PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Apio Okafor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ricky Lawler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Okafor's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, how i could just kill a man. Lawler is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Tom Petty- I Wont Back Down. 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.

Okafor
vs
Lawler

195 cm
23
185 lbs
5 - 3 - 1

182 cm
28
175 lbs
8 - 7 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good knees
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

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 5 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Apio Okafor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 7 - 0, fighting out of London, Ricky Lawler!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Wesley Smith and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lawler takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Lawler throws a looping overhand right but Okafor ducks down to avoid it.
Okafor cracks the inside of Lawler's front leg.
Lawler throws an off balance right hand
and Okafor counters with a two punch combo.
Ricky Lawler seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lawler scores with a jab to the body.
Okafor dodges the punch combination from Lawler.
Okafor tries a head kick but it misses.
Lawler lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Lawler swings away with a body shot that misses
and Okafor counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
A solid leg kick lands there for Okafor.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Good leg kick by Lawler there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Lawler fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Okafor manages to avoid it.
Okafor throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Lawler throws a body shot but no joy.
Lawler misses with a double jab.
Lawler throws a big shot that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lawler cracks Okafor with a good jab.
Lawler swinging wildly here.
Okafor scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Okafor swings away with a body shot that misses
and Okafor takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Okafor blocks a head kick by Lawler.
Okafor 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.
Lawler moves in looking to clinch but Okafor pushes him off.
Lawler lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Okafor wants to clinch up but Lawler keeps it at a distance.
Okafor avoids the head kick by Lawler.
Okafor lands with a cross.

It looks like Ricky Lawler has been cut.
Lawler feints a jab promting Okafor to slip. Lawler then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Okafor slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Okafor lands with a kick to the temple. Lawler shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lawler throws a series of punches but Okafor avoids them all with ease.
A solid body kick from Okafor.
Okafor connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
A good leg kick by Okafor.
A combination from Lawler does no damage.
Lawler fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Lawler throws out a loose jab but Okafor uses good head movement to avoid it.
Lawler misses with a two punch combination.
Okafor throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Lawler tries to close the distance and clinch up but Okafor swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Okafor goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Lawler tries to bum rush Okafor with a series of wild strikes but Okafor uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Lawler cracks Okafor with an open hand slap.
Okafor checks a leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lawler misses with a shot to the body
and Okafor counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Lawler throws a lazy uppercut
letting Okafor counter with a right hand.
Okafor really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Okafor rushes Lawler and presses him up against the cage.
Okafor with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Okafor lands a nice knee to the body.
Okafor unloads a knee to the mid-section. Lawler lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

Lawler breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Okafor tries a head kick but it misses.
Okafor throws a half hearted mid kick.
Lawler tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Okafor paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Okafor scores with a push kick.
Okafor throws a head kick that misses.
Okafor thumps Lawler with a low kick.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Lawler tries a head kick but it misses.
Okafor is looking to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Okafor goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Lawler fails in his attempt to clinch.
A big left from Lawler misses.
Lawler tries to clinch there but Okafor circles away.
Lawler throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Lawler slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
A good leg kick by Okafor.
Lawler misses with a combination
and Okafor counters with a nice low kick that buckles Lawler's knee momentarily.
Okafor scores with a push kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Okafor works Lawler's body with a nice hook.
Lawler misses with a hook.
Lawler throws a low kick but it's checked well by Okafor.
Lawler pivots, looking for a leg kick but Okafor is out of range and Lawler settles back down.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Apio Okafor dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ricky Lawler's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Lawler scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Okafor staying out of range there.
Okafor lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Okafor is looking to wear down Lawler with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Okafor throws out a powerful jab.
Lawler moves out of range of the body kick from Okafor.
Apio Okafor is winning the standup battle so far.
Nice body kick there by Okafor.
Lawler scores with a hook.
Okafor's Muay Thai looks sharper than normal. He has obviously been working on it in the gym.
Okafor delivers a nice body kick.
Okafor tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Okafor uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Lawler.
Okafor lands a nice leg kick that just misses Lawler's sensitive parts.
Okafor looks to land a body kick but Lawler moved away.
Okafor lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
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!
Lawler throws a looping overhand right but Okafor ducks down to avoid it.
A left lands for Okafor.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Okafor throws a sloppy head kick

and Lawler counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Lawler.
Lawler has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Okafor.
Lawler is looking to break free of the clinch but Okafor has double underhooks.
Okafor blocks an elbow strike.
Okafor keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Lawler's efforts to push away.
Lawler's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.

Okafor breaks the clinch.
Okafor jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.

Lawler moves into the clinch.
Lawler misses with the head strike.
Okafor throws a knee to the head but misses.

Okafor pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Lawler sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Okafor looks to land a body kick but Lawler moved away.
Okafor scoring well with a low kick there.
Lawler ducks down and throws a hook to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A chopping leg kick lands by Okafor.
Okafor throws a sloppy head kick and Lawler moves out of range easily.
Lawler rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Okafor moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Okafor fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Lawler wants to clinch.
Lawler swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Lawler walks forward, straight into a front kick from Okafor.
Lawler sizes up Okafor with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Lawler in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
Okafor misses the shot to the body.
Lawler feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Okafor's calf.
Okafor keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lawler throws a series of punches but Okafor moves out of range.
An inside leg kick lands from Okafor.

Lawler gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Okafor tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
A shot in the inside from Okafor.

Lawler breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Okafor throws a nice looking combination but Lawler bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Okafor takes the fight into the clinch.
Lawler wants to break the clinch but can't.
Lawler missing with knees to the body.
Lawler misses with a knee to the head.
Lawler misses with some punches.
Lawler tries to work over Okafor's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Lawler misses with a shot to the kidneys.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Okafor softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Okafor lands a nice knee to the body.

Okafor manages to break the clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Okafor.
Okafor scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Okafor tries to land a front kick but Lawler steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Lawler thumps Okafor with a low kick.
Lawler takes a kick to the side of the head.
Lawler throws a nice looking combination but Okafor bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Okafor lands a high kick!

That has opened up Ricky Lawler's cut even more.
Okafor scores with a jab to the body.
Lawler checks a low kick from Okafor.
Okafor swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Lawler pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Okafor back to the cage. Lawler follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Apio Okafor dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Ricky Lawler's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Lawler lands a really nice looking cross but Okafor seems unphased.
Lawler uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Okafor.
Lawler misses with a straight left.
Okafor pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Lawler throws a right and a left that both miss.
Lawler misses with a jab, cross combination.
No joy there for Lawler, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Okafor throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Lawler.
Lawler swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Okafor cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

Lawler is rocked!
Lawler wants to stay close but Okafor steps back to make room for something. Lawler seems frozen to the spot and bam! huge swing of the leg from Okafor and Lawler drops like he has been shot! A huge head kick and it's all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:45 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Head Kick). Apio Okafor!
After winning the bout, Apio Okafor thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.