PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Thiago Castagnoli (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yushin Okami (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Castagnoli
vs
Okami

195 cm
18
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

188 cm
25
184 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Thiago Castagnoli!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yushin Okami!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Shigeki Sano and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Castagnoli tries to keep at a distance but Okami has taken the fight into the clinch.
Okami changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Castagnoli fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Castagnoli drives through with a takedown into Okami's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

Castagnoli drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Castagnoli jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Castagnoli wants to stand and escape but instead Okami has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Castagnoli is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Okami wants to control from the top but Castagnoli keeps moving.
Okami works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Okami thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Castagnoli's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Okami perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Castagnoli trying to hold on to Okami's head to control him but Okami postures up.
Castagnoli is looking to improve his position.
Okami lands with a punch from half guard.
Okami stops Castagnoli from getting back to his feet.
Okami lands with a punch from half guard.
Castagnoli is looking to escape.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Okami seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Okami wants to take a breather but Castagnoli is having none of it.
Castagnoli is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Okami scores with a couple of nice shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Okami thows a huge punch but Castagnoli dodges it nicely.
Okami sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Castagnoli defending well though.
Okami throwing shots but Castagnoli is blocking nicely.

Okami is trying to work for a kimura but Castagnoli is defending well.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Castagnoli is looking to improve his position.
Castagnoli is working hard here to advance position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Castagnoli throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Castagnoli taking some punishment here, with Okami in his half guard.
Castagnoli trying to hold on to Okami's head to control him but Okami postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Castagnoli blocking the ground and pound attempt from Okami.
Okami is keen to just control but Castagnoli is a slippery customer.
Castagnoli is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Okami trying to control the action but Castagnoli is working from the bottom.
Castagnoli wants to get back to full guard but Okami has mounted him!
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Okami cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Okami lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Castagnoli hang on?
BOOM! Okami connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Castagnoli is looking to get to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Okami is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Castagnoli on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Castagnoli tries to get out of the position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Okami working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Castagnoli takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Castagnoli is in all sorts of trouble here.
Okami has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Okami with a couple of short strikes.
Castagnoli is squirming around, avoiding Okami's attempts to control the action.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Okami with a couple of short strikes.
Okami lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yushin Okami dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Castagnoli moves in looking to clinch but Okami pushes him off.
Castagnoli takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

Castagnoli gets a double leg takedown into Okami's guard.
Castagnoli looking to sit in guard and control but Okami gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Castagnoli controls Okami momentarily but Okami frees himself.
Okami stands and throws Castagnoli's legs to the side, diving into side control.
I wouldn't like to be where Castagnoli is right now.
Castagnoli is trying to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castagnoli is not content to let Okami control the position.
Okami creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Castagnoli sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Okami is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Castagnoli will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Okami landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Okami lands some shots froms side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Okami lands a few punches from side control.
Castagnoli is looking for a sweep.
Yushin Okami has got the better of the ground game so far.
Castagnoli is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Okami is controlling him well.
Okami working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Castagnoli tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Castagnoli holds on to Okami's head and controls the position momentarily.

Okami stands up.
Yushin Okami seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Okami lands with a kick to the temple. Castagnoli shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Okami throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Okami bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Okami wants to clinch up but Castagnoli keeps it at a distance.
Okami tries to clinch but Castagnoli is having none of it.
Castagnoli keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Castagnoli throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Okami has a takedown stuffed.
Okami is breathing heavily.
Castagnoli avoids the head kick by Okami.
Okami wants to clinch up but Castagnoli keeps it at a distance.
Okami closes this distance looking for a takedown but Castagnoli circles away.
Thiago Castagnoli has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yushin Okami.

Castagnoli dives in and scores a takedown into Okami's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Castagnoli trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Castagnoli is in close to Okami's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Okami keeping moving, preventing Castagnoli from controlling successfully.
Okami keeping full guard, as Castagnoli tries to pass.
Castagnoli wants to stand but Okami is controlling his posture from full guard.
Okami is pulling down on Castagnoli's head. It's preventing any offense from Castagnoli, at least for the moment.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Castagnoli is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yushin Okami showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! 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.

Castagnoli tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Okami doesn't manage to clinch there - Castagnoli circles away.
Okami throws a sloppy head kick and Castagnoli moves out of range easily.
A solid leg kick lands there for Okami.
Okami cracks the inside of Castagnoli's front leg.

Okami clinches with his opponent.
Castagnoli's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
A frustrated look appears on Castagnoli's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Okami keeps control of Castagnoli as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Okami pulls guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castagnoli wants to control from the top but Okami keeps moving.

Castagnoli got a little sloppy there for a moment and Okami has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Castagnoli has managed to get both his arms back between Okami's legs - danger averted.

Okami is looking for a triangle but Castagnoli pushes his legs off easily.

Okami is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Castagnoli defends well.
Castagnoli has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Okami takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Castagnoli would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Okami scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Castagnoli has a takedown stuffed.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Castagnoli closes this distance looking for a takedown but Okami circles away.
Yushin Okami seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Okami slaps away a takedown attempt from Castagnoli, before circling back to the center of the mat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thiago Castagnoli. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A head kick misses from Okami.

Castagnoli darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Okami is pressing down on Castagnoli's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Okami is trying to keep Castagnoli in close.
Castagnoli wants to control from the top but Okami keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Castagnoli with a nice head shot there.
Okami trying to control the position.
Castagnoli's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Castagnoli trying to control but Okami is working from the bottom.
Castagnoli knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Okami on the ground.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Thiago Castagnoli.

Castagnoli throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Okami tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Castagnoli is in Okami's guard.
Okami is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Okami manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Okami with good strikes from the mount here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Okami cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Castagnoli tries to hold on but Okami postures up.
Castagnoli really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Thiago Castagnoli has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
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!
Castagnoli throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Castagnoli working to try and regain half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Okami in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

And that's the end of the fight!
Yushin Okami comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Okami has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 27:30
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Yushin Okami!