PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jay Ray Okudja (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marcus Hawthorn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hawthorn has chosen Sam & Dave - Soul Man as his entrance music. Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Ray Okudja
vs
Hawthorn

169 cm
25
176 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

175 cm
20
170 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Jay Ray Okudja!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Marcus Hawthorn!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Steven Brown and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hawthorn misses with a looping right.
A combination from Hawthorn does no damage.
Hawthorn dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Okudja. That did some damage!
No joy there for Hawthorn, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Hawthorn stuffs the takedown attempt from Okudja. Okudja gets slowly back to his feet.
Okudja fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Okudja closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Hawthorn is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Okudja is controlling him well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hawthorn defending against the ground and pound.
Okudja in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Okudja grinds an elbow into Hawthorn's temple.
Okudja is trying to move to mount but Hawthorn reverses beautifully and ends up in Okudja's guard.

Hawthorn stands and steps away. Okudja gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hawthorn misses with a wild combination.
Hawthorn throws a hook but Okudja avoids it easily.
Hawthorn lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Hawthorn.

Okudja shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Okudja wants to advance to full mount but Hawthorn doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
Okudja throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Hawthorn works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Okudja stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Hawthorn swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Okudja postures up in Hawthorn's guard and throws a big left but Hawthorn blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Okudja in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Okudja stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Hawthorn swivels though and keeps the full guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Okudja accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Okudja forces his way into half guard.
Okudja throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Okudja wants to free his trapped foot but Hawthorn is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Hawthorn pushes Okudja off looking to stand but Okudja dives back in and keeps control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Okudja not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Okudja looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Okudja is trying to control the action in half guard but Hawthorn is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Okudja is looking to advance position but Hawthorn won't allow it.
Hawthorn is trying to stand.
Okudja is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Okudja throws and elbow that misses. Hawthorn uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Okudja's guard. Nice move by Hawthorn!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four 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.

Okudja working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Hawthorn has passed into half guard!
Okudja is looking to improve his position.
Hawthorn tries to stand but can't do so whilst Okudja controls his leg.

Hawthorn escapes and gets back to his feet.
Hawthorn fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Hawthorn rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Okudja moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
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 Jay Ray Okudja will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Okudja shoots for a takedown but Hawthorn saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Hawthorn rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Okudja moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Hawthorn tries to bum rush Okudja with a series of wild strikes but Okudja uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Marcus Hawthorn seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hawthorn misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Okudja has a takedown stuffed.
Hawthorn tries a head kick but it misses.
Hawthorn stalks Okudja and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Okudja's face. Okudja staggers backwards, shaken.
Hawthorn tries to bum rush Okudja with a series of wild strikes but Okudja uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
A chopping leg kick lands by Hawthorn.
Hawthorn pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Okudja blocks a head kick by Hawthorn.
Hawthorn lands a leg kick that knocks Okudja off balance momentarily.

Okudja shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Okudja missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Okudja with the ground and pound but Hawthorn uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Okudja wants to pass the guard but Hawthorn is keeping the position.
Hawthorn avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Okudja working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Okudja is looking to advance position but Hawthorn has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!

Hawthorn is standing up, even though he is in mount.
Hawthorn misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Okudja fails to land the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jay Ray Okudja. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hawthorn rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Okudja moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Okudja dodges the punch combination from Hawthorn.
Hawthorn swinging wildly here.
Hawthorn throws a right and a left that both miss.
Hawthorn throws a series of punches but Okudja avoids them all with ease.
Okudja moves out of range of the body kick from Hawthorn.
Okudja blocks a head kick by Hawthorn.
Hawthorn lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Okudja circles away quickly and effectively.
Okudja slips a jab and a cross from Hawthorn.
Horrible takedown by Okudja or perhaps it was just good defense by Hawthorn which made him look bad.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hawthorn gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Hawthorn keeping full guard, as Okudja tries to pass.
Okudja has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Okudja is working hard here to advance position.
Hawthorn wants to stand up but Okudja is controlling him.
Okudja pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Hawthorn is keeping the position for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hawthorn utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Hawthorn keeping full guard, as Okudja tries to pass.
Okudja keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Hawthorn's head.
Okudjais looking to pass into half guard but Hawthorn pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Hawthorn is in guard.
Hawthorn preventing the sweep.
Hawthorn wants to stand but Okudja is controlling his posture from full guard.
Okudja is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Marcus Hawthorn will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Okudja shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Hawthorn as he jumps to the side.

Okudja looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Hawthorn keeping full guard, as Okudja tries to pass.
Okudja trying to control the position from guard on top but Hawthorn is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Okudja loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Okudja pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Hawthorn is keeping the position for now.
Okudja loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hawthorn wants to get back to his feet but Okudja is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Hawthorn uses the cage to get back to his feet.

Okudja scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hawthorn is looking to escape.
Okudja looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Hawthorn is trying to stand up here but Okudja is controlling him well.
Okudja thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Hawthorn's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Okudja is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Okudja thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Okudja wants to pass to mount but Hawthorn is defending the position.
Okudja thows a huge punch but Hawthorn dodges it nicely.
Hawthorn is trying to stand.
Okudja trying to advance position but Hawthorn counters by regaining guard.
Okudja throws a strike but Hawthorn rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Okudja is pulling down on Hawthorn's head to control his posture.
Hawthorn wanted to stand there but Okudja had control of the position.
Okudja looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Okudja has a closed guard, preventing Hawthorn from standing up.
Okudja is trying to keep Hawthorn in close.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Hawthorn wants to stand but Okudja is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's four 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.
Okudja is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Hawthorn tries to stand but Okudja is controlling from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Jay Ray Okudja.

Okudja shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Okudja showed some decent athleticism there.
Okudja sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Hawthorn defending well though.
Jay Ray Okudja overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Okudja throwing shots but Hawthorn is blocking nicely.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jay Ray Okudja showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Okudja has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Paul Tew scores the fight 29:29
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 28:29
Judge William Gold scores the fight 29:28

The fight is ruled a draw!