PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Kerwin Espinosa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yuki Okamoto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Yuki Okamoto was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Espinosa
vs
Okamoto

175 cm
26
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

181 cm
25
170 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite 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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kerwin Espinosa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yuki Okamoto!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Sosuke Kotani and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Espinosa shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Espinosa was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Espinosa wants to control but Okamoto is keeping him busy.
Espinosa prevents Okamoto from escaping the position.

Espinosa looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Espinosa landing a few strikes.

Espinosa is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Okamoto knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Espinosa prevents Okamoto from escaping the position.
Espinosa wants to control but Okamoto is keeping him busy.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Espinosa thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Espinosa working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Espinosa tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Espinosa thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Okamoto really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Espinosa. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Okamoto is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Espinosa has just dragged him back down to the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Okamoto takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Okamoto is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Okamoto takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.

Espinosa working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Espinosa is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Okamoto is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Okamoto is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Espinosa tries to score with some ground and pound. Okamoto controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Okamoto takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Okamoto wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

Espinosa working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Okamoto wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Okamoto is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Espinosa cracks Okamoto with a big elbow.
Espinosa trying to control the action but Okamoto is working from the bottom.
Okamoto is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

Espinosa is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Okamoto knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Okamoto is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Espinosa asserts his dominance and retains side control.

Espinosa tries for a kimura but Okamoto is defending well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kerwin Espinosa dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Okamoto bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Espinosa's head.
Espinosa takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Okamoto lands a nice hook to Espinosa's body. Espinosa takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Okamoto scores with a punch to the head.
Okamoto throws out a loose jab but Espinosa uses good head movement to avoid it.
It looked like Espinosa was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Espinosa is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Okamoto can do to turn this around?
A slow jab from Okamoto misses its intended target.
Okamoto scores with a shot to the body.
Okamoto lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Espinosa staying out of range there.
Espinosa appears to be looking for a big counter.
Espinosa shoots in for a double leg but Okamoto sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
A jab from Okamoto misses.
Espinosa was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.

Espinosa closes the distance and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Okamoto is trying to push Espinosa away but Espinosa has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Espinosa has Okamoto pressed against the cage, preventing Okamoto from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Okamoto is trying to break the clinch but Espinosa is controlling him.

Espinosa escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A big right from Okamoto misses.
Nice cross by Okamoto.
Yuki Okamoto is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Espinosa on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Espinosa ducks under a wild hook from Okamoto.
Okamoto's corner calls for a 1-2. Okamoto obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Okamoto digs a good hook to Espinosa's body.
Okamoto misses with a straight left.
Okamoto swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Yuki Okamoto seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Okamoto throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Okamoto throws a lazy uppercut
and Espinosa counters with a straight right hand.
Okamoto works the jab nicely.
Okamoto misses with an uppercut. Espinosa saw that one coming.
The fighters circling - Okamoto throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
It looked like Espinosa was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Okamoto.
A jab from Okamoto does it's job there.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Okamoto fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Espinosa manages to avoid it.
Okamoto misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Okamoto throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Espinosa.
Espinosa takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Okamoto throws a right and a left that both miss.
Okamoto lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.

Espinosa shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Okamoto has hold of Espinosa's hands but Espinosa slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Okamoto tries to kick Espinosa off but Espinosa keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Espinosa wants to work for an arm triangle but Okamoto is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Espinosa is looking to take a break and control but Okamoto is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Espinosa is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Okamoto is trying to stand.
Espinosa lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Espinosa is working for a submission of some sort.
Espinosa 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.
Okamoto is looking to escape.

Espinosa seems to be looking for submissions.
Espinosa not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Espinosa stops Okamoto from getting back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yuki Okamoto showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Okamoto swings for the body but Espinosa moves out of range.
A quick step to the side and Espinosa tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Espinosa uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Okamoto.
A quick step to the side and Espinosa tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Okamoto's jab looks to have found its range, popping Espinosa under the eye.
Okamoto cracks Espinosa with a good jab.
Okamoto throws a hook but Espinosa avoids it easily.
A slow jab from Okamoto misses its intended target.
It looked like Espinosa was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Okamoto lands a nice hook to Espinosa's body. Espinosa takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.

Espinosa closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Okamoto escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Espinosa instigates a clinch.
Okamoto being controlled against the cage.
Okamoto looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Espinosa is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
A frustrated look appears on Okamoto's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Okamoto is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Okamoto wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Espinosa keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Okamoto's efforts to push away.
Okamoto is trying to push Espinosa away but Espinosa has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Okamoto tries to break free but Espinosa pushes him back against the cage.
Espinosa keeps control of Okamoto as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Espinosa keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Okamoto's efforts to push away.
Espinosa is looking to take this one to the mat.

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.
Espinosa tries for a takedown. No joy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kerwin Espinosa. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Okamoto looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Okamoto wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Espinosa is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Okamoto is defending well.
Okamoto has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Espinosa has picked Okamoto up - he's going for a ride! Espinosa dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.

Okamoto kicks Espinosa off and gets back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Okamoto looks to land a combination but Espinosa avoids it well.
Espinosa ducks right into an uppercut from Okamoto.
Okamoto connects with a nice looking jab.
Okamoto feints a jab promting Espinosa to slip. Okamoto then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Espinosa slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Espinosa closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Kerwin Espinosa is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Okamoto connects with a body shot.
Espinosa takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Espinosa with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Okamoto to score with a decent uppercut.
Espinosa uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Okamoto.
Espinosa takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Espinosa moves away from the strike by Okamoto.
Okamoto fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Okamoto connects with a jab.
The fighters circling - Okamoto throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Espinosa seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Espinosa darts in looking for a takedown but Okamoto gets double underhooks and turns Espinosa into the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Okamoto lunges at Espinosa with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Espinosa's hand.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Okamoto lands a body shot.
Okamoto lands with an overhand left.
Okamoto lands a nice shot to the body.
Left hook, right uppercut from Okamoto.
Okamoto throws out a loose jab but Espinosa uses good head movement to avoid it.
Espinosa changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Okamoto tries to avoid it but Espinosa manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Okamoto to the ground. Okamoto escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
A jab from Okamoto does it's job there.
Espinosa fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Okamoto bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Espinosa's head.
Okamoto with a jab.

And that's the end of the fight!
Yuki Okamoto comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Okamoto has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Yuuki Gou scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 28:29
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 28:28

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Yuki Okamoto!
A victorious Yuki Okamoto thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.