PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Firnanda Talha (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hiroyuki Okamoto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Okamoto's choice of entrance music: Feel the Drive. Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Talha
vs
Okamoto

170 cm
36
154 lbs
21 - 24 - 0

168 cm
36
152 lbs
26 - 19 - 2

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Good kicks
Good gas tank

Spartan Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 21 - 24 - 0, fighting out of New York, Firnanda Talha!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 26 - 19 - 2, fighting out of Tokyo, Hiroyuki Okamoto!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Sosuke Kotani and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Okamoto misses with a low kick.
Talha blocks a head kick by Okamoto.
Talha steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Okamoto. That one must have hurt.
Okamoto will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Okamoto misses with an attempted mid kick.
Okamoto throws a sloppy head kick and Talha moves out of range easily.
An inside leg kick lands from Okamoto.
Nice cross by Okamoto.
Talha fails to land the takedown.
A nice combination there by Okamoto.
Okamoto throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Talha will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Okamoto flicks out a counter leg kick but Talha steps away.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Talha misses with a series of wild punches.
Okamoto looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Talha fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Firnanda Talha. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Okamoto misses with a low kick.
Talha attempts a counter takedown but Okamoto avoids it well and moves away.
Talha misses with a two punch combination.
Okamoto misses with a double jab

and Talha counters with a single leg into guard. Okamoto didn't expect that.
Talha working some strikes from top position.
Talha works over Okamoto with some ground and pound from guard.
Talha lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Talha working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Talha postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Okamoto wants to sweep but no luck.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Okamoto is on top in guard.

Talha trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Talha throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Okamoto forces his way into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Talha throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Talha punching from the bottom.
Okamoto tries to pass the half guard into mount. Talha knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Okamoto wants to take a breather but Talha is having none of it.
Okamoto throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Okamoto looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Okamoto uses his free foot to push down on Talha's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Talha.
Okamoto putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Talha swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Talha is in all sorts of trouble here.
Talha throwing punches despite being mounted.
Okamoto lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Talha sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Talha wants to get back to full guard.
Talha punching from the bottom.
Okamoto trying to pass the guard but Talha defending well.
Talha wants to get back to full guard.
Okamoto not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Talha tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Talha moves into full guard.
Okamoto is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Talha 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.
Talha keeping full guard, as Okamoto tries to pass.
Talha lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Talha postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Talha stopping the sweep attempt from Okamoto.
Talha distracts Okamoto with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Okamoto looking to hit a scissor sweep but Talha is one step ahead there.
Talha with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Talha preventing the sweep.
Talha scoring with punches to the head and body.
Talha lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Talha with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Okamoto wants to sweep but no luck.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Talha working some strikes from top position.
Talha lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

Okamoto is rocked!
Okamoto wants to sweep but no luck.
Okamoto is still in real trouble! Can Talha finish him?
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!
Talha lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Talha loads up on a big left hand. Okamoto felt that one! He's just covering up now, not defending himself intelligently - Talha looks towards the ref and unloads with 3 more big shots and the ref has no choice but to stop the fight! Okamoto can't hide his disappointment, as Talha celebrates the victory.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:31 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Firnanda Talha!
Firnanda Talha seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.