PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Kenji Okabe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Samuraimo Rassi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Okabe
vs
Rassi

177 cm
33
181 lbs
28 - 14 - 0

183 cm
29
184 lbs
15 - 9 - 1

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Crippler's Corner
//buriedALIVE// Fight Gear

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 28 - 14 - 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 15 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Hilo, Samuraimo Rassi!
The judges for this bout are , Jack Bonds and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Okabe fails with the takedown.
Samuraimo Rassi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rassi throws a low kick but it's checked well by Okabe.
Rassi swings for the body but Okabe moves out of range.
Okabe swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Nice uppercut there from Rassi.
Rassi will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Okabe jabs Rassi to the body, keeping him at a distance.

Okabe shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Okabe trying to pass the guard but Rassi defending well.
Rassi looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Okabe takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Okabe thows a huge punch but Rassi dodges it nicely.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Okabe lands a nice short elbow.
Okabe is pressing down on Rassi's thigh, looking to free his foot. Rassi is holding on for now.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Okabe lands a nice short elbow.
Okabe throwing shots but Rassi is blocking nicely.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Okabe is trying to control. Rassi wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Okabe connects with a nice short shot to Rassi's temple.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Okabe is pressing down on Rassi's thigh, looking to free his foot. Rassi is holding on for now.
Okabe thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Okabe tries to pass the half guard into mount. Rassi knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Rassi pushes Okabe off and gets back to his feet.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Okabe is trying hard to land a takedown here. Rassi sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Okabe takes one to the side of the head.
Rassi tries a head kick but it misses.
Rassi rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Okabe moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Rassi misses with a kick to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Okabe shoots in but Rassi avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kenji Okabe. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Okabe shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Rassi throws a head kick that Okabe semi-blocks.
Rassi avoids a punch combination nicely.
Rassi uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Okabe.
Okabe throws a lazy right hand but Rassi sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Rassi fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Okabe misses the shot to the body.
Okabe pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Rassi tries a head kick but it misses.
Rassi lands a jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Okabe shoots in for a takedown but Rassi shows good takedown defense.
Rassi misses with a hook.
Rassi misses with a body kick.
Rassi lands with a kick to the ribs.
Rassi throws a big shot that misses.

Rassi gets a clinch.
Rassi unloads a knee to the mid-section.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Okabe takes a knee right on the jaw!
Rassi unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Okabe is breathing heavily.
Rassi lands a nice knee to the body.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rassi throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Okabe blocks it with crossed arms.
Okabe letting Rassi take a breather here.
Rassi unloads a knee to the mid-section.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Samuraimo Rassi dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Rassi just misses with a punch to the body.
Rassi tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Okabe counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Rassi's guard now.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Rassi has momentary wrist control but Okabe slips an elbow through the middle.
Okabe trying to control but Rassi is working from the bottom.
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.

Rassi pushes Okabe off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Okabe ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Rassi stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Samuraimo Rassi is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rassi uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Okabe.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A head kick misses from Rassi.
A big left from Rassi misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rassi bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Okabe's head.
Okabe throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Rassi stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Okabe looks to score with a jab to the body but Rassi is just out of range.
Rassi misses with a body shot.
A big right from Rassi misses.
Okabe lands with a good body shot.
Rassi misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Okabe tries to score a power double leg takedown but Rassi sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Okabe somewhat.
Rassi is looking to clinch but Okabe is avoiding it.
Rassi lands with a kick to the temple. Okabe shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Rassi misses with a kick to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rassi moves in looking to clinch but Okabe pushes him off.
Rassi loads up on a big right hand but Okabe slips the punch.
Okabe is looking to wear down Rassi with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Rassi lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Okabe shoots in for a double leg but Rassi sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Jab by Okabe.
Okabe misses the shot to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rassi displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Okabe throws out the jab.
Okabe swings for the body but Rassi moves out of range.
Rassi on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
A combination from Okabe does no damage.
Okabe rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Rassi moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Rassi uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Okabe.
Samuraimo Rassi seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Rassi fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rassi misses with a head kick.
Okabe keeps the fight on the outside.
Okabe throws out a loose jab but Rassi uses good head movement to avoid it.
Samuraimo Rassi is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rassi misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Okabe.
Rassi throws a front kick that sends Okabe stumbling back into the cage.
Rassi cracks Okabe with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Rassi lands a head kick. Okabe smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
A big left from Okabe misses.
Rassi keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Okabe throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Rassi ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Rassi tries a head kick but it misses.
Rassi moves away from the strike by Okabe.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rassi connects with a nice looking jab.
The fighters circling - Okabe throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Okabe connects with the punch.
Rassi slips a straight right by Okabe.
Rassi scores with a shot to the body.
Okabe with a nice cross.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rassi looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Okabe throws a hook but Rassi avoids it easily.
Rassi moves in looking to clinch but Okabe pushes him off.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rassi tries a head kick but it misses.
Okabe lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Rassi looks to clinch

and Okabe counters with a takedown into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Kenji Okabe will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Rassi lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Rassi misses with a wild body shot.
Rassi staying out of range there.
A head kick misses from Rassi.
Rassi throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Rassi swinging wildly here.
Rassi swings and misses with a shot to the body

and Okabe counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Rassi avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Okabe is looking to pass into half guard but Rassi pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Rassi is in guard.
Okabe looking for a sweep. Not yet Okabe, not yet.
Okabe looking to control.

Okabe looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Rassi stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rassi tries to close the distance and clinch up but Okabe swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Okabe tests Rassi's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Okabe shoots in and drives through. Rassi sprawls well.
Rassi pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Rassi will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Okabe scores with the left hand. Rassi knows he should have avoided that one.
Rassi swinging wildly here.
Rassi throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Okabe swings for the body but Rassi moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rassi is looking to clinch but Okabe is avoiding it.
Rassi works over Okabe's head and body with a nice combination.
Okabe lands a right hook to the body.
A swing and a miss from Rassi.
Rassi tries to clinch up but Okabe circles away and keeps his distance.
Rassi looks for the body kick but Okabe saw that one coming.
Rassi tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Rassi misses with an uppercut. Okabe saw that one coming.
Okabe throws a nice looking combination but Rassi bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Okabe throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Rassi tries to bum rush Okabe with a series of wild strikes but Okabe uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Okabe shoots in looking for a takedown. Rassi tries to sprawl out of it but Okabe keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Rassi manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Rassi fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Okabe manages to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Okabe shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Rassi pinned against the cage. Rassi gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kenji Okabe. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rassi throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Okabe.
Okabe looks to throw the jab but Rassi is out of range.
Okabe throws a body punch but Rassi moves out of range.
Rassi changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Rassi lands a high kick!
Rassi tries to clinch up.
Rassi fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Okabe misses with a body shot.
Okabe throws the left hand but Rassi avoids the punch easily.
Okabe showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Rassi.
Rassi throws a head kick that misses.
Okabe misses with a straight right.
Rassi tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Okabe manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Okabe lands a nice shot to the body.
A looping hook to the body misses from Okabe. Rassi does a little dance to reset his feet.
Rassi misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Okabe.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Nice shot by Rassi.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Okabe shoots in looking for a takedown. Rassi tries to sprawl out of it but Okabe keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Rassi manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Okabe on the wrong end of a kick to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Samuraimo Rassi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Rassi has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:30
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:30
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 28:29

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