PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kenton Okunaba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Javier Esposito (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Okunaba
vs
Esposito

191 cm
27
225 lbs
15 - 3 - 0

186 cm
27
205 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

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 15 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Kenton Okunaba!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Javier Esposito!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Stewart Dunkirk and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Okunaba throws a body kick that misses.
Esposito moves out of range of the body kick from Okunaba.
Esposito is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Okunaba fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Esposito turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Esposito walks forward, straight into a front kick from Okunaba.
Esposito thuds a left hand into Okunaba's body.
Okunaba tries to close the distance and clinch but Esposito swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Esposito swings for the body but Okunaba moves out of range.
Okunaba throws a wild body kick that Esposito sees coming a mile off.
Esposito tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Esposito goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Okunaba has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Esposito dives in for a single leg takedown but Okunaba sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Esposito takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Okunaba swings for the body but Esposito moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Okunaba misses the shot to the body.

Esposito 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.
Okunaba working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Esposito.
Esposito looking to pass the guard.
Esposito trying to control but Okunaba is working from the bottom.
Okunaba working a defensive guard here.
Okunaba keeping moving, preventing Esposito from controlling successfully.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Okunaba holds on and takes a little breather.
Okunaba throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Okunaba is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Esposito on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Esposito with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Esposito swings for the body but Okunaba moves out of range.
Okunaba moves away from the strike by Esposito.
Esposito throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Esposito with a jab.
Okunaba fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Esposito manages to avoid it.
Esposito throws a shot from downtown. Okunaba moves away and avoids it.
Okunaba throws a head kick but Esposito moves out of range.
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!
Esposito throws a half hearted mid kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Okunaba swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Esposito is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Okunaba tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A looping hook to the body misses from Okunaba. Esposito does a little dance to reset his feet.
Esposito drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Okunaba defends it well.
Okunaba swings for the body but Esposito moves out of range.
Kenton Okunaba is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Esposito lands with a straight right. Okunaba didn't see that one coming.
Okunaba is looking to land body kicks.
Esposito with the counter takedown but Okunaba avoids it easily.
Okunaba walks forward, straight into a front kick from Esposito.
Okunaba misses the shot to the body.
Esposito looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Esposito moves out of range as Okunaba throws a body kick.
Esposito is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Okunaba.
As Esposito tries to get set, Okunaba tries to push him back and clinch up but Esposito manages to avoid the attempt.
Esposito throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Okunaba thows a body kick. Esposito tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Okunaba tries to land a front kick but Esposito steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Okunaba thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Esposito if he has to take too many more of those.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
A body shot lands from Okunaba.
Esposito drops down looking for an ankle pick but Okunaba pulls his leg out and moves away.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Okunaba fails in his attempt to clinch.
Esposito keeps the fight on the outside.
Okunaba takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Okunaba bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Esposito moves out of range as Okunaba throws a body kick.
Esposito throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Javier Esposito will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Okunaba looks to land a body kick but Esposito moved away.
Esposito connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Okunaba's hands.
Esposito throws a half hearted mid kick.
Esposito attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Esposito checks the leg kick.
Esposito with the counter takedown but Okunaba avoids it easily.
Okunaba is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Okunaba fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Esposito manages to avoid it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Esposito throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Esposito swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Esposito misses with a wild body shot.
Okunaba wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Okunaba doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Javier Esposito seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Okunaba throws a body punch but Esposito moves out of range.
Okunaba misses with a kick to the body

and Esposito counters with a nice double leg into side control. Okunaba won't be happy with that.
Esposito cracks Okunaba with an elbow. That is naaassty.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Okunaba holding on.
Okunaba is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Okunaba tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Okunaba is working hard here to advance position.
Okunaba has one of Esposito's arms on lockdown, trying to prevent him from doing any damage.
Okunaba is trying to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Okunaba trying his best to control but Esposito has mounted him.
Okunaba slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Esposito is trying to control the action in half guard but Okunaba is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Okunaba is looking for a sweep. Esposito is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Okunaba wants to control but Esposito is keeping busy.
Esposito wants to control but Okunaba is keeping him busy.
Okunaba is trying to maintain the position but Esposito is very close to passing his half guard.
Okunaba is looking to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Okunaba keeping hold of Esposito's head, controlling as best he can.
Esposito has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Okunaba has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Esposito is working away from the top position though.
Esposito prevents Okunaba from improving his position.
Okunaba is refusing to be controlled, as Esposito sits in half guard.
Esposito working the head and body with strikes.
Esposito wants to take a breather but Okunaba is having none of it.
Okunaba wants to control but Esposito is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's four 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.
Okunaba is concentrating on defense, preventing Esposito from advancing position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
The fighters circling - Esposito throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Okunaba dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Esposito throws a body shot but no joy.
Okunaba walks into a stiff left hand from Esposito.
Okunaba takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Esposito cracks the inside of Okunaba's front leg.
Okunaba throws a shot from downtown. Esposito moves away and avoids it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Okunaba looks for the body kick but Esposito saw that one coming.
Okunaba throws a push kick but Esposito slaps the foot to one side.
Okunaba tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Javier Esposito showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Okunaba just misses with a punch to the body.
Esposito throws a half hearted mid kick.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Okunaba, right into the meat.
Esposito lands with a kick to the ribs.
Okunaba throws a half hearted mid kick.
Okunaba throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Esposito scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Okunaba is looking to wear down Esposito with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Esposito blocks the body kick.
And Esposito tries to counter it with a takedown but Okunaba pushes his down on his head and steps out.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Okunaba takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Esposito avoids a kick to the body.
Okunaba thumps Esposito with a low kick.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Esposito crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Okunaba - the referee stops the clock and Esposito gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Okunaba. Esposito manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Okunaba cracks a nice hook into Esposito's ribs.
Esposito swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Esposito with a jab.

Okunaba moves into range and clinches up with Esposito.
Okunaba tries a knee to the head but Esposito blocks it.
Okunaba connects with a nasty looking knee right to Esposito's face.

Esposito breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Okunaba moves out of range as Esposito throws a body kick.
Okunaba misses with the body kick

so Esposito counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Esposito distracts Okunaba with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Okunaba wants to sweep but no luck.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Okunaba working a defensive guard here.
Kenton Okunaba has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Esposito is stalling in the full guard.
Okunaba looking to hit a scissor sweep but Esposito is one step ahead there.
Esposito lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Okunaba is on top in guard.

Okunaba trying to control but Esposito is working from the bottom.
Esposito lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Esposito throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Okunaba works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Esposito trying to control the position from guard on top but Okunaba is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Okunaba trying to control the position.
Okunaba is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Esposito is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Esposito missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Okunaba wants to sweep but no luck.
Okunaba looking to control.
Esposito looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Okunaba working a defensive guard but Esposito manages to pass into side control anyway.
Javier Esposito is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Esposito is looking to take a break and control but Okunaba is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Okunaba seems a little lost for a moment, as Esposito dominates the positioning.
Okunaba wings away with a couple of strikes but they don't land.
A bit of a lull in the action here.
Esposito trying to control the action but Okunaba is working from the bottom.
Esposito is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Okunaba is trying to control Esposito's posture but Esposito avoids it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Javier Esposito comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Esposito 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 28:29
Judge George Francis scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Javier Esposito!