PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Tane Thompson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Takayuki Okubo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Thompson kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is it was over. Takayuki Okubo acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the ring.

Thompson
vs
Okubo

176 cm
20
173 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

175 cm
23
178 lbs
8 - 6 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

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 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tane Thompson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Takayuki Okubo!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Yukihiro Shimada and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Okubo misses with a two punch combination.
Okubo misses with a wild combination.
Okubo walks into a jab.

It looks like Takayuki Okubo has been cut.
Thompson checks a low kick from Okubo.
Thompson slips a jab and a cross from Okubo.
Okubo will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Thompson keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Okubo tries to bum rush Thompson with a series of wild strikes but Thompson uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Okubo misses with a looping left.

Okubo closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Thompson to the mat! Thompson manages to get full guard.

Okubo drops back, looking for a kneebar! Thompson looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Thompson looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Thompson!
Okubo is looking for a sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thompson remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Okubo is looking for a sweep.
Thompson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Okubo keeps working.
Okubo is looking to regain half guard here but Thompson keeps moving and retains side control.
Okubo takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.

Thompson looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Okubo throws a couple of punches but he's in a bad position and they don't land.
Okubo throws an elbow to the body but it doesn't land.
Okubo is trying to improve his position.

Thompson wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Okubo, who protects the arm well.
Okubo gets back to half guard.
Okubo misses with some strikes from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Okubo regains full guard. Nicely done.
Okubo trying to keep a closed guard but Thompson is proving a slippery customer.

Okubo has his foot on Thompson's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Thompson works his way back into a safe position though.
Thompson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Okubo manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Thompson gets back to half guard.
Okubo thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Thompson's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Okubo sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Thompson defending well though.
Thompson regains full guard. Nicely done.

Thompson working for a triangle but Okubo defends it easily.
Okubo trying to control but Thompson is working from the bottom.
Okubo throwing strikes from guard but Thompson blocks nicely.
Okubo throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Thompson works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tane Thompson dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Takayuki Okubo's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Thompson slips a jab and a cross from Okubo.
Okubo misses with a double jab.
Takayuki Okubo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Okubo throws a right and a left that Thompson avoids nicely.
Okubo misses with a double jab.
Okubo stalks Thompson and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Thompson's face. Thompson staggers backwards, shaken.
Okubo throws a series of punches but Thompson moves out of range.
Thompson showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Okubo.

Okubo shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Thompson's guard.
Okubo throwing strikes but missing.
Thompson working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Okubo.

Thompson has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Okubo can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Okubo accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Okubo throws and elbow that misses. Thompson uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Okubo's guard. Nice move by Thompson!
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Okubo throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Okubo is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Okubo is looking to sweep but instead, Thompson has passed into half guard.
Okubo wants to improve his position but Thompson is controlling well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Okubo actively working from the bottom here.
Okubo throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Okubo misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Okubo is breathing heavily.
Thompson dodges the punch combination from Okubo.
Okubo lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Thompson fails with an attempt to clinch.
Okubo fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
A big right from Okubo misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thompson walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.

Thompson instigates a clinch.
Okubo takes an elbow to the forehead.
Thompson comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Thompson scores with a shoulder strike.
Thompson pushes Okubo back against the ropes and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Okubo drops down looking for an ankle pick but Thompson pulls his leg out and moves away.
Thompson wants to clinch up but Okubo keeps it at a distance.
Some wild striking there from Okubo.
Okubo misses with the combination.
Some wild striking there from Okubo.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Okubo swings for the body but Thompson moves out of range.
Okubo looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Thompson blocks a jab.
Okubo rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Thompson moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Thompson tries to clinch but Okubo moves out of range.

Okubo shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Okubo throwing strikes but Thompson uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Thompson is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Okubo's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Okubo's back!
Thompson keeps control of the position as Okubo tries to break free.
Thompson trying to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Takayuki Okubo will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Takayuki Okubo's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Thompson connects with a looping right hand.
No joy there for Okubo, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Okubo tests Thompson's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Thompson scores with a head kick.

That has opened up Takayuki Okubo's cut even more.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Okubo circles away from the clinch attempt.
Okubo misses with a wild combination.
Okubo goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Thompson checks the leg kick.
Okubo throws a nice looking combination but Thompson bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Okubo waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Thompson.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Okubo fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Okubo misses with a wild combination.
Thompson keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Okubo takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Thompson takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Thompson throws the left hand but Okubo avoids the punch easily.
Thompson avoids a punch combination nicely.
Okubo misses the jab.
Okubo misses with a double jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
No joy there for Okubo, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Okubo shoots for a takedown but Thompson saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Tane Thompson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Takayuki Okubo.
Okubo misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Okubo rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Thompson moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Thompson takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Okubo misses with a jab, cross combination.
Okubo throws a nice looking combination but Thompson bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Thompson uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Okubo.
Okubo throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Okubo will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Okubo feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Thompson looking to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thompson pulls Okubo in to control the position.
Thompson throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

Thompson is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Thompson looking for a sweep. Not yet Thompson, not yet.
Okubo thows a big elbow that misses.
Okubo throwing strikes from guard but Thompson blocks nicely.
Okubo working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Thompson controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Okubo with a flurry of punches that miss.
Okubo missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Thompson striking off his back but it's not causing Okubo any problems.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Okubo throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Thompson throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Okubo wants to slow Thompson down by chopping away at his legs.
Okubo swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Okubo jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Thompson shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Okubo as he avoids it easily.
Okubo fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Okubo lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Okubo lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tane Thompson showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Thompson has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tane Thompson!