PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Joe Dinapoli (ranked 78 p4p, 39 weight class) and Mike Okafor (ranked 16 p4p, 8 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Dinapoli
vs
Okafor

195 cm
30
207
28 - 7 - 0

220 cm
29
210
30 - 7 - 1

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing
Bondi MMA 🏝️

New Standard

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 28 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Joe Dinapoli!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 30 - 7 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Mike Okafor!
The judges for this bout are Phil Schofield, Andrew Berry and Donald Grub.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dinapoli misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Okafor misses with a hook. Dinapoli ducked under it nicely.
Okafor misses with a left hand
and Dinapoli connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Dinapoli looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Okafor fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Dinapoli.
Dinapoli connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Okafor moves out of range of the strikes.
Dinapoli throws a series of punches but Okafor avoids them all with ease.
Dinapoli uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Okafor.
Dinapoli throws a looping overhand right but Okafor ducks down to avoid it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Okafor cracks Dinapoli with a right hand to the side of the head.
Okafor bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Dinapoli's head backwards.
Dinapoli throws out a leg kick but Okafor moves out of range and Dinapoli only half commits.
Okafor throws a head kick that misses.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Okafor scores with a sloppy right hand. Dinapoli should have avoided that one.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Okafor misses with a right hand
and Okafor takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Dinapoli swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Dinapoli misses with an uppercut
enabling Okafor to counter with a crisp jab.
Dinapoli connects with a right hand. Okafor shakes it off.
Okafor is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Dinapoli lands a head kick that stumbles Okafor and the fighters go to the mat.

Okafor is rocked!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Okafor working for a triangle but Dinapoli defends it easily.
Okafor is still in real trouble! Can Dinapoli finish him?
Dinapoli scoring with punches to the head and body.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Dinapoli accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Okafor seems to have recovered his senses.
Okafor not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Okafor is pulling down on Dinapoli's head. It's preventing any offense from Dinapoli, at least for the moment.
Dinapoli with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dinapoli slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Dinapoli throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Okafor works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Okafor controls Dinapoli momentarily but Dinapoli frees himself.
Dinapoli trying to control but Okafor is working from the bottom.
Dinapoli engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

Okafor is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Dinapoli might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dinapoli trying to control but Okafor is working from the bottom.
Dinapoli controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Dinapoli trying to control but Okafor is working from the bottom.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Dinapoli checks a leg kick.
Okafor throws an ugly left hook that misses
enabling Dinapoli to counter with a crisp jab.
Dinapoli connects with a solid leg kick.
Dinapoli moves out of range of the strikes.
Okafor on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Dinapoli throws an off balance right hand
and Okafor counters with a straight right hand.
Okafor misses with a left hand
and Dinapoli connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Okafor throws out a loose jab but Dinapoli uses good head movement to avoid it.
An inside leg kick lands from Okafor.
Okafor cracks Dinapoli with an open hand slap.
Dinapoli takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Dinapoli misses with a hook
and Okafor counters with a stiff right hand.
Okafor lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
A chopping leg kick lands by Dinapoli.
Okafor scores with a hook.
Dinapoli throws an off balance right hand
and Okafor counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Okafor throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Dinapoli stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Jab from Okafor.
Okafor has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Okafor.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Joe Dinapoli will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Dinapoli throws a hook to the side of Okafor's head but Okafor sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Dinapoli rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Okafor counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Dinapoli defending well as Okafor loads up on a big left hand.
Dinapoli tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Okafor manages to circle out of the way.
Dinapoli swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Okafor with a hook.
A solid leg kick lands there for Okafor.
Dinapoli lands a nice shot to the body.
Dinapoli misses with a straight left.
Dinapoli ducks under a wild hook from Okafor.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dinapoli misses the jab.
Dinapoli throws an off balance right hand
enabling Okafor to counter with a crisp jab.
Dinapoli lands with a right hand.
Okafor has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
Nice shot lands for Dinapoli.
Joe Dinapoli is winning the standup battle so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dinapoli misses with a hook
and Okafor counters with a left to the body.
Dinapoli thows a leg kick but Okafor checks it
and Dinapoli takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Dinapoli slips a jab from Okafor.

Oh, that's a big right hand from Dinapoli and Okafor goes tumbling to the canvas! Dinapoli follows him to the ground and looks to finish from half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Dinapoli not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Dinapoli wants to pass to mount but Okafor is defending the position.
Dinapoli throwing shots but Okafor is blocking nicely.
Dinapoli tries to pass the half guard into mount. Okafor knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Okafor is trying is best to control the position here.
Dinapoli slows the pace down in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dinapoli trying to control the action but Okafor is working from the bottom.
Dinapoli perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Okafor connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dinapoli jabs Okafor right on the nose. Okafor blinks but takes it well.
Dinapoli throws a lazy uppercut
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Okafor swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
It looked like Dinapoli wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Okafor with the inside leg kick.
Dinapoli throws a nice outside leg kick.
Okafor throws an overhand right that lands on Dinapoli's shoulder, as Dinapoli tries to avoid the shot.
Okafor connects with a solid leg kick.
Dinapoli takes a jab right on the kisser.
Okafor scoring well with a low kick there.
Dinapoli on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Okafor throws a lazy right hand but Dinapoli sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Dinapoli is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dinapoli misses with a left hand
and Okafor counters with a low kick, right behind Dinapoli 's knee.
Dinapoli throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Dinapoli takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Okafor with a nice cross.
Nice uppercut lands for Okafor. That snapped Dinapoli's head back.
Okafor sizes up Dinapoli with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Okafor darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Okafor misses with a low kick.
Dinapoli feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Dinapoli misses with an uppercut.
Good work by Okafor as he checks the leg kick.
Okafor is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Okafor listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Okafor misses with an uppercut. Dinapoli saw that one coming.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Okafor showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action!

Dinapoli throws a poor cross that misses
and Okafor counters with a stiff right hand.
Okafor is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Dinapoli throws a low kick but it's checked well by Okafor.
Okafor was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
Okafor thows a left - swing and a miss!
Dinapoli moves out of range as Okafor throws a body kick.
Okafor jabs Dinapoli to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Dinapoli misses with the combination.
A jab from Okafor does it's job there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Decent striking displayed by Okafor there.
Dinapoli throws a leg kick that is checked
and Okafor counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Dinapoli swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Okafor fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Dinapoli on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
That kick from Okafor tenderised Dinapoli's leg. Dinapoli is trying to keep his angry face on.
Okafor takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Okafor throws a low kick but Dinapoli avoids it.
Okafor staying out of range there.
Okafor lands with a nice body punch.
Dinapoli stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Okafor.
Okafor misses with a right hand
and Dinapoli counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Okafor throws a quick inside leg kick.
Okafor lands a nice leg kick that just misses Dinapoli's sensitive parts.
Dinapoli misses with a combination
and Okafor cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Okafor with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Dinapoli to score with a decent uppercut.
Dinapoli throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
An inside leg kick from Dinapoli misses.
A nice leg kick lands there from Okafor.
Dinapoli will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
A left lands for Okafor.
Dinapoli drops his hands momentarily and Okafor takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Dinapoli defending well as Okafor loads up on a big left hand.
Dinapoli tries to counter by clinching up but Okafor breaks away and moves out of range.
Mike Okafor seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Okafor looks for the body kick but Dinapoli saw that one coming.
Okafor keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Dinapoli.
Dinapoli steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Okafor.
Dinapoli tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Okafor manages to circle out of the way.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Okafor throws a nice inside leg kick.
Dinapoli throws a jab when Okafor was well out of range.
Okafor connects with a body shot.
Okafor tests Dinapoli's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Okafor lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Okafor throws an off balance right hand
and Dinapoli connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Okafor throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Dinapoli cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Dinapoli looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Dinapoli throws a monster overhand right that drops Okafor! Dinapoli follows up with more strikes from mount and the fight is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:50 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Joe Dinapoli!
During a confident post fight interview, Joe Dinapoli thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.