PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Hiapo Okina (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Raimo Pukki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hiapo Okina has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Okina
vs
Pukki

170 cm
29
147 lbs
7 - 6 - 0

170 cm
25
146 lbs
15 - 6 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hiapo Okina!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Raimo Pukki!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Sosuke Kotani and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Okina misses with a right hand
and Okina takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Okina misses with a takedown attempt
enabling Pukki to counter with a crisp jab.
Pukki slips a straight right by Okina.
Pukki misses with a left hand

and Okina counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Okina missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Pukki looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Okina postures up in Pukki's guard and throws a big left but Pukki blocks it.
Pukki has his hands on Okina's head, controlling the position.
Okina working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Pukki's head.
Okina 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.
Okina postures up in Pukki's guard and throws a big left but Pukki blocks it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Okina works over Pukki with some ground and pound from guard.
Pukki manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Okina manages to get himself to full guard.
Pukki must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Okina is wriggling around but Pukki manages to pass to half guard.
Okina wants to get back to his feet.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Okina pushes Pukki off but Pukki dives into side control.
The strikes coming from Pukki are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Okina is not content to let Pukki control the position.
Okina is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Pukki taking a breather here.
Pukki grinds an elbow into Okina's temple.
Pukki scores with a couple of short elbows.
Okina manages to work his way to half guard, despite Pukki's best efforts.

Okina actively working from the bottom here.

Okina manages to escape and get back to his feet!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pukki fails in his attempt to clinch.
Okina fails to land the takedown.
Pukki walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Okina checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Okina swats away the attempt to clinch by Pukki.
Pukki stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Pukki wants it to stay on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hiapo Okina. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Pukki misses the jab.
A slow jab from Pukki misses its intended target.
Okina with a poor takedown
and Pukki counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Pukki shoots in and bounces Okina off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Pukki throws a big right hand that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Okina is looking to stand up but Pukki isn't so interested in that idea.
Okina trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Pukki wants to pass the guard but Okina is keeping the position.
Pukki postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Pukki wants to control from the top but Okina keeps moving.

Okina looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Pukki wants to control from the top but Okina keeps moving.
Pukki works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Okina is refusing to be controlled, as Pukki sits in half guard.
Pukki frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Pukki tries to control but Okina wriggling away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pukki prevents Okina from getting the reversal.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pukki fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Okina swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Pukki lands with some strikes.
Okina is desperately trying to improve his position but Pukki has a good base and remains in mount.

Pukki looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Pukki looks gassed!
Okina wants to try and get back to his feet.
Pukki working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Pukki wants to control the pace but Okina is squirming around nicely.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Pukki cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Okina is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Okina sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Pukki tries to close the distance and clinch up but Okina swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Okina connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Pukki keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Okina tries for a takedown but Pukki circles away easily

and Pukki counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Okina is looking to stand up but Pukki isn't so interested in that idea.
Pukki with a nice head shot there.
Pukki is working Okina over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Okina is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Pukki trying to control the position from guard on top but Okina is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pukki is working Okina over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Okina is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Pukki is controlling him.
Pukki with a flurry of punches that miss.
Pukki pushes down on Okina's leg and manages to get into half guard.

Pukki decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Pukki throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Okina drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Okina walks into a left hand.
Pukki shoots in but no luck this time.
Pukki misses with a body shot

and Okina counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Okina not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Pukki tries to get to full guard but Okina has control of the leg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Okina landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Pukki blocking the ground and pound attempt from Okina.
Okina seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

Pukki is defending against the submission attempts here by Okina.
The fighters are battling for position here. Pukki manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Okina postures up in Pukki's guard and throws a big left but Pukki blocks it.
Okina throwing strikes but missing.
Okina being controlled here momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pukki working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Okina.
Pukki wants to sweep but no luck.
Pukki managing to control the position.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Okina has gone for a leg lock! Pukki slips out almost immediately though and dives into Okina's guard.

Okina has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Pukki off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pukki stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Pukki wants it to stay on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hiapo Okina. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Okina throws a poor cross that misses
and Pukki counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Okina rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Pukki counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Okina!
Pukki postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Okina looks a forlorn figure.
Okina wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Pukki landing punches.
Okina is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Pukki landing strikes from the mount.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Pukki cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raimo Pukki showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Decent striking displayed by Pukki there.

Pukki darts in and clinches Okina up against the cage.
Pukki gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Okina.
Pukki lands with a light punch inside.
Okina looking for a takedown.
Okina tries to score a body lock takedown but Pukki shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hiapo Okina. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Pukki lands with a light punch inside.
Okina has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Pukki is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Pukki stalling the fight.

Pukki pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Pukki might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Okina tries for a takedown but Pukki circles away easily
and Pukki counters with a left to the body.
Okina uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Pukki.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Pukki shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Okina is trying to defend but Pukki finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Pukki takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Okina kicks off Pukki and gets to his feet.
Pukki lands a nice looking body shot.
Pukki works Okina's body with a nice hook.
Pukki scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Pukki throws out a loose jab but Okina uses good head movement to avoid it.
A shot to the liver by Pukki. Beautiful body shot.

Pukki fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Okina, pushing him back against the cage.
Okina drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Pukki breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Okina with a lazy takedown attempt
letting Pukki counter with a right hand.
Pukki lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Pukki scores with a crisp jab that stopped Okina in his tracks.
Pukki shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Okina as he avoids it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pukki throws a sloppy head kick and Okina moves out of range easily.
Okina throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Pukki counters with a shoot takedown. Okina fights it but they end up in guard.
Okina wants to stand up but Pukki is controlling him.

Pukki is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Pukki trying to control the position from guard on top but Okina is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pukki tries to free his leg and advance position but Okina is retaining full guard.

Okina is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Pukki is aware though and is defending well.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Okina wants to stand but Pukki is controlling the position.

Okina is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Pukki is aware though and is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pukki trying to control the position from guard on top but Okina is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pukki stops Okina from standing up.
Pukki trying to control the position from guard on top but Okina is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pukki prevents Okina from getting back to his feet.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Pukki trying to control but Okina is working from the bottom.

Raimo Pukki has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Pukki looks for a takedown but Okina sprawls well.
Raimo Pukki is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Okina with a poor takedown
and Pukki counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.

Pukki shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Pukki was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Okina is trying to escape the mount.
Okina is squirming around, avoiding Pukki's attempts to control the action.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Pukki has hold of an arm here, looking to extend it. He's committed to the armbar attempt here! Will he get it?! Yes! Okina is forced to tap!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:24 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Raimo Pukki!