PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Hitmon Lee (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lyon Okiro (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.

Lee
vs
Okiro

195 cm
40
222 lbs
38 - 25 - 0

200 cm
44
219 lbs
41 - 26 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 38 - 25 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Hitmon Lee!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 41 - 26 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Lyon Okiro!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Leandro Rodrigues and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lee bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Okiro avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Okiro throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Lee looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.

Lee shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Okiro is trying to defend but Lee finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
We've been hearing that Lee has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Lee missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Okiro is refusing to be controlled, as Lee sits in half guard.
Okiro blocking the ground and pound attempt from Lee.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lee sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Okiro defending well though.
Okiro keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Lee sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Okiro defending well though.
Lee thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lee looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Lee is looking to advance position but Okiro won't allow it.
Lee prevents Okiro from improving his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lee throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Lee thows a huge punch but Okiro dodges it nicely.
Okiro trying to control here.
Lee missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Lee with the ground and pound but Okiro uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Lee working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Okiro looking for a sweep. Not yet Okiro, not yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Okiro working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Lee.
Lee wants to pass the guard but Okiro is keeping the position.
Lee loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Lee trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Okiro manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Okiro gets to his feet - Lee follows without any prompting.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Lee, right into the meat.
Okiro tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Lee manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Lyon Okiro is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Okiro swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Okiro misses with a combination

and Lee counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Okiro kicks off Lee and gets to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Okiro connects with a jab.
Lee fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Okiro on the side of the head.
Okiro lets loose with a powerful body kick. Lee will feel that in the morning.
The fighters circling - Lee throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

Lee tries to keep at a distance but Okiro has taken the fight into the clinch.
Lee misses with a knee strike.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Lee.
Okiro scores with a shot to the side of Lee's head.
Okiro misses with a punch on the inside.

Okiro escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Okiro looks to land a body kick but Lee moved away.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Lee, as that shot connected.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Okiro misses with the combination.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Okiro cracks a nice hook into Lee's ribs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Okiro instigates a clinch.
Okiro looking to stall.
Lee lands a right hand that snaps the head of Okiro backwards.
Okiro looking to stall.
Lee tries a knee to the head but Okiro blocks it.
Okiro lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Lee tries to work over Okiro's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Okiro stalling the fight.

Okiro pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Okiro throws a hook but Lee blocks it.
Lee feinted with a counter takedown.
Okiro with a hook.
Okiro lands with a kick to the ribs.
Okiro throws a sloppy head kick and Lee moves out of range easily.
Okiro moves in looking to clinch but Lee pushes him off.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lyon Okiro dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Okiro throws a right hand that Lee ducks under and follows up with a left that Lee also avoids with ease.
Lee keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Lee fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Okiro is out of range.
Okiro misses with an uppercut. Lee saw that one coming.
Lee blocks a head kick by Okiro.
Lee takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.

Lee gets tackled into the cage by Okiro. Okiro maintains the clinch.
Lee blocks a body shot from Okiro.
Lee tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Okiro blocks an elbow strike.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Lee just misses with a elbow thrown towards Okiro's brow.
Okiro lands a hook to the side of the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Lee breaks from the clinch.

Okiro has closed the distance and engaged Lee in a clinch.
Lee lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Okiro tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Lee's elbow.
Lee tries to work over Okiro's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lee misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Okiro.
Okiro swings wildly with an uppercut but Lee uses good head movement to avoid it.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Okiro lands a right hand that snaps the head of Lee backwards.
Okiro displaying some good clinch control by pressing Lee up against the cage.
Lee can't find room to land a body shot as Okiro controls the action.
Lee's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Okiro lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Lee misses with a hook from the clinch.
Lee changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Okiro fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Lyon Okiro seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Okiro stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
No joy there for Lee, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Okiro is looking for the big counter here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Okiro keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Lee throws a leg kick but Okiro sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Lee throws a hook but Okiro avoids it easily.

Okiro clinches up with Lee and pushes him back against the cage.
Lee misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Okiro.
Okiro stops a takedown attempt from Lee.
Lee lands a body punch.
A right hand to the body from Okiro.
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!
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Okiro lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Okiro stalling in the clinch.
Lee misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Okiro.

Okiro breaks the clinch.
Okiro is looking to clinch.
Lee feinted with a counter takedown.
Lee swats away the attempt to clinch by Okiro.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lee throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Okiro tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Lee manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
A low kick from Lee misses
and Okiro counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Lyon Okiro is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Okiro moves in looking to clinch but Lee pushes him off.

Lee tries to keep at a distance but Okiro has taken the fight into the clinch.
A short right from Okiro on the inside.
Okiro working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Okiro tries a body shot but Lee blocks it.
Lee misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Okiro.
A shot in the inside from Okiro.
Okiro misses with a hook from the clinch.
Okiro lands a body punch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Okiro holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Okiro lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Okiro has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Okiro breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Okiro lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!

It looks like Hitmon Lee has been cut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Okiro tries to close the distance and clinch but Lee swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Lee swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Lee takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Lee stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Okiro.

Okiro instigates a clinch.
Okiro prevents a takedown attempt there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hitmon Lee. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Okiro's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Okiro gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Okiro lands an uppercut.
Okiro tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Okiro looking to stall.
Okiro displaying some good clinch control by pressing Lee up against the cage.
Okiro is stalling here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lyon Okiro showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Hitmon Lee's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Okiro tries to close the distance and clinch but Lee swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
A nice combination there by Lee.
Okiro will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Lee misses with a body shot
enabling Okiro to counter with a crisp jab.
A combination from Okiro does no damage.
Lee drops down looking for a counter takedown but Okiro sprawls and moves away.
Okiro throws a head kick but Lee moves out of range.
Lee feinted with a counter takedown.
Okiro tries to clinch up.
Okiro walks into a left hand.
Okiro throws a hook to the side of Lee's head but Lee sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
The crowd cheers as Okiro lands an impressive looking overhand right. Lee doesn't seem phased though.
Okiro throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Lee misses with a looping left.
Okiro tries to clinch there but Lee circles away.
Lee moves out of range of the strikes.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Okiro misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Lee.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Okiro blocks a jab.
Okiro takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Okiro takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Okiro bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Lee's head backwards.
Okiro takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Okiro tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Lee drops down looking for a counter takedown but Okiro sprawls and moves away.
Lee avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Okiro pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Lee misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Okiro.
Lee bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Okiro's head backwards.
Okiro misses with a two punch combination.
Lee connects with a single shot there.
Lee swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

Lee shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Okiro manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Lee trying to control the position from guard on top but Okiro is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Okiro seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Okiro wants to improve his position but instead Lee has moved into half guard.
Lyon Okiro is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Okiro wants to control but Lee is keeping busy.
Okiro keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Lee not landing any meaningful shots this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lee wants to take a breather but Okiro is having none of it.
Lee prevents Okiro from improving his position.
Lee seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Okiro does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Lee works his way into full mount!
Hitmon Lee overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Okiro working to try and regain half guard.
Okiro wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Lee.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lee thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Okiro wants to control but Lee is having none of it.
Hitmon Lee has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Lee scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Okiro?
Lee looking to finish here with some ground and pound. He lands one big shot that has Okiro covering up... and two more big strikes land, forcing the referee to step in and put and end to proceedings! This fight is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Hitmon Lee!
Hitmon Lee thanked the fans post fight for their support.