolution as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Mercer
vs
Okano

180 cm
23
160 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

176 cm
24
169 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Bobby Mercer!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Koji Okano!
The judges for this bout are John Roberts, David Schapiro and Chad Campbell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mercer misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Okano.
Mercer swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Mercer shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Mercer throws a right and a left that both miss.
Danga de danga de dang - Mercer scores with a four punch combination!
Mercer looks to land a combination but Okano avoids it well.
Mercer swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Mercer throws a series of punches but Okano avoids them all with ease.
Okano pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Okano bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Mercer takes a swing at Okano's ribcage but misses.
Mercer waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Okano.
Okano on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Mercer thows a body shot but no joy.
Mercer sizes up Okano with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Okano lands with a thumping leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mercer swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Okano throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Mercer sees it coming and avoids it easily.

Okano drives through and clinches with Mercer against the cage.
Okano lands a knee to the body.
Mercer swings wildly with an uppercut but Okano uses good head movement to avoid it.
Mercer is trying to break the clinch but Okano is controlling him.
Okano unloads a knee to the mid-section. Mercer lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Mercer takes a knee to the side of the body.
Okano taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Okano keeps control of Mercer as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Mercer working hard to break the clinch.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Okano continues to stall. The referee tells him to work or he's going to break them up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Okano throws a knee to the head but misses.
Okano scores with a knee to the head.

It looks like Bobby Mercer has been cut.
Okano using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Okano has Mercer pushed against the cage.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Koji Okano.
Mercer has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Okano finds it's way round the side to connect with Mercer's head.
Mercer misses the jab.
Mercer takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Okano tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Mercer was well out of range. Poor timing from Okano.

Mercer shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Okano is looking for a sweep. Mercer is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Mercer trying to control from Okano's half guard. Okano has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Mercer trying to control but Okano is working from the bottom.
Okano wants to stand up but Mercer is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Mercer thows a big elbow that misses.

Mercer decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Okano, up you get!
Okano misses with a body kick.
Okano tries to clinch up but Mercer circles away and keeps his distance.
Okano has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

Okano is rocked!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Okano throws a head kick that Mercer semi-blocks.
Mercer fails with the takedown.
Mercer keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Koji Okano will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Bobby Mercer's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Okano pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Okano tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Mercer connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Okano's hands.
Okano is still on wobbly legs! Can Mercer finish him?
Mercer lands with an overhand left.
Mercer throws a one two combo.
Koji Okano seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mercer throws a series of punches but Okano avoids them all with ease.
Mercer tries to bum rush Okano with a series of wild strikes but Okano uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Mercer takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Mercer fails to land with a series of punches.
Okano seems to have recovered his senses.
Okano tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Mercer paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Mercer scores with a takedown into Okano's guard.
Mercer throwing strikes from guard but Okano blocks nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mercer trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Okano manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Mercer thows a body shot but no joy.
Okano misses with a head kick.
Okano defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Mercer.
Okano thumps Mercer with a low kick.
Mercer takes a kick to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Okano lands with a kick to the ribs.
Mercer displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Mercer misses with a body shot.
Okano lands a high kick!
A punch combination from Mercer misses.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Okano scores with a spinning back kick!
Okano turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Mercer misses with a looping right.
Okano looks to land a body kick but Mercer moved away.
Bobby Mercer is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Mercer just misses with a punch to the body.
Mercer lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Okano circles away quickly and effectively.
Mercer tries for a takedown but Okano sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Mercer lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Okano circles away quickly and effectively.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Okano feints and then cracks Mercer's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Mercer down.
Mercer scores with a hook.
Okano swings for the body but Mercer moves out of range.
Mercer misses with a wild body shot.
Koji Okano seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Okano scores with a kick to the midsection.
Okano throws a head kick but Mercer moves out of range.
Koji Okano is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Okano throws a head kick but Mercer moves out of range.
Okano throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Okano tries to clinch but Mercer moves out of range.
Okano tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Mercer paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Okano lands a head kick. Mercer smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Okano throws a head kick that misses.
Mercer looks to throw the jab but Okano is out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Okano plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Mercer waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Okano.
Mercer misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Okano pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Mercer throws a series of punches but Okano moves out of range.
Okano throws a sloppy head kick and Mercer moves out of range easily.
Mercer chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Okano can pounce on him.
Okano throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Mercer misses with a series of wild punches.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Okano thows a left - swing and a miss!
Mercer throws a right hand that Okano ducks under and follows up with a left that Okano also avoids with ease.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Koji Okano showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Bobby Mercer's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Okano is looking to land body kicks.
Mercer bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Decent striking displayed by Mercer there.
Mercer fails with a takedown attempt.
Okano throws a half hearted mid kick.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Okano.
Okano lands a front kick.
Okano tries to clinch up.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Okano - that will leave a mark!
Mercer moves away from the strike by Okano.
Mercer takes a head kick and keeps coming.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Okano goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Okano walks into a straight right hand from Mercer.
Nice body punch from Mercer.
Okano takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Mercer fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Okano looks to land a left hand but Mercer moved out of range nicely.
Mercer will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Okano tries a head kick but it misses.
Okano throws a nice head kick!
Mercer moves out of range as Okano throws a body kick.
Mercer on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Mercer misses with the combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Okano wants to clinch.
Mercer will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Okano lands with a thumping leg kick.
Okano looks for the body kick but Mercer saw that one coming.
Mercer blocks a jab.
Mercer lands with a hook. Okano tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Okano slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Bobby Mercer has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Okano doesn't manage to clinch there - Mercer circles away.
Okano fails with an attempt to clinch.
A left lands for Mercer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mercer throws a body punch but Okano moves out of range.
Mercer fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Mercer misses with a body shot
and Okano counters with a flying knee. Nice.
A head kick misses from Okano.
Mercer fails to land with a series of punches.
Okano misses with a head kick.
A nice inside leg kick there by Okano. That's going to slow Mercer down.
Mercer has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Okano.
Mercer lands with a shot to the body.
Okano lands a nice leg kick that just misses Mercer's sensitive parts.
Okano throws a head kick but Mercer moves out of range.
Okano moves away from the strike by Mercer.
Mercer ducks under a wild hook from Okano.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mercer looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Mercer is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Mercer misses with a looping left.
Mercer misses with a straight left.
Okano throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Mercer takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Okano pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Okano tries a head kick but it misses.
Mercer closes this distance looking for a takedown but Okano circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bobby Mercer. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mercer lands a right hook to the body.
Okano avoids a punch combination nicely.
Koji Okano is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Mercer looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Okano is fending him off so far but Mercer persists. Nope, Okano circles away and we're back to standing.

And that's the end of the fight!
Koji Okano comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Okano winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 John Roberts scores the fight 27:30
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Koji Okano!