PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Iwasaki Okamoto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yogi Bushido (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Okamoto
vs
Bushido

170 cm
22
132 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

163 cm
23
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Iwasaki Okamoto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yogi Bushido!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Hirohito Nitta and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Bushido closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Okamoto to the mat! Okamoto manages to get full guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Bushido wants to control from the top but Okamoto keeps moving.
Bushido is stalling in the full guard.

Okamoto has his foot on Bushido's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Bushido works his way back into a safe position though.
Bushido trying to control the position from guard on top but Okamoto is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Yogi Bushido has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Bushido leaves Okamoto with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Bushido has closed the distance and engaged Okamoto in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bushido pressing his opponent against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Okamoto's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Bushido jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Okamoto walks away with a smile on his face. Bushido gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Bushido changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Okamoto looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Okamoto is trying to control Bushido's posture but Bushido avoids it.
Bushido prevents Okamoto from escaping the position.
You can see the frustration on Okamoto's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Okamoto is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Bushido is controlling him well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bushido remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Bushido misses with the ground and pound.
Okamoto is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Bushido asserts his dominance and retains side control.

Bushido decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Bushido looks for a takedown but Okamoto sprawls well.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Okamoto doesn't manage to clinch there - Bushido circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Okamoto is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Bushido tries to bum rush Okamoto with a series of wild strikes but Okamoto uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Okamoto blocks a head kick by Bushido.
Okamoto shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Bushido defends it nicely.
Okamoto is breathing heavily.
Bushido fails with a takedown attempt.
Iwasaki Okamoto has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yogi Bushido.
Okamoto shoots in for a takedown but Bushido shows good takedown defense.
Okamoto lands with a slapping head kick.

Bushido pushes Okamoto up against the cage in a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Okamoto tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Bushido just stands there and leans against the cage.
Bushido wants to break the clinch but can't.

Bushido breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Okamoto doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Bushido decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Okamoto's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Bushido wanted to stand there but Okamoto had control of the position.
Okamoto keeping full guard, as Bushido tries to pass.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yogi Bushido dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Bushido shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Bushido trying to control the position from guard on top but Okamoto is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Okamoto looking for a sweep. Not yet Okamoto, not yet.

Okamoto has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Bushido can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Okamoto working a defensive guard here.
Bushido has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Okamoto is proving hard to escape from.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bushido trying to control the position from guard on top but Okamoto is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Yogi Bushido was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Okamoto looks for a takedown but Bushido sprawls well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Okamoto moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.

Bushido fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Okamoto, pushing him back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Bushido.
Bushido holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Okamoto tries to break free but Bushido pushes him back against the cage.
Bushido keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Okamoto's efforts to push away.

Bushido pulls guard effortlessly.
Bushido keeping moving, preventing Okamoto from controlling successfully.
Bushido managing to control the position.

Okamoto is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bushido looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Okamoto postures up.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Bushido can do anything to dispel that myth.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Yogi Bushido wasn't active enough on the ground.
Bushido closes the distance and clinches up with Okamoto, looking for a takedown. Bushido pushes Okamoto against the cage but Okamoto circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Bushido clinches with his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Okamoto tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Bushido blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Bushido has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Bushido tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Okamoto just stands there and leans against the cage.
Okamoto drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Okamoto misses with a hook to the ribs.
Okamoto goes for a takedown in the clinch but Bushido prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Iwasaki Okamoto. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Bushido jumps guard and drags Okamoto to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Okamoto wants to control from the top but Bushido keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yogi Bushido 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!

Bushido throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Bushido misses with a low kick.
Okamoto tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Bushido paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Bushido moves into the clinch.

Bushido drags the fight down to the ground.
Bushido is trying to keep Okamoto in close.
Okamoto trying to control but Bushido is working from the bottom.
Bushido is looking to sweep but instead, Okamoto has passed into half guard.

Bushido looking for submissions off his back.
Yogi Bushido has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bushido trying to control here.
Bushido is not content to let Okamoto control the position.

Okamoto is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Bushido defends it well.
Okamoto is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Okamoto prevents Bushido from improving his position.
Bushido is trying to control but can't.
Okamoto missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Bushido wants to improve his position but Okamoto is controlling well.
Okamoto wants to control but Bushido is keeping him busy.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Bushido looking for submissions off his back.
Okamoto with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bushido is trying to stand up here but Okamoto is controlling him well.
Okamoto throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Okamoto is thwarting Bushido's attempts to control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bushido is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Okamoto is staying active.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Okamoto shoots in but no luck this time.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Okamoto has closed the distance and engaged Bushido in a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bushido tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Okamoto avoids it.
Okamoto utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Bushido is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Okamoto is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Bushido is keeping busy.
Bushido has had enough of the clinch but Okamoto keeps him there for the moment.
Bushido throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Okamoto blocks it with crossed arms.
Bushido tries to circle away but Okamoto has him pinned against the cage.
Okamoto stops a takedown attempt from Bushido.
Iwasaki Okamoto has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Yogi Bushido is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Yogi Bushido.
I've got Bushido 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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 27:30
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 27:30
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Yogi Bushido!