PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mikio Okita (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tiago Mendez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mendez is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Trap Door. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Okita
vs
Mendez

180 cm
27
177 lbs
20 - 8 - 0

184 cm
26
180 lbs
17 - 13 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Crippler's Corner
Crippler's Corner

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 20 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mikio Okita!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 13 - 0, fighting out of London, Tiago Mendez!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, William Gold and Chris Edwards.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mendez tries to close the distance and clinch up but Okita swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Mendez misses with a takedown attempt - Okita sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Mendez misses with a takedown attempt
and Okita counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Okita throws the left hand but Mendez avoids the punch easily.
Mendez shoots in but no luck this time.
Mikio Okita has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tiago Mendez.
Okita connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Okita fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Mendez with a lazy takedown attempt
and Okita counters with a nice body shot.
Nice sprawl there from Mendez as Okita shoots in.
Mendez fails with the takedown
and Okita counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Mendez keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Okita lands a nice hook to Mendez's body. Mendez takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Okita shoots for a takedown but Mendez saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Tiago Mendez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Okita misses with an uppercut. Mendez saw that one coming.
Okita misses with a jab to the body

and Mendez moves into the clinch.

Okita breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Mendez has his takedown stuffed
and Okita makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Okita misses with a left hand
and Mendez counters with a left and a right that stings Okita.
Mendez takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Mendez doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Okita counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Mendez.
Okita dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendez tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Okita counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Okita prevents Mendez from improving his position.
Mendez wants to control but Okita is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Okita works his foot free and advances to mount.
Mendez tries to reverse the position but Okita maintains control.
Okita wants to control the pace but Mendez is squirming around nicely.
Mendez in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Okita trying to control but Mendez is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendez can't escape the position.
Okita takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Mendez working to try and regain half guard.
Okita landing shots from mount.
Okita breaks from Mendez's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Mendez is squirming around, avoiding Okita's attempts to control the action.
Okita seems to be looking to move to his opponent's back but Mendez is holding on tight.
Okita tries to control but Mendez wriggling away.
Okita working the ground and pound effectively.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendez has given up his back. Will we see Okita going for some submissions?
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Okita is striking from the back but Mendez escapes and manages to recover to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Okita is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Okita passes the guard and advances to mount!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Okita sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mikio Okita dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Okita misses with a straight left.
Okita stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Okita wants it to stay on the feet.
A punch combination from Mendez misses.
Okita keeps the fight on the outside.
Okita tests Mendez's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Okita is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Mendez.
Mendez tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Mendez shoots in for a double leg but Okita sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Mendez gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Okita counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Mikio Okita has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tiago Mendez.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendez tries for a takedown but Okita circles away easily
and Okita counters with a nice body shot.
Nice straight punches there by Okita. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Okita.
Okita misses with a wild body shot.
Okita misses with a shot to the body

and Mendez counters with a takedown into side control.
You can see the frustration on Okita's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Okita 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.
Mendez wants to control but Okita is keeping him busy.

Mendez stands up and beckons Okita to his feet.
A looping hook to the body misses from Okita. Mendez does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendez fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
A telegraphed right hand from Okita misses the target.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Mendez shoots in for a takedown but Okita shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Okita lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
A looping hook to the body misses from Okita. Mendez does a little dance to reset his feet.
Mendez fails with the takedown
and Okita makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Okita is looking to wear down Mendez with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Okita bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Mendez's head backwards.
Mendez lands with a shot to the body.
Tiago Mendez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Mendez tries to score a power double leg takedown but Okita sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Mendez somewhat.
Mendez shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Okita defends it nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Okita throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Okita fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Mendez manages to avoid it.
Mendez tries to clinch but Okita moves out of range.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Okita.
Mikio Okita overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Okita tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Okita has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Mendez dodges the ground and pound from Okita.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Okita wants to control but Mendez is keeping him busy.

Okita working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Okita stands up.
Mendez shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
letting Okita counter with a right hand.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mendez shoots in for a double leg but Okita sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mikio Okita dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Okita misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Mendez.

Okita drives through with a takedown into guard.

Mendez is looking for a triangle but Okita pushes his legs off easily.
Okita pushes down on Mendez's leg and manages to get into half guard.

Okita seems to be looking for submissions.
Okita moves nicely into side control.
Okita trying to control the action but Mendez is working from the bottom.
Okita tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendez wants to control but Okita postures up.

Okita tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Okita wants to control but Mendez is keeping him busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendez tries to bench press Okita off him but Okita keeps the position.
Okita trying to control the position but Mendez is working away.
Okita working the ground and pound.
Mendez tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Okita tries for a kimura but Mendez is defending well.

Okita working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendez is looking to regain half guard here but Okita keeps moving and retains side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mendez is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Mendez prevents Okita from improving position.
Mendez sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

Okita is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Mendez defends it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendez is trying to maintain the position but Okita is very close to passing his half guard.
Mendez moves into full guard.

Mendez is looking for a triangle but Okita pushes his legs off easily.
Mendez trying to control the position.
Tiago Mendez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mendez takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Okita stands and throws Mendez's legs to the side, diving into side control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mendez manages to work his way to half guard, despite Okita's best efforts.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mikio Okita showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Okita, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Tew scores the fight 30:27
Judge William Gold scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mikio Okita!