PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Kenji Okabe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gabriel Kiptanui (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kiptanui has chosen Teflon Brothers - Hoodilammas feat. Juju as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Kenji Okabe has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Okabe
vs
Kiptanui

177 cm
32
181 lbs
25 - 13 - 0

173 cm
30
181 lbs
18 - 13 - 1

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

ADCC Champion
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Hardcore Nutrition

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 25 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Kenji Okabe!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 13 - 1, fighting out of Hilo, Gabriel Kiptanui!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Micheangelo Fripello and Chris Saunders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Okabe closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Okabe lands in his opponent's guard.
Okabe engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Okabe works over Kiptanui with some ground and pound from guard.
Okabe throws a big right hand that misses.
Kiptanui trying to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Okabe passes Kiptanui's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Okabe seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Kiptanui is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Okabe's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Okabe's back!

Kiptanui is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Okabe knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Okabe for a finish.
Okabe is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Kiptanui is not going to allow Okabe to sit and survive in this position.
Kiptanui wants to control but Okabe is keeping busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kiptanui patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
Kiptanui is trying to stick to Okabe's back but Okabe is turning into Kiptanui. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Kiptanui's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Okabe.
Okabe postures up in Kiptanui's guard and throws a big left but Kiptanui blocks it.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Okabe tries to free his leg and advance position but Kiptanui is retaining full guard.
Okabe throwing strikes from guard but Kiptanui blocks nicely.
Okabe postures up.
Okabe has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Okabe sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Kiptanui's guard.
Okabe tries to pass to full mount but Kiptanui defends it.
Okabe is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kiptanui is trying to control but can't.
Kiptanui gets full guard.
Okabe stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kiptanui swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Okabe throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Okabe trying to move into half guard but instead Kiptanui has managed to sweep!
Kiptanui trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Okabe is pulling down on Kiptanui's head. It's preventing any offense from Kiptanui, at least for the moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kiptanui stops Okabe from standing up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Okabe working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Kiptanui.
Okabe looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Okabe holds on and takes a little breather.

Kenji Okabe has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Okabe fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Kiptanui manages to avoid it.
Okabe throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Kiptanui counters with a nice body kick.
Okabe keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Okabe fails to land with a series of punches.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Okabe misses the shot to the body.
Kiptanui defending well as Okabe loads up on a big left hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kenji Okabe dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Kiptanui moves in looking to clinch but Okabe pushes him off.
Kiptanui misses with an uppercut
enabling Okabe to counter with a crisp jab.
Okabe works Kiptanui's body with a nice hook.
Kiptanui tries to close the distance and clinch but Okabe swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Kiptanui displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Okabe throws out the jab.
Okabe ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Kiptanui walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
A big left from Okabe misses.
Kiptanui looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Okabe takes a swing at Kiptanui's ribcage but misses.
Okabe scores with a jab. Kiptanui acknowledges it with a nod of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kiptanui misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Okabe digs a good body shot into Kiptanui's ribs.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kiptanui looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Okabe scores with a shot to the body.
Kiptanui with a poor takedown
and Okabe cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Okabe throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Okabe scores with a jab to the head.
Okabe looks to throw the jab but Kiptanui is out of range.
Okabe misses with a looping right.
Decent striking displayed by Okabe there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kiptanui slips under a jab.
Kiptanui throws a nice outside leg kick.
Okabe throws a hook to the side of Kiptanui's head but Kiptanui sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Kiptanui takes one on the button.
Okabe throws a jab but it's blocked by Kiptanui.
Okabe clobbers Kiptanui with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.

Okabe shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Kiptanui actively working from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Okabe is keen to just control but Kiptanui is a slippery customer.
Okabe seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Okabe wants to control but Kiptanui is keeping him busy.
Okabe tries to pass the half guard into mount. Kiptanui knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Okabe is trying to control. Kiptanui wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Kenji Okabe has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Okabe throws a looping overhand right but Kiptanui ducks down to avoid it.
Kiptanui uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Okabe.
Kiptanui slips a jab and a cross from Okabe.
Kiptanui looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Okabe is fending him off so far but Kiptanui persists. Nope, Okabe circles away and we're back to standing.

Kiptanui closes the distance and clinches.
Okabe prevents a body shot from Kiptanui.
Kiptanui is trying to pull guard but Okabe has him pressed against the cage.
Kenji Okabe has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gabriel Kiptanui.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kiptanui tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Okabe's elbow.
A nice left hand lands by Kiptanui.
Okabe tries to break the clinch but Kiptanui is controlling the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kenji Okabe dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Kiptanui walks into a stiff left hand from Okabe.
Kiptanui lands a high kick!
Gabriel Kiptanui is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kiptanui jabs Okabe to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Okabe pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
A head kick misses from Kiptanui.

Okabe gets caught flat footed, as Kiptanui shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Okabe keeping moving, preventing Kiptanui from controlling successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Okabe controlling Kiptanui's posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kiptanui drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Okabe dives on top into guard.
Kiptanui keeping moving, preventing Okabe from controlling successfully.
Okabe pushes down on Kiptanui's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Kiptanui controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Kiptanui is pressing down on Okabe's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Okabe postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

Kiptanui is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Kiptanui looking to control.
Okabe trying to control but Kiptanui is working from the bottom.
Kiptanui looking for a sweep. Not yet Kiptanui, not yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Okabe pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Kiptanui is keeping the position for now.

Okabe avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Kenji Okabe overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Okabe preventing the sweep.
Okabe throwing strikes but missing.
Okabe looking to pass the guard.
Kiptanui looking to hit a scissor sweep but Okabe is one step ahead there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Okabe forces his way into half guard.
Okabe tries to pass to full mount but Kiptanui defends it.
Gabriel Kiptanui has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Okabe is looking to take a break and control but Kiptanui is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Okabe throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Kenji Okabe.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Okabe, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Roger Salmon scores the fight 30:28
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kenji Okabe!
A less than humble Kenji Okabe misjudged his post fight interview somewhat and came across a little too arrogant whilst trying to hype up his own abilities.