PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jose Aldo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kenji Okabe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Aldo comes to the cage accompanied by Rough Rida. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Aldo
vs
Okabe

180 cm
32
185 lbs
16 - 10 - 0

177 cm
30
181 lbs
21 - 11 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Milwaukee's Best 160 SALE $150

Crippler's Corner
160!

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 16 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jose Aldo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Kenji Okabe!
The judges for this bout are Ryoma Takatsuka, Chris Saunders and Jeff Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Okabe swats away the attempt to clinch by Aldo.
Okabe takes a swing at Aldo's ribcage but misses.
Aldo throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Okabe sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Okabe throws a body punch but Aldo moves out of range.
Aldo gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Okabe.
Okabe throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Aldo ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Aldo swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Okabe shoots in but no luck this time.
Okabe fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Aldo manages to avoid it.
Aldo cracks Okabe with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Okabe keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Aldo slips a straight right by Okabe.
Aldo throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Jose Aldo is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A telegraphed right hand from Aldo misses the target.
Okabe throws a big shot that misses.
Okabe getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Okabe jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Okabe defending well as Aldo loads up on a big left hand.
Okabe keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Aldo.
Okabe lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Aldo with a hook.
Okabe avoids the body shot from Aldo.
Aldo is looking to clinch but Okabe is avoiding it.
Aldo takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Okabe circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Okabe keeps the fight on the outside.
Okabe misses with a takedown attempt
and Aldo counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Okabe missing with a left hand there. Aldo was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
No luck for Okabe with that takedown attempt.
Jose Aldo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kenji Okabe.
Okabe misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Aldo.
Okabe misses with a wild body shot.
Okabe misses with a wild body shot.
Okabe misses with a right hand
and Aldo counters with a nice uppercut.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Okabe misses with a hook
and Aldo counters with a stiff right hand.
Aldo throws a hook to the side of Okabe's head but Okabe sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Okabe is trying hard to land a takedown here. Aldo sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Okabe takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Okabe steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Aldo.
Aldo throws the left hand but Okabe avoids the punch easily.
Aldo will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Okabe fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Aldo on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Okabe shoots in but no luck this time.
Aldo lands the left hand.
Okabe swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Aldo throws a lazy right hand but Okabe sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Aldo moves out of range of the strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aldo throws a jab but it's blocked by Okabe.
Aldo throws a right and a left that Okabe avoids nicely.
A big right from Aldo misses.
Okabe circles away from the clinch attempt.
Aldo doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Aldo is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Okabe.
Okabe lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
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!
Aldo takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Aldo uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Okabe.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Okabe bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Aldo's head backwards.
Aldo takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Okabe shoots in looking for a takedown but Aldo manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Okabe's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Kenji Okabe will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Aldo pushes Okabe up against the cage in a clinch.
Aldo throws a head punch that misses.
Aldo lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Okabe backwards.
Aldo tries a body shot but Okabe blocks it.
Okabe has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Aldo is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Aldo throws a punch but it's blocked by Okabe.
Aldo tries to work over Okabe's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Okabe blocks an uppercut.
Aldo swings wildly with an uppercut but Okabe uses good head movement to avoid it.
Okabe takes a shot to the head.
Okabe is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Okabe is trying to push Aldo away but Aldo has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Okabe wants the takedown. Aldo is fighting it off but Okabe persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Aldo's guard against the cage.
Okabe looking to sit in guard and control but Aldo gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Okabe keeping moving, preventing Aldo from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Okabe keeping full guard, as Aldo tries to pass.
Aldo content to stall in guard here.
Aldo stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Okabe swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Okabe not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Aldo preventing the sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aldo postures up.
Aldo trying to control the position from guard on top but Okabe is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Jose Aldo has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Okabe just misses with a punch to the body.
Okabe scores with a crisp jab that stopped Aldo in his tracks.
Okabe misses the jab.
Jab, jab by Aldo - just one landing.
Aldo is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Aldo throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Aldo takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Aldo swings away with a body shot that misses

and Okabe counters with a takedown into side control.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Aldo wants to control but Okabe postures up.
Aldo takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Okabe working the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aldo struggling a bit here.
Aldo is trying to improve his position.
Okabe scores with punches from side control.
Okabe trying to control the action but Aldo is working from the bottom.
Okabe tries to move to mount but Aldo blocks the move with his legs.
Okabe is looking to take a break and control but Aldo is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Okabe working the ground and pound but Aldo is defending the strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Okabe working the body and head with strikes.
Okabe passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Aldo!
Aldo working to try and regain half guard.
Okabe avoids the attempt from Aldo to control.
Aldo can't escape the position.
Aldo is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Aldo keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Okabe lands with some strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Okabe landing punches.
Okabe unloading with bombs!
Aldo tries to reverse the position but Okabe maintains control.
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.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Decent striking displayed by Okabe there.
Okabe lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Okabe avoids a punch combination nicely.

Okabe shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Aldo's guard.
Aldo preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Okabe missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Okabe slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Okabe lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Aldo down.
Okabe is trying to ground and pound but Aldo uses the momentary lack of control by Okabe to regain half guard.
Aldo blocking the ground and pound attempt from Okabe.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Okabe lands a nice short elbow.
Okabe missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Kenji Okabe has got the better of the ground game so far.
Aldo is trying to get back to full guard.
Aldo won't allow Okabe to pass to mount.
Okabe works his foot free and advances to mount.
Okabe looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Okabe postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Aldo looks a forlorn figure.
Aldo trying desperately to get to his feet.
Okabe can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Aldo is looking to escape.
Aldo is looking to improve his position but Okabe isn't that keen on the idea.
Jose Aldo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Okabe tries to control but Aldo wriggling away.
Okabe has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Aldo's face.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The referee warns Aldo that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Okabe landing strikes from the mount.
Okabe can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Aldo is looking to escape.
Okabe misses with a head shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Okabe fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Aldo wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Okabe.
Aldo tries to lock up and control but Okabe gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Okabe misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Aldo is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Okabe scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Aldo can't escape the position.
Okabe looking to finish Aldo with some ground and pound. This is bad for Aldo!
Okabe looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Okabe cracks Aldo with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Okabe trying to control but Aldo is having none of it.
Okabe landing punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Okabe postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Aldo looks a forlorn figure.
Okabe postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Aldo looks a forlorn figure.
A nice elbow there by Okabe.

Aldo is rocked!
Okabe working Aldo over with strikes here.
Oh Aldo is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Aldo is in all sorts of trouble here.
Aldo slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Aldo seems to have got his legs back now.
Aldo looks like he's trying to stand up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Okabe is trying to control the action in half guard but Aldo is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Okabe sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Aldo defending well though.

Okabe is looking for a kimura but Aldo is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Okabe to get the leverage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kenji Okabe comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Okabe 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 Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kenji Okabe!
Kenji Okabe decided to hype himself up post fight. It was going well but he went on about it a bit too long and the crowd turned on him a little.