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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Cesare Tiramanti (ranked 773 p4p, 793 weight class) and Mike Okafor (ranked 107 p4p, 111 weight class). On his way into the cage it seems that Cesare Tiramanti has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Cesare Tiramanti seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?
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| 185 cm
30
207
23 - 12 - 1 |
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220 cm
25
210
16 - 5 - 0 |
Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible |
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Good 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 23 - 12 - 1, fighting out of New York, Cesare Tiramanti!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mike Okafor!
The judges for this bout are Paul Aken, Albert Achterberg and Wagner Zegers.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Okafor's corner calls for a 1-2. Okafor obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Okafor misses the jab.
Tiramanti closes the distance and clinches up with Okafor, looking for a takedown. Tiramanti pushes Okafor against the cage but Okafor circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Okafor's jab looks to have found its range, popping Tiramanti under the eye.
Tiramanti misses with a looping right.
Tiramanti has been working on his boxing with his coaches at NY Savages in the buildup to the fight.
Okafor rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Tiramanti counters with a head kick.
Okafor scores with the left hand. Tiramanti knows he should have avoided that one.
Okafor just misses with a punch to the body.
Tiramanti with a lazy takedown attempt
and Okafor counters with a stiff right hand.
Tiramanti takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Tiramanti scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Tiramanti on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Okafor throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Tiramanti on the side of the head.
Tiramanti throws a sloppy head kick
and Okafor counters with a nice leg kick.
Okafor scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Good leg kick by Okafor.
Tiramanti misses the jab.
Mike Okafor is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Okafor throws a low kick but Tiramanti avoids it.
Tiramanti moves away from the strike by Okafor.
Okafor will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Tiramanti looks to score with a jab to the body but Okafor is just out of range.
Okafor has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Tiramanti walks into a left hand.
Okafor throws a hook to the side of Tiramanti's head but Tiramanti sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Good work by Tiramanti as he checks the leg kick.
Okafor is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Tiramanti had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into mush.
Tiramanti decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Tiramanti is looking for a kimura here.
Tiramanti seems to be looking for submissions.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Okafor trying to control from the bottom.
Tiramanti is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Tiramanti is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Okafor has managed to free his arm - good work.
Tiramanti is looking to take a break and control but Okafor is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tiramanti is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Okafor is defending against the submission attempts here by Tiramanti.
Okafor is holding on to half guard well.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Okafor looking for submissions off his back.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Okafor holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Tiramanti throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
A swing and a miss from Okafor.
Okafor keeps the fight on the outside.
Tiramanti falls off balance throwing a combination
and Okafor counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Tiramanti throws a right hand that misses
and Okafor counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Tiramanti slips under a jab from Okafor.
Okafor is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Okafor lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Tiramanti is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Nice uppercut lands for Okafor. That snapped Tiramanti's head back.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
Mike Okafor dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.
Okafor slaps away a takedown attempt from Tiramanti, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Tiramanti looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Tiramanti throws a sloppy body shot
and Okafor counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Tiramanti steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Okafor. That one must have hurt.
Tiramanti throws a shot from downtown. Okafor moves away and avoids it.
Tiramanti uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Okafor.
A counter left hand to the body from Tiramanti misses its target.
Okafor turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Okafor misses with a right hand
and Tiramanti counters with a nice uppercut.
Okafor on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tiramanti gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Okafor scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Tiramanti misses with a right hand
and Okafor counters with a nice leg kick.
Tiramanti lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Tiramanti lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Okafor misses with a hook. Tiramanti ducked under it nicely.
Tiramanti scores with a spinning back kick!
Tiramanti displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Okafor throws out the jab.
Okafor looks for the body kick but Tiramanti saw that one coming.
Okafor steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Tiramanti.
Okafor looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Tiramanti on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Okafor lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Okafor attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Tiramanti scores with a nice head shot.
Tiramanti swings for the body but Okafor moves out of range.
Mike Okafor seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Okafor misses with a looping left.
Tiramanti seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Okafor lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Okafor looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Okafor has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Okafor lands with a hook. Tiramanti tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Okafor.
No joy there for Tiramanti, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Tiramanti displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Okafor throws out the jab.
Tiramanti needs to keep his hands up - Okafor had a free shot at his head there.
Okafor loads up on a big right hand but Tiramanti slips the punch.
Tiramanti misses with a left hand
and Okafor counters with a nice low kick that buckles Tiramanti's knee momentarily.
Tiramanti throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Okafor keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Tiramanti.
Okafor pivots, looking for a leg kick but Tiramanti is out of range and Okafor settles back down.
Okafor throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Okafor stuffs the takedown attempt from Tiramanti. Tiramanti gets slowly back to his feet.
A nice leg kick lands there from Okafor.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tiramanti tries a head kick but it misses.
Tiramanti takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Okafor throws a low kick, looking for Tiramanti's leg but Tiramanti calmly moves out of range.
Okafor is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
A swing and a miss from Tiramanti.
Okafor feints a counter leg kick.
Okafor keeps the fight on the outside.
Tiramanti throws a lazy right hand but Okafor sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Okafor takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Tiramanti pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Okafor flicks out a counter leg kick but Tiramanti steps away.
Tiramanti's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Okafor connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Tiramanti scrambles back to his feet.
Tiramanti takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Tiramanti instigates a clinch.
Okafor softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Okafor is working Tiramanti over against the cage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Okafor takes a shot to the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A short right from Okafor.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tiramanti misses with a punch to the body.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Okafor.
Tiramanti manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
A nice right hand lands inside from Tiramanti.
Tiramanti is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Okafor throws a head punch that misses.
Okafor misses with a punch on the inside.
Okafor misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Tiramanti can't find room to land a body shot as Okafor controls the action.
Okafor escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Okafor jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Tiramanti misses with a looping left.
Tiramanti with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Okafor to score with a decent uppercut.
Okafor tries a head kick but it misses.
Okafor fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Tiramanti has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Nice defenses there by Tiramanti.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
Mike Okafor showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!
Okafor throws a lazy head kick
letting Tiramanti counter with a right hand.
Okafor cracks Tiramanti with a right hand to the side of the head.
Tiramanti looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Tiramanti on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Tiramanti throws a jab when Okafor was well out of range.
Tiramanti takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Jab from Okafor.
Tiramanti swings widly with a right hand
and Okafor counters with a nice uppercut.
Okafor bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Tiramanti's head backwards.
Okafor throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Tiramanti counters with a nice body shot.
Tiramanti goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A head kick misses from Tiramanti.
Tiramanti slips a jab from Okafor.
Okafor misses with a body kick.
Tiramanti keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Okafor.
Tiramanti appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Okafor scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Tiramanti bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Okafor is looking to get back to his feet here but Tiramanti is keeping cool and he's managed to take Okafor's back.
Tiramanti looking to break Okafor's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Okafor remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Tiramanti will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
Tiramanti looking for the choke from the back.
Tiramanti struggling to keep hold of the position.
Okafor turns into Tiramanti and is now in his guard.
Tiramanti looking for a guillotine here but Okafor defends easily.
Tiramanti keeping moving, preventing Okafor from controlling successfully.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tiramanti working a defensive guard but Okafor manages to pass into side control anyway.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Okafor wants to control for a moment but Tiramanti uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.
Tiramanti gets back to full guard.
Cesare Tiramanti has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Okafor trying to stand up but can't free himself from Tiramanti's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tiramanti has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Okafor is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Tiramanti.
Okafor tries to stand but Tiramanti is controlling his head.
Okafor looking to control but instead Tiramanti has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.
That's four 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.
Okafor wants to work for an arm triangle but Tiramanti is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Tiramanti looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Okafor takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Okafor seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Mike Okafor is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Tiramanti misses with some strikes from the bottom.
And that's the end of the fight!
Mike Okafor comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Okafor 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 Paul Aken scores the fight 27:30
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 27:30
Judge Wagner Zegers scores the fight 27:30
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mike Okafor!
Mike Okafor spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.
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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
55% |
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