PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Andrew Andrews (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hiapo Okina (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hiapo Okina will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Andrews
vs
Okina

162 cm
22
138 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

170 cm
24
147 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

Poweful takedowns
Brawler
Powerful

CROWN

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 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Andrew Andrews!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hiapo Okina!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Yuuki Gou and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Okina lands a head shot.
Okina wants to clinch up but Andrews keeps it at a distance.
Okina wants to clinch.
Okina tries to clinch but Andrews moves out of range.
Okina takes a swing at Andrews's ribcage but misses.
Andrews checks a low kick from Okina.
Okina avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Okina misses with a straight right.
Okina just misses with a punch to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Andrews misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Okina.
Okina tries to clinch up
and Andrews counters with a thumping low kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A punch combination from Okina misses.
Okina tries to clinch but Andrews moves away

and Andrews counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Andrews.
Okina trying to stall but Andrews improves his position.
Andrews dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the ropes.

Okina gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.

Andrews is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Okina tries to escape but Andrews has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Will Andrews go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?
Andrews misses with punches from the back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Okina is keeping busy.

Andrews is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Okina has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
Okina tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Okina is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Andrews prevents Okina from getting the reversal.
Okina tries to hold on but Andrews pushes him away.
Okina is working to get back to half guard.
Andrews has his opponent pinned against the ropes, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Okina's face.
Andrews lands with some strikes.
Okina is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Andrews blocks Okina's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Andrews trying to control but Okina is having none of it.
Okina working to try and regain half guard.
Okina manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Andrews wants to pass the guard but Okina is defending well.
Andrews wants to control but Okina is keeping him busy.
Okina makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Okina.
Okina looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Okina throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Andrews won't allow Okina to sweep him here.
Okina keeping moving, preventing Andrews from controlling successfully.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Okina throws a left and a right that both miss

and Andrews counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Okina working aggressively here.
Andrews struggles to land a body shot inside as Okina controls his hands.
Okina lands a damaging elbow.
Andrews is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Okina is keeping busy.
Andrews misses with a punch to the body.
Andrews scores with a hook to the body.
Okina is trying to stall.

Okina escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Hiapo Okina will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Okina wants to clinch

and Andrews counters by moving into the clinch.
Okina trying to control the position but instead, Andrews has worked for underhooks and has pushed Okina into the ropes.
Okina can't find room to land a body shot as Andrews controls the action.
Andrews can't get the takedown.
Okina misses with a body punch.
Andrews misses with a body punch.
Okina throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Okina tries to pull guard but Andrews won't allow it.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Okina as Andrews tries to tie him up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Okina tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Andrews misses with a hook to the ribs.
Okina slowing the pace effectively.
Andrews controlling the action here for a moment.
Okina lands a nice shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Okina tries to throw a body punch but Andrews avoids it by throwing Okina back against the cage.
Okina tries to work over Andrews's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Andrews as Okina tries to tie him up.

Andrews jumps guard and drags Okina to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Okina with a flurry of punches that miss.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Andrews working a defensive guard here.
Andrews utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Okina stays in close to Andrews's body and controls the position.
Okina preventing the sweep.
Okina is looking to work some ground and pound but Andrews has wrist control.
Okina throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Andrews had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Okina is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Andrews Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Okina's back instead.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Okina breaks Andrews's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Okina landing with the ground and pound.
Andrews controls Okina momentarily but Okina frees himself.
Okina throwing strikes from guard but Andrews blocks nicely.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Okina misses with a straight left.
Okina scores with a nice right hand.

Okina closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Okina creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Andrews is trying to control Okina's posture but Okina avoids it.
Okina working the ground and pound.
Okina trying to control the action but Andrews is working from the bottom.
Okina is chipping away with strikes.
Andrews taking a bit of punishment here - Okina scoring with strikes.
Andrews tries to improve position but can't.
Andrews is not content to let Okina control the position.
Andrews can't do much from the bottom here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Andrews seems a little lost for a moment, as Okina dominates the positioning.
The ground and pound from Okina seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Andrews defending against the ground and pound.
Andrews is looking to reverse the position.
Andrews struggling a bit here.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Andrews walks into a stiff left hand from Okina.
Okina misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Andrews doesn't manage to clinch there - Okina circles away.
Okina tries to clinch up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hiapo Okina showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Okina tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Andrews was well out of range. Poor timing from Okina.
Okina does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Okina wants to clinch up but Andrews keeps it at a distance.
Andrews tries to clinch but Okina is having none of it.
Andrews ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Okina moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Okina lands a jab to the head.
Okina wants to clinch

and Andrews counters by clinching up.
Okina lands a body punch in the clinch.
Andrews throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Okina lands with a short head shot on the inside.
A looping hook to the body misses from Andrews. Okina does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Andrews looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Andrews looks to clinch

and Okina counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Andrews is trying to get back to full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Andrews has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Okina is working away from the top position though.
Okina is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!

Okina has control of Andrews's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Andrews regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Okina has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Okina controlling from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Okina lands a big elbow.
Andrews is trying desperately to improve position.
Okina dominating with strikes here.
Hiapo Okina has got the better of the ground game so far.
Okina scoring with strikes but Andrews is staying in there.
Andrews wants to hold on but Okina pushes him away.
BOOM! Okina connects with a massive shot to the dome!

Okina jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Andrews manages to avoid the submission attempt.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
You can see the frustration on Andrews's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Okina with the ground and pound but Andrews regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Okina thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Andrews's head.
Nice strikes from Okina there.
Okina is looking to advance position but Andrews won't allow it.
Andrews throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

Andrews actively working from the bottom here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Okina moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Andrews moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Andrews dodges the punch combination from Okina.
Andrew Andrews has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Andrews doesn't manage to clinch there - Okina circles away.
Hiapo Okina is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Hiapo Okina seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Okina clinches but Andrews breaks the clinch

and Andrews counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Andrews.
Andrews goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Okina scores with a hook to the body.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Andrews.
Okina managing to block the knees to the body from Andrews.

Okina breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hiapo Okina comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Okina 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 Taro Takaoka scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 27:30
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hiapo Okina!