PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jose Gomez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kenji Okabe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Gomez
vs
Okabe

175 cm
26
175 lbs
11 - 13 - 0

177 cm
24
181 lbs
11 - 4 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

ADCC Champion
Decent boxing
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 11 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jose Gomez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Kenji Okabe!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, George Francis and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gomez shoots and misses
and Okabe counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

Okabe shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Okabe thows a huge punch but Gomez dodges it nicely.
Gomez avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Okabe.
Gomez wants to control but Okabe passes into side.
Gomez is looking for a sweep.
Okabe landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Gomez is not content to let Okabe control the position.
Gomez takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Okabe working away.
Okabe tries to score with some ground and pound. Gomez controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Gomez struggling a bit here.
Okabe working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Okabe lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Okabe is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Gomez will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Gomez can't do much from the bottom here.
Okabe working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Check out the look on Okabe's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Gomez can't do much from the bottom here.
Okabe tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Okabe is staying tight to Gomez's torso, preventing him from escaping.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gomez takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Gomez is trying to control Okabe's posture but Okabe avoids it.
Okabe connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Gomez some visible discomfort.
Gomez is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Okabe wants to control but Gomez is keeping him busy.
Okabe landing strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gomez tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Okabe wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Okabe in side control, throwing shots but Gomez defends.

Okabe tries for a kimura but Gomez is defending well.
Okabe landing strikes.
Gomez tries to bench press Okabe off him but Okabe keeps the position.
Okabe misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Okabe controls the position.
Gomez is not content to let Okabe control the position.
Okabe is trying to move to mount but Gomez reverses beautifully and ends up in Okabe's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kenji Okabe dominated that round.
That's time! Gomez's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Okabe misses with a right hand

and Gomez counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Gomez stands and throws Okabe's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Okabe has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Gomez has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Gomez misses with a takedown

and Okabe decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Gomez's guard.
Okabe working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Gomez working for submissions but it's allowed Okabe to get to half guard.
Gomez wants to control but Okabe is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Okabe looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Gomez with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gomez is trying to stand back up but Okabe is controlling him
Okabe takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Gomez slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Okabe working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Gomez controls Okabe momentarily but Okabe frees himself.

Gomez looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Okabe has picked Gomez up and slammed him! Gomez can't keep hold of the triangle and Okabe manages to pass to side control!
Okabe scoring with punches and elbows.
Okabe lands a few punches from side control.
Okabe in side control lands a decent elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Okabe trying to control the position but Gomez is working away.
Okabe works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Okabe working the ground and pound.
Gomez tries to control but Okabe manages to take his back.
Gomez rolls, trying to escape but Okabe keeps control of the position.
Well, with Okabe on his back, surely it's only a matter of time before Gomez is tapping out... Can he escape the position?
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Okabe's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
Okabe lands punches and elbows.
Gomez is trying to break free.
Gomez looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Gomez's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The referee is taking a good look at Gomez as he is on the wrong end of some big shots from Okabe!
Gomez is covering up but some of the strikes from Okabe are getting through and doing damage.
Gomez is taking damage to the body and head.
Okabe is landing with strikes. Gomez can't take much more of this.
Okabe is looking to finish with some ground and pound!
Gomez is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Gomez rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Gomez is not content to let Okabe control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Okabe is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Okabe wants to free his trapped foot but Gomez is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Gomez trying to hold on to Okabe's head to control him but Okabe postures up.
Okabe slips a nice elbow through Gomez's hands, connecting with Gomez's forehead.
Gomez wants to improve his position but Okabe is controlling well.
Ground and pound from Okabe.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gomez wants to get back to full guard but Okabe has mounted him!
A nice elbow there by Okabe.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kenji Okabe showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Okabe digs a good body shot into Gomez's ribs.
Gomez fails with the takedown
and Okabe counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Okabe closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Gomez tries to buck Okabe off but Okabe is having none of it.
You can see the frustration on Gomez's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Gomez is trying to improve his position.
Okabe is looking to take a break and control but Gomez is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gomez is trying to improve his position.
Okabe has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Okabe wants to control the pace but Gomez is squirming around nicely.
Okabe avoids the attempt from Gomez to control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

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.
Okabe working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Okabe landing strikes from the mount and Gomez is in trouble!
Okabe punishing his opponent with strikes.

Gomez is rocked!
Okabe working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Oh Gomez is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Okabe loads up with a big shot that hurts Gomez! He's pulled Okabe in close but Okabe has postured up and lands more strikes. Can Gomez survive? More strikes from Okabe and Gomez is out! The ref jumps in to save him! Brutal ground and pound!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:40 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Kenji Okabe!