PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mikio Okita (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Justin Anthony (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). 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.

Okita
vs
Anthony

180 cm
35
177 lbs
31 - 20 - 0

184 cm
34
186 lbs
23 - 13 - 2

BJJ Red Belt
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

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 31 - 20 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mikio Okita!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 23 - 13 - 2, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Justin Anthony!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Leandro Rodrigues and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Anthony is looking to clinch.
Anthony throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

Okita shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Anthony controls Okita momentarily but Okita frees himself.
Okita wants to pass the guard but Anthony is keeping the position.
Anthony wants to stand up but Okita is controlling him.
Okita wants to pass the guard but Anthony is keeping the position.
Okita prevents Anthony from getting back to his feet.
Okita throws a strike but Anthony rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Okita looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Okita keeping full guard, as Anthony tries to pass.
Anthony won't allow Okita to sweep him here.
Anthony is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Okita looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Anthony stands and steps away. Okita gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Anthony throws a body punch but Okita moves out of range.
Okita throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Good standup being displayed there by Anthony as he connects with a hook.
Nice jab there from Anthony.
Anthony ducks under a wild hook from Okita.
Anthony throws a nice looking combination but Okita bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Okita tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Anthony swivels and escapes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters circling - Anthony throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

Okita shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Anthony napping and manages to drive through into side control!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Anthony tries to bench press Okita off him but Okita keeps the position.
Okita wants to lay and pray for a moment but Anthony keeps working.
Anthony gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Anthony is trying to maintain the position but Okita is very close to passing his half guard.
Okita wants to pass to mount but Anthony is defending the position.
Anthony is in trouble now - Okita has advanced to mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Okita lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Okita is trying to take his opponent's back.
Okita wants to control the pace but Anthony is squirming around nicely.
Anthony bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Okita looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Okita keeping moving, preventing Anthony from controlling successfully.
Anthony looking to pass the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Okita looking to hit a scissor sweep but Anthony is one step ahead there.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Okita keeping moving, preventing Anthony from controlling successfully.

Justin Anthony has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Anthony lands a jab to the head.
Anthony waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Okita.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A good leg kick by Anthony.
Okita tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Anthony swivels and escapes.
Anthony throws the kick towards the body but Okita avoids it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Justin Anthony will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Anthony tries a head kick but it misses.
Okita looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Anthony is fending him off so far but Okita persists. Nope, Anthony circles away and we're back to standing.
Anthony throws a front kick that sends Okita stumbling back into the cage.
Mikio Okita seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Okita tests Anthony's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Anthony fails to land with a series of punches.
Okita with a nice cross.
Okita throws a hook but Anthony blocks it.
Okita misses with a hook. Anthony ducked under it nicely.
Okita uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Anthony.
Anthony stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Anthony throws a right hand that Okita ducks under and follows up with a left that Okita also avoids with ease.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Okita throws a shot from downtown. Anthony moves away and avoids it.
Anthony misses the shot to the body.
Okita circles away from the clinch attempt.
Anthony scores with a leg kick.
Okita misses with a looping left.
Okita on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Okita throws a right hand that misses
and Anthony counters with a nice leg kick.
Okita misses with a hook. Anthony ducked under it nicely.

Anthony tries to sprawl but Okita drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Okita missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Anthony wants to control but Okita is keeping busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Okita trying to pass the guard but Anthony defending well.

Anthony makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
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!
Okita dives in and grabs Anthony's left leg, looking for a takedown. Anthony pushes down on Okita's head and hops out.
Okita shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mikio Okita. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Anthony misses with a jab, cross combination.
Anthony ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Okita moves away.
Okita connects with a good right hand that stumbles Anthony. Anthony circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Anthony thows a body shot but no joy.
Anthony scores with a one two! Okita had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Anthony uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Okita.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Anthony shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Okita misses with an uppercut.
Anthony swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A big left from Okita misses.
Okita closes the distance and clinches up with Anthony, looking for a takedown. Okita pushes Anthony against the cage but Anthony circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Anthony moves away from the strike by Okita.
Okita is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Anthony scores with a push kick.
A looping hook to the body misses from Okita. Anthony does a little dance to reset his feet.
Okita is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Okita shoots in for a takedown but Anthony shows good takedown defense.
Anthony scores with a crisp jab that stopped Okita in his tracks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Anthony lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Anthony fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Okita manages to avoid it.
Anthony moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.

Anthony clinches.
A right hook to the body lands for Anthony.
A frustrated look appears on Okita's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Okita working hard to break the clinch.
Okita jumps guard but Anthony turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Okita wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Anthony has him pressed against the cage.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Okita looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Anthony throws a punch but it's blocked by Okita.
Anthony working aggressively here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Justin Anthony showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Anthony turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
An inside leg kick lands from Anthony.
Justin Anthony is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Okita avoids a punch combination nicely.
Okita doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Anthony misses the shot to the body.
Anthony throws a good cross that connects.
Okita misses with a wild body shot.
Anthony connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Okita momentarily.

Anthony gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Anthony digs a right hand into Okita's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Okita's gas tank.
Okita blocks a punch to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Anthony dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
A left hand lands to the body for Anthony.
Anthony lands a shoulder strike.
Okita has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Anthony.
Okita blocks a body shot from Anthony.
Okita working hard to break the clinch.
Anthony swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Anthony lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Okita fails to pull guard.
Anthony struggles to land a body shot inside as Okita controls his hands.
Okita tries to break free but Anthony pushes him back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Okita blocks an uppercut.
Anthony has Okita pressed against the cage, preventing Okita from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Okita wants to get back to striking at distance but Anthony won't allow it.
Anthony pushes Okita back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.

Okita jumps guard and drags Anthony to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Anthony controls from within his opponent's guard.
Anthony stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Okita swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Mikio Okita has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Okita wants to sweep here but Anthony controlling him for the moment.
Anthony trying to control but Okita is working from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Justin Anthony was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Anthony throws a right hand that Okita ducks under and follows up with a left that Okita also avoids with ease.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Okita misses with a body shot.
Anthony lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Anthony swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Anthony lands a head kick. Okita smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Anthony looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Anthony pulls out of a head kick attempt.
A looping hook to the body misses from Okita. Anthony does a little dance to reset his feet.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Okita.
Anthony lands a nice shot to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Anthony connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Anthony slips under a jab from Okita.
Justin Anthony is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Okita avoids a punch combination nicely.
Okita misses with an uppercut. Anthony saw that one coming.
Anthony is looking to clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Anthony scores with a head kick.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Okita fails with the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mikio Okita. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Anthony misses with a double jab.

And that's the end of the fight!
Justin Anthony comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Anthony 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 27:30
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Justin Anthony!
A relieved looking Justin Anthony thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.