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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ghazi Okah (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Finn Van Thom (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Okah comes to the ring accompanied by Rock Stone. The crowd seem to be enjoying Van Thom's choice of entrance music: Foo Fighters - Hero. I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!
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| 195 cm
22
212 lbs
4 - 3 - 0 |
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185 cm
21
215 lbs
4 - 2 - 0 |
Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin |
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Decent wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank |
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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
4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ghazi Okah!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of
4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Finn Van Thom!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Kenichi Hosakawa and Tatsuya Matsuyama.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Van Thom throws a right hand that Okah ducks under and follows up with a left that Okah also avoids with ease.
A quick step to the side and Okah tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Van Thom connects with a body shot.
A low kick from Okah is predictable there
and Van Thom counters with a stiff right hand.
Van Thom fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Van Thom takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Okah.
Van Thom gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
enabling Okah to counter with a crisp jab.
A good leg kick by Van Thom.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Van Thom has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
Van Thom decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Van Thom is looking to stall here but Okah recovers full guard.
Okah is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Van Thom really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Okah. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Thom is working Okah over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Okah has his hands on Van Thom's head, controlling the position.
Okah is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Okah is pulling down on Van Thom's head to control his posture.
Okah wants to sweep but no luck.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Van Thom throws an elbow that misses. Okah uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Van Thom's guard. Nice move by Okah!
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Van Thom can do anything to dispel that myth.
Okah controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Van Thom is looking to stand up but Okah isn't so interested in that idea.
Okah showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Okah looking to pass the guard.
Okah is pushing down on Van Thom's leg trying to pass to half guard. Van Thom is fighting to maintain full guard but Okah has managed to sneak the leg through.
Van Thom scrambles, trying to get to his feet, but Okah manages to mount him!
Van Thom wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Okah.
Okah tries to control but Van Thom wriggling away.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Okah is looking to work his way around to Van Thom's back. He needs to be careful though, as he's in danger of losing this dominant position.
Van Thom is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Okah wants to take Van Thom's back but he can't do it this time.
Okah takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Van Thom is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Okah tries to control but Van Thom wriggling away.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Van Thom can't escape the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
That was a close round but I would say that Ghazi Okah will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!
Van Thom takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Van Thom fails to land with a series of punches.
Van Thom scores with a three punch combo!
Okah connects with a looping right hand.
Okah blocks the body kick.
Van Thom throws a lazy body kick
and Van Thom takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Van Thom fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Van Thom misses with a combination
and Okah counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Van Thom stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Okah.
Okah connects with a body shot.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Okah fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Van Thom misses with a double jab.
Okah lands a jab to the nose.
Okah has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Okah throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Van Thom stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Van Thom on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Okah. Okah obviously looking to wear him down.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Thom throws a half hearted mid kick.
Okah connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Van Thom moves into the clinch.
Van Thom goes for a takedown attempt but Okah pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Van Thom looks to throw the jab but Okah is out of range.
Van Thom tries a head kick but it misses.
Okah avoids the head kick by Van Thom.
An attempted straight right counter from Okah misses the target.
Van Thom misses the shot to the body.
We've been told by Okah's head coaches at The Wild Beasts Zoo that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Okah takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Okah lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Okah misses with an uppercut
and Van Thom cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Crunch! Okah slams his shin into Van Thom's torso.
Okah moves out of range as Van Thom strikes.
A chopping leg kick lands by Okah.
Okah throws a left and a right that both miss
and Van Thom makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Okah digs a good hook to Van Thom's body.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Thom takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Okah scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
A solid leg kick lands there for Okah.
Van Thom throws a poor cross that misses
and Okah counters with a nice leg kick.
Van Thom throws a body shot but no joy.
Okah buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Finn Van Thom is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Okah rushes Van Thom and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
Van Thom prevents a body shot from Okah.
Van Thom pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Okah swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Okah bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Van Thom doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Ghazi Okah is winning the standup battle so far.
Jab from Okah.
Okah avoids a punch combination nicely.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Okah takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Nice uppercut lands for Okah. That snapped Van Thom's head back.
Van Thom swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Okah counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Van Thom on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Okah. Okah obviously looking to wear him down.
Van Thom throws a good cross that connects.
A solid body kick from Okah.
Van Thom swings for the body but Okah moves out of range.
Okah misses with a body shot.
Van Thom has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Van Thom there as he acknowledges the shot.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Okah, right into the meat.
Okah lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Ghazi Okah is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Okah swings and misses with a hook to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Van Thom throws a combination that misses
and Okah counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Van Thom scores with a one two! Okah had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Okah moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Okah fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Van Thom throws a right hand that Okah ducks under and follows up with a left that Okah also avoids with ease.
Van Thom misses with the combination.
Van Thom shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Okah counters with a straight right hand.
Ghazi Okah has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Finn Van Thom.
Van Thom takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Van Thom ducks right into an uppercut from Okah.
It looks like Finn Van Thom has been cut.
Okah ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Van Thom moves away.
Van Thom is looking to clinch but Okah is avoiding it.
Okah throwing a counter right hand but Van Thom manages to avoid it.
Okah is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Van Thom can do to turn this around?
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Van Thom throws a right and a left that both miss.
Okah scores with a sloppy right hand. Van Thom should have avoided that one.
Okah's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Okah duly obliges.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Ghazi Okah dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Finn Van Thom's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!
Okah cracks a nice hook into Van Thom's ribs.
A jab from Van Thom does it's job there.
Van Thom stalks Okah and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Okah's face. Okah staggers backwards, shaken.
Okah tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Van Thom was well out of range. Poor timing from Okah.
Van Thom drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Okah defends it well.
Okah scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Okah showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Van Thom.
Van Thom works Okah's body with a nice hook.
Nice takedown defense from Okah. No joy for Van Thom on that attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Okah lands a glancing blow to the side of Van Thom's head.
Van Thom misses with a low kick.
Okah smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Van Thom swinging wildly here.
That's one minute gone in the round.
A big right from Van Thom misses.
Okah swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Left hook, right uppercut from Van Thom.
Van Thom gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Okah.
Van Thom takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Van Thom is rocked!
Okah drops a shoulder and throws an uppercut that cracks Van Thom right on the button. Van Thom goes down! Okah follows him to the mat and finishes the job with more strikes! Okah gets the win via TKO!
Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:23 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Ghazi Okah!
After winning the bout, Ghazi Okah thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
70% |
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