PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Desmond Okafor (ranked 3131 p4p, 416 weight class) and Hiroaki Hidaka (ranked 4446 p4p, 558 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Okafor
vs
Hidaka

202 cm
20
215 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

187 cm
20
209 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Granite chin

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Desmond Okafor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hiroaki Hidaka!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, George Francis and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Okafor tries to land a leg kick but Hidaka saw it coming and moves away.
Okafor defending well as Hidaka loads up on a big left hand.
Hiroaki Hidaka seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hidaka lands with a shot to the body.
Good standup being displayed there by Okafor as he connects with a hook.
Okafor connects with a good right hand that stumbles Hidaka. Hidaka circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Hidaka throws an overhand right that lands on Okafor's shoulder, as Okafor tries to avoid the shot.
Hidaka throws a lazy head kick
and Okafor counters with a body kick.
Okafor throws a head kick but Hidaka moves out of range.
Hidaka looks to throw a body kick
and Okafor counters with a leg kick.
Okafor avoids a kick to the body.
Okafor throws a big counter combination but Hidaka scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Hidaka throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Okafor avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Hidaka throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Okafor with a jab.

It looks like Hiroaki Hidaka has been cut.
Hidaka throws a wild body kick that Okafor sees coming a mile off.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Hidaka.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hidaka throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Okafor comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Okafor uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Hidaka.
A jab from Okafor finds it's way through Hidaka's defenses.
Okafor steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Hidaka. That one must have hurt.
Okafor looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Hidaka misses with the body kick
enabling Okafor to counter with a crisp jab.
Hidaka lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Okafor chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Hidaka has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Okafor.
A big right from Hidaka misses.
Hidaka explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hidaka lands with a shot to the body.
Okafor walks into a jab.
Okafor blocks a low kick nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hidaka misses with a kick to the body
and Okafor counters with a left and a right that stings Hidaka.
A looping hook to the body misses from Hidaka. Okafor does a little dance to reset his feet.
Hidaka throws a right hand that misses
and Okafor counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Okafor lands with a slapping head kick.
Okafor tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Hidaka was well out of range. Poor timing from Okafor.
Hidaka throws out a counter right but Okafor avoids it with no problem.
Okafor moves out of range of the body kick.
A telegraphed right hand from Hidaka misses the target.
Okafor throws a half hearted mid kick.
Hidaka scores with a push kick.
Hidaka misses with a straight right.
Hidaka loads up on a big right hand but Okafor slips the punch.
Hidaka is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Okafor takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Hidaka tries to land a front kick but Okafor steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Hidaka tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hidaka misses with an uppercut. Okafor saw that one coming.
Hidaka swings widly with a right hand
and Okafor counters with a body kick.
Okafor delivers a nice body kick.
Okafor delivers a nice body kick.
Hidaka cracks Okafor with a good jab.
Okafor keeps Hidaka at a distance using the push kick.
Hidaka looks winded!
Okafor dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Hidaka. That did some damage!
Hidaka swings widly with a right hand
and Okafor finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Okafor misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Okafor scores with a hook.
Okafor keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
A nice inside leg kick there by Okafor. That's going to slow Hidaka down.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Okafor slips a jab from Hidaka.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hidaka throws a lazy uppercut
and Okafor counters with a leg kick.
Hidaka throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Okafor is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Okafor on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Okafor scores with a nice strike.
Hidaka takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Hidaka takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Okafor lands a right hook to the body.
Hidaka moves forwards but Okafor connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Okafor throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Hidaka stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Okafor ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Okafor stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.

That has opened up Hiroaki Hidaka's cut even more.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Okafor buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Okafor lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Hidaka has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Okafor.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Desmond Okafor dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Hiroaki Hidaka's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Okafor steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Hidaka.
Hiroaki Hidaka has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Okafor lands with a thumping leg kick.
Hidaka misses with a kick to the body.
Hidaka throws a lazy body kick
and Okafor counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Hidaka has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Okafor.
A shot to the body from Hidaka misses
and Okafor counters with a nice low kick that buckles Hidaka's knee momentarily.
Hidaka gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Okafor throws a nice outside leg kick.
A big right from Hidaka misses.
Okafor moves out of range as Hidaka strikes.
An attempted straight right counter from Okafor misses the target.
Hidaka takes one on the button.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hidaka avoids the body shot from Okafor.
Okafor buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Hidaka throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Desmond Okafor is winning the standup battle so far.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Okafor. Hidaka shrugs it off though.
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!
Hidaka misses with a head kick.
Hidaka is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hidaka fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Okafor manages to avoid it.
Hidaka throws a predictable looking body shot
and Okafor counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Hidaka thinking.
Okafor connects with a solid leg kick.
Okafor is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Okafor throws a quick inside leg kick.
Okafor lands a slapping body shot.
Hidaka swings widly with a right hand
and Okafor cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Okafor throws a leg kick which misses Hidaka's front leg but catches the back leg as Hidaka tries to avoid it.
Hidaka's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Okafor connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Hidaka scrambles back to his feet.
A head kick by Hidaka misses
and Okafor counters with a solid body kick.
Okafor is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Hidaka can do to turn this around?
Hidaka throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Okafor feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Okafor turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Okafor darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Okafor fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Hidaka.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Okafor swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Hidaka.
Okafor avoids the body shot from Hidaka.
Hidaka's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Okafor connects with a solid leg kick.
Okafor thuds his right hand into Hidaka's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
A solid body kick from Okafor.
Hidaka on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Okafor lands a right hook to the body.
Okafor lands a nice leg kick that just misses Hidaka's sensitive parts.
Hidaka steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Okafor. That one must have hurt.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Okafor - that will leave a mark!
Okafor punishes Hidaka's body with a nice straight punch.
Okafor plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

The cut above Hiroaki Hidaka's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Okafor jabs at Hidaka's body.
Hidaka on the wrong end of a kick to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Okafor connects with a solid leg kick.
Nice shot lands for Hidaka.
Okafor scores with the left hand. Hidaka knows he should have avoided that one.
Hidaka takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Okafor scores with a jab.

Hiroaki Hidaka's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.
A nice combination there by Okafor.

Hidaka is rocked!
Okafor tests Hidaka's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Hidaka is still on wobbly legs! Can Okafor finish him?

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Hiroaki Hidaka's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:41 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Desmond Okafor!
Desmond Okafor tried to hype himself up post fight but didn't word it too well and it ended up with him sounding like a bit of a tool.