PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ewert Lauringer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yushin Okami (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Okami has chosen EMF - Unbelieveble as his entrance music. Ewert Lauringer had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Lauringer
vs
Okami

197 cm
28
203 lbs
8 - 2 - 0

188 cm
29
195 lbs
20 - 16 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Ultra Fight Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ewert Lauringer!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 16 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Yushin Okami!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Johanna Lukiainen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Okami avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Lauringer jabs at Okami's body.
Lauringer misses with a wild combination.
We've been told by Lauringer's head coaches at The Stray Dogs that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Lauringer lands with a good body shot.
Lauringer throws a hook to the side of Okami's head but Okami sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Okami misses the jab.
Lauringer looks to land a left hand but Okami moved out of range nicely.
Lauringer with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Okami to score with a decent uppercut.
Lauringer throws a jab when Okami was well out of range.
Lauringer throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Sloppy strikes from Okami. Those never looked like landing.
Okami is trying hard to land a takedown here. Lauringer sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Okami misses with a wild body shot.
Lauringer bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Lauringer slips under a jab.
Okami will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Okami misses with a left hand
and Lauringer connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Okami misses with a body shot.
Okami tries to bum rush Lauringer with a series of wild strikes but Lauringer uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Okami thows a left - swing and a miss!
Okami throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Lauringer counters with a left to the body.
Lauringer works Okami's body with a nice hook.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Okami shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Lauringer moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Lauringer has momentary wrist control but Okami slips an elbow through the middle.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Lauringer holds on and takes a little breather.
Okami scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Okami throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Okami lands a couple of digs.
Lauringer is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Okami accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Okami throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Lauringer works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Okami controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Okami connects with a couple of short punches.
Okami has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Okami preventing the sweep.
Lauringer preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Okami postures up in Lauringer's guard and throws a big left but Lauringer blocks it.
Okami trying to control but Lauringer is working from the bottom.
Okami is looking to work some ground and pound but Lauringer has wrist control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lauringer avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Okami working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Okami works over Lauringer with some ground and pound from guard.
Okami keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Lauringer's head.
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!
Lauringer is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Lauringer keeping moving, preventing Okami from controlling successfully.
Okami postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Okami working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Lauringer had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Okami defends it easily.
Okami throws a strike but Lauringer rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yushin Okami dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Lauringer displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Okami throws out the jab.
Lauringer misses with the combination.
Okami misses with a series of wild punches.
The fighters circling - Lauringer throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lauringer avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Okami misses with a looping left.
Okami throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Okami misses with a wild body shot.
Lauringer throws a series of punches but Okami moves out of range.
Okami uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Lauringer.
Okami staying out of range there.
Okami is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Okami drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.

Okami shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Okami sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Lauringer defending well though.
Lauringer manages to get to full guard.
Okami working some strikes from top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Okami trying to control the position from guard on top but Lauringer is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lauringer bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Okami's guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Okami wants to get back to his feet but Lauringer is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Okami has control of Lauringer's left arm, preventing Lauringer from doing any damage.
Lauringer trying to control but Okami is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Yushin Okami hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Okami takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Okami tries to move into range but Lauringer moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Okami lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Lauringer circles away quickly and effectively.
Lauringer defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Okami.
Nice defenses there by Lauringer.
Ewert Lauringer is winning the standup battle so far.
Okami fails with the takedown.
Lauringer fails to land with a series of punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Okami throws a right hand that Lauringer ducks under and follows up with a left that Lauringer also avoids with ease.
Ewert Lauringer is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Lauringer scores with a hook.
Okami shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Lauringer pinned against the cage. Lauringer gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Ewert Lauringer has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yushin Okami.
Okami dodges the punch combination from Lauringer.
Lauringer listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Okami takes a shot right to the bread basket.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Ewert Lauringer will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Okami misses with a hook. Lauringer ducked under it nicely.
Lauringer lands with a shot to the body.
Okami takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Okami works Lauringer's body with a nice hook.
Okami uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Lauringer.
Lauringer scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Lauringer throws a hook but Okami avoids it easily.
Okami darts in looking for a takedown but Lauringer gets double underhooks and turns Okami into the cage.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Lauringer doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Lauringer goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lauringer prevents the takedown attempt.

Lauringer escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Lauringer throws a hook but Okami blocks it.
Lauringer looks to score with a jab to the body but Okami is just out of range.
Lauringer misses with a hook. Okami ducked under it nicely.
Okami swinging wildly here.
Okami throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Okami connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Lauringer's hands.

It looks like Ewert Lauringer has been cut.
Okami takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Lauringer ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Okami moves away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A punch combination from Okami misses.
Lauringer connects with a body shot that sends Okami's belly button to the back.
Okami takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Okami moves into range and connects with a jab.
Okami blocks a jab.
Lauringer fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Lauringer connects with a single shot there.
Lauringer scores with a shot to the body.
Okami misses with a wild body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Okami defending well as Lauringer loads up on a big left hand.
A telegraphed right hand from Lauringer misses the target.
Nice shot by Lauringer.
Okami slips a jab and a cross from Lauringer.
Lauringer throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Okami throws a lazy uppercut
and Lauringer counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Okami throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Yushin Okami seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Okami looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Lauringer is fending him off so far but Okami persists. Nope, Lauringer circles away and we're back to standing.
Ewert Lauringer has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yushin Okami.
Okami shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Lauringer sprawls well. Lauringer wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Okami gets slowly back to his feet.
Okami misses with a right hand
and Lauringer counters with a nice uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters circling - Okami throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
A big right from Okami misses.
Lauringer misses with a double jab
and Lauringer takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Lauringer throws a lazy right hand but Okami sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
A big left from Lauringer misses.

Lauringer gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Okami to score an easy takedown into full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Okami lands a couple of decent looking shots.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Yushin Okami.
I think Okami has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Yushin Okami!
During a confident post fight interview, Yushin Okami thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.