PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Takuya Okayama (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hank Henry (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Okayama's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, On to the Next One - Jay-Z. Hank Henry is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Okayama
vs
Henry

182 cm
19
202 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
23
200 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Cardio machine

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Takuya Okayama!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Hank Henry!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Konstantin Menshow and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A shot to de liver by Henry. Beautiful body shot.
Okayama showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Henry.
Okayama is looking to clinch.
Henry throws a right hand that Okayama ducks under and follows up with a left that Okayama also avoids with ease.
A right-left combo lands from Henry.

It looks like Takuya Okayama has been cut.
Henry scores with a jab to the body.
Henry with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Okayama fails with the takedown.
Henry tries to clinch but Okayama is having none of it.
Okayama shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Henry tries to clinch up.
Henry tries to clinch but Okayama is having none of it.
Okayama takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Okayama showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Henry.
Henry misses with the combination.

Henry clinches with his opponent.
Okayama is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Henry is keeping busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Okayama has had enough of the clinch but Henry keeps him there for the moment.
Okayama tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Takuya Okayama. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A frustrated look appears on Henry's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Okayama ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Okayama no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Henry has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Okayama is proving hard to escape from.

Henry gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Hank Henry seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Henry tries to clinch up but Okayama circles away and keeps his distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Okayama closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Henry did well to prevent Okayama getting side control.
Okayama wants to control but Henry is keeping him busy.
Okayama is controlling the pace.
Okayama wants to free his trapped foot but Henry is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Henry is trying to stand up here but Okayama is controlling him well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Okayama stands up and beckons Henry to join him on the feet.

Okayama clinches up with Henry and pushes him back against the cage.
Okayama tries for a takedown but Henry manages to get underhooks.

Henry breaks from the clinch.
Okayama tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Okayama shoots in for a takedown but Henry shows good takedown defense.
Henry lands a nice looking body shot.
Okayama is breathing heavily.
Okayama keeps the fight on the outside.
Okayama has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

Henry takes the fight into the clinch.
Henry working hard to break the clinch.
Henry prevents a body shot from Okayama.
Henry gets underhooks to prevent Okayama's takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Henry is trying to break the clinch but Okayama has him pressed against the cage.

Henry's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Okayama walks into a jab.
Henry throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Okayama avoids the body shot from Henry.
Henry scores with a crisp jab that stopped Okayama in his tracks.
Hank Henry is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Henry is looking to clinch.
Henry looks to land a combination but Okayama avoids it well.
Okayama tries to clinch there but Henry circles away.
Henry misses with the combination.
A left and a right from Henry both land. Nice combination.
Okayama closes this distance looking for a takedown but Henry circles away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Henry tries to clinch but Okayama moves out of range.
Henry lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Okayama circles away quickly and effectively.
Henry tries to close the distance and clinch but Okayama swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Henry scores with a shot to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hank Henry dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Takuya Okayama's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Henry with a nice cross.
Henry moves in looking to clinch but Okayama pushes him off.
Henry throws a head kick but Okayama moves out of range.
Henry misses with a few strikes there.
Henry moves out of range of the body kick from Okayama.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Okayama pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Okayama takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Okayama misses with a head kick.
Henry tries to clinch there but Okayama circles away.
Okayama has a takedown stuffed.
Okayama tries to clinch but Henry is having none of it.
Okayama drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Okayama showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Henry.
Henry stalks Okayama and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Okayama's face. Okayama staggers backwards, shaken.
Hank Henry seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henry scores with a nice strike.
Okayama swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Henry counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Henry is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Okayama rather than just go for the knockout.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Henry lands with a right hand.
Henry tries to clinch up but Okayama circles away and keeps his distance.
Henry scores with a jab to the jaw.
Henry works over Okayama's head and body with a nice combination.
Okayama keeps the fight on the outside.
Henry wants to clinch.

Okayama scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Okayama wants to take a breather but Henry is having none of it.
Okayama trying to pass the guard but Henry defending well.
Okayama stalling.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Henry tries to kick Okayama off but Okayama keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Okayama seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Okayama stalling away here and it's allowed Henry to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henry wants to stand and escape but Okayama is having none of it.

Okayama decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Henry does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Henry has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Henry throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Okayama.
Henry fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Okayama looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Good shot there by Henry.
Henry blocks a head kick by Okayama.

Henry has taken the fight to the clinch.
Okayama tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Henry smiles and moves away.
Henry is looking to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Henry lands a slapping body shot.
Henry lands a slapping body shot.
Left hook, right uppercut from Henry.
Okayama looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Henry is fending him off so far but Okayama persists. Nope, Henry circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Takuya Okayama. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Okayama keeps the fight on the outside.
Henry slips a straight right by Okayama.
Henry tries to close the distance and clinch up but Okayama swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Okayama feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Okayama won't allow Henry to get back to his feet.
Okayama looking to pass the guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Okayama won't allow Henry to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hank Henry showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Takuya Okayama's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Henry misses with a two punch combination.
Henry defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Okayama.
A cross from Henry lands.
Henry throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Henry gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Okayama tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Henry breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Okayama circles away from the clinch attempt.
Henry dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Okayama. That did some damage!
Okayama gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Henry.
Henry tries to bum rush Okayama with a series of wild strikes but Okayama uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Henry tries to clinch up.
Okayama throws a body kick that misses.
No joy there for Okayama, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Okayama pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Okayama is trying hard to land a takedown here. Henry sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Takuya Okayama. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Okayama drops his hands momentarily and Henry takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henry wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

Henry clinches.

Okayama's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Henry clinches up against the cage.

Henry escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Henry!
Henry scores with a nice head shot.
Okayama throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Henry sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Henry lands a nice shot that snaps Okayama's head back.
Henry fails to land with a series of punches.
Henry throws a right and a left that Okayama avoids nicely.
Okayama looks to land a body kick but Henry moved away.
Takuya Okayama is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Henry is looking to clinch but Okayama is avoiding it.
Okayama misses with a body shot.
Henry lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Okayama.

Henry gets a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Okayama avoids a wild elbow strike from Henry.
Henry looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Okayama wants a takedown but no success here.
Henry content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Okayama tries to stall but Henry uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Henry breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Okayama swats away the attempt to clinch by Henry.
Henry scores with a three punch combo!
Henry keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Good leg kick by Henry there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Henry tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Okayama paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Okayama is trying hard to land a takedown here. Henry sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Hank Henry is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Henry throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Henry connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Henry scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Henry does it's job there.
Henry lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.

Henry gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Okayama tries to land a knee to the head but Henry blocks with his arms.

Okayama breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Okayama.
Henry ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Okayama throws a left and a right that both miss
and Henry counters with a left and a right that stings Okayama.
Henry lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Henry.
Nice cross by Henry.
Henry lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Henry circles away from the clinch attempt.

Henry takes the fight into the clinch.

Henry breaks the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Henry forces Okayama back against the cage and clinches.
Okayama goes for a takedown in the clinch but Henry prevents it.
Okayama looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Okayama looking for a takedown.

Henry escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Henry scores with a body shot.
Henry lands a two punch combo.
Henry is working the combinations to good effect here.
Henry tries to clinch up

and Okayama counters with a single leg into guard. Henry didn't expect that.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Okayama pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Henry is keeping the position for now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hank Henry comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Henry 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 Valeri Chadov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 27:30
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hank Henry!