PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jian Zhao (ranked 759 p4p, 875 weight class) and Yakubu Okoroji (ranked 59 p4p, 69 weight class). Zhao comes to the cage accompanied by Dirty Harry (Schtung Chinese New Year Remix) - Gorillaz. The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Zhao
vs
Okoroji

173 cm
33
156
22 - 14 - 1

165 cm
27
154
11 - 8 - 1

Good wrestling
World class MT
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Good low kicks
Fast

Hoarse Pills
Bondi MMA 🏝️

Uncle Rufus Clothing .Co

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 22 - 14 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jian Zhao!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 8 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Yakubu Okoroji!
The judges for this bout are John Roberts, David Schapiro and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Okoroji falls off balance throwing a combination
and Zhao counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
A solid leg kick lands there for Zhao.
Zhao is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Zhao connects with an inside leg kick.
Zhao connects with a solid leg kick.
Okoroji swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Zhao is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Okoroji.
Okoroji tries to close the distance and clinch up but Zhao swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Okoroji throws a body punch but Zhao moves out of range.
Okoroji looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Okoroji tries for a takedown but Zhao circles away easily
and Zhao counters with a right hand to the body.
Okoroji shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
enabling Zhao to counter with a crisp jab.
Zhao lands a jab.
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!
Zhao connects with a solid leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Okoroji misses with a takedown
and Okoroji takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Jian Zhao has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yakubu Okoroji.
Okoroji shoots in but no luck this time.
Zhao connects with an inside leg kick.
Okoroji fails with the takedown.
Zhao swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Okoroji tries to close the distance and clinch but Zhao swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Nice uppercut there from Zhao.
Zhao scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Yakubu Okoroji seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Okoroji misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Zhao connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Zhao connects with a right hand. Okoroji shakes it off.

Okoroji takes the fight into the clinch.

Okoroji escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Zhao on the wrong end of a nice hook.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Zhao scoring well with a low kick there.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Okoroji.
Okoroji looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Good standup being displayed there by Zhao as he connects with a hook.
Zhao scores with a jab to the body.
Okoroji misses the shot to the body.
Okoroji gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Zhao counters with a straight right hand.
Zhao throws a nice inside leg kick.
Zhao keeps the fight on the outside.
Zhao throws a right and a left that Okoroji avoids nicely.
Okoroji's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Okoroji gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Okoroji takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Okoroji's coach down at MMA Training and Sparring Buddies was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Okoroji's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.

Zhao gets tackled into the cage by Okoroji. Okoroji maintains the clinch.

Okoroji breaks the clinch.
It looks like Zhao has been trying to sharpen up his punching technique, as it looks crisper than last time we saw him.
Okoroji scores with a body shot.
Zhao is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Okoroji feints and as Zhao raises his hands in defense, Okoroji changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Zhao manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Okoroji closes the distance looking to clinch
and Zhao connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Zhao lands with a nice combination. Okoroji backs away looking to recover.
Okoroji tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Zhao swivels and escapes.
Zhao swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Okoroji throws a sloppy body shot
and Zhao counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Jian Zhao is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
The fight stays on the outside here - Okoroji looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Okoroji shoots in looking for a takedown. Zhao tries to sprawl out of it but Okoroji keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Zhao manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Zhao connects with a solid leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zhao blocks the body kick.
Zhao lands a jab to the nose.
Zhao misses with a wild combination.
Okoroji swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.

Okoroji has managed to clinch.
Okoroji pushes Zhao back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.

Zhao manages to break the clinch.
Donk. Zhao catches Okoroji right on the button with a cross.
Okoroji misses with a double jab
and Okoroji takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A slow jab from Zhao misses its intended target.
Okoroji tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Zhao counters with a stiff right hand.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jian Zhao dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

A solid leg kick lands there for Zhao.
Zhao cracks Okoroji with an open hand slap.
Zhao misses with a double jab
and Okoroji counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Zhao throws a leg kick that misses.
Okoroji shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Zhao as he avoids it easily.
Zhao looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Okoroji lands a body shot.
Okoroji is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Zhao rather than just go for the knockout.
Okoroji dives in and grabs Zhao's left leg, looking for a takedown. Zhao pushes down on Okoroji's head and hops out.
Zhao swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Okoroji swings for the body but Zhao moves out of range.
Zhao keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Okoroji misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Zhao.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zhao clobbers Okoroji with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Zhao ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Okoroji moves away.

Okoroji takes the fight into the clinch.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
A nice inside leg kick there by Zhao. That's going to slow Okoroji down.
The fight stays on the outside here - Okoroji looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Zhao connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Okoroji momentarily.
Okoroji doesn't manage to clinch there - Zhao circles away.
Okoroji has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Zhao sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Zhao avoids the body shot from Okoroji.
An attempted straight right counter from Zhao misses the target.
Zhao keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Zhao swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Zhao cracks Okoroji with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Zhao swats away the attempt to clinch by Okoroji.
Okoroji punishes Zhao's body with a nice straight punch.
Zhao bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Okoroji's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zhao swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Okoroji looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Okoroji moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Okoroji tries to clinch up
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Zhao uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Okoroji.
Zhao moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Zhao lands a really nice looking cross but Okoroji seems unphased.
Okoroji fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Jian Zhao has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yakubu Okoroji.
Okoroji misses with a double jab
and Zhao counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Okoroji shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Zhao counters with an outside leg kick.
Okoroji throws a jab but it's blocked by Zhao.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Okoroji fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Okoroji is breathing heavily.
Zhao with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Okoroji wants to clinch.
Zhao was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Okoroji shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Zhao counters with a one-two to the body.
Okoroji on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Zhao. Zhao obviously looking to wear him down.
Zhao is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Okoroji can do to turn this around?
Okoroji is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Okoroji shoots in for a takedown but Zhao shows good takedown defense.
Okoroji tries to clinch
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
and Zhao counters with a nice body shot.
Okoroji on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Zhao. Zhao obviously looking to wear him down.
Okoroji tries to clinch up but Zhao circles away and keeps his distance.
Zhao turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Zhao lands a head shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Okoroji lands a nice hook to Zhao's body. Zhao takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Zhao misses with the combination.
Zhao connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Zhao is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
A low kick lands for Zhao.
Okoroji tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Zhao paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Zhao scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Okoroji throws a predictable looking body shot
and Zhao counters with a straight right hand.
Zhao throws a hook but Okoroji blocks it.
Okoroji takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Okoroji chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Zhao can pounce on him.
Okoroji tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Okoroji will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Zhao connects with a looping right hand.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jian Zhao dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Okoroji tries to clinch up but Zhao circles away and keeps his distance.
Okoroji wants to clinch
and Zhao counters with a leg kick.
Okoroji takes a swing at Zhao's ribcage but misses.
Jian Zhao is winning the standup battle so far.
A shot to the liver by Zhao. Beautiful body shot.
Zhao scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Okoroji with a poor takedown
and Zhao counters with a straight right hand.
Zhao fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Okoroji is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Okoroji tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Zhao counters with a nice low kick that buckles Okoroji's knee momentarily.
Okoroji doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Zhao counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Zhao gets tackled into the cage by Okoroji. Okoroji maintains the clinch.
Okoroji takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Zhao lands with a light punch inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Zhao manages to break the clinch.
Zhao connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Okoroji momentarily.
Zhao lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Zhao lands with a hook. Okoroji tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Okoroji looks to clinch
and Zhao counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Zhao connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Zhao with a jab.

Okoroji is rocked!
Zhao circles and sees the opportunity to plant his feet and throw a really nice straight left hand that drops Okoroji to the canvas! Okoroji doesn't know where he is but he's trying to survive - Zhao keeps piling on the pressure and forces the referee to step in! This one is aaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:35 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Jian Zhao!
Jian Zhao thanked the fans post fight for their support.