PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Keisuke Okazaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ra Sa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Keisuke Okazaki has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Okazaki
vs
Sa

178 cm
25
136 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

160 cm
18
131 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

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 London, Keisuke Okazaki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Ra Sa!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, Colin Fotheringham and James Ackerman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Okazaki slaps away a takedown attempt from Sa, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Sa shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Okazaki sprawls well. Okazaki wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Sa gets slowly back to his feet.
A head kick misses from Okazaki.
Sa throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Okazaki's waist but Okazaki gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Sa off to one side.
Keisuke Okazaki has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ra Sa.
Nice defenses there by Sa.
Sa misses with an attempted mid kick.
Okazaki throws a head kick but Sa moves out of range.

Sa pushes Okazaki up against the cage in a clinch.
Okazaki is trying to stall.

Sa escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sa thows a left - swing and a miss!
Sa misses with a low kick.
Sa fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Sa shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Okazaki sprawls well. Okazaki wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Sa gets slowly back to his feet.
Sa throws a sloppy head kick
and Okazaki counters with a nice kick to the body.

Sa closes the distance and clinches.
Okazaki tries to circle away but Sa has him pinned against the cage.

Sa successfully pulls guard.
Sa looks gassed!
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Sa looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Okazaki trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Okazaki wants to control from the top but Sa keeps moving.
Okazaki is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Sa is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Okazaki tries to free his leg and advance position but Sa is retaining full guard.
Okazaki trying to control but Sa is working from the bottom.

Keisuke Okazaki has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
A telegraphed right hand from Sa misses the target.
Okazaki throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Okazaki pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Okazaki.
Okazaki leaves Sa with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Sa closes the distance and clinches up with Okazaki, looking for a takedown. Sa pushes Okazaki against the cage but Okazaki circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Okazaki really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Okazaki tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Okazaki shoots in looking for a takedown. Sa tries to sprawl out of it but Okazaki keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Sa manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Okazaki throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice body kick there by Okazaki.
Okazaki misses with a looping left.
Sa swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Okazaki pushes Sa away with a front kick.
Okazaki throws a hook but Sa avoids it easily.
Sa takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Sa is defended easily by Okazaki.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Okazaki throws a head kick that half lands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Keisuke Okazaki dominated that round.
That's time! Okazaki's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Okazaki lands a high kick!
Keisuke Okazaki is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sa shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Okazaki as he avoids it easily.
Okazaki misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Sa tries for a takedown but Okazaki sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Okazaki lands with a kick to the temple. Sa shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Sa on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Okazaki. Okazaki obviously looking to wear him down.
Okazaki tries to clinch up but Sa circles away and keeps his distance.
Okazaki tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Okazaki throws a head kick but Sa moves out of range.
Sa looks for a takedown but Okazaki sprawls well.
Keisuke Okazaki has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ra Sa.
Sa is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Okazaki fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Sa on the side of the head.
Sa is trying hard to land a takedown here. Okazaki sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Sa throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Okazaki's waist but Okazaki gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Sa off to one side.
Okazaki tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Okazaki scores with a head kick. Sa tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Okazaki stuffs the takedown.
Okazaki goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Okazaki, right into the meat.
Okazaki pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sa shoots in for a double leg but Okazaki sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Sa has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Okazaki.
Okazaki lands a high kick!
Keisuke Okazaki is winning the standup battle so far.
Okazaki tries a head kick but it misses.
Okazaki throws a nice head kick!

Sa has managed to clinch.
Okazaki is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Sa is keeping busy.

Sa jumps guard and drags Okazaki to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Okazaki trying to control but Sa is working from the bottom.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Okazaki trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Okazaki sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Sa's guard.
Okazaki wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sa keeps working.

Sa is defending against the submission attempts here by Okazaki.
Sa really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Okazaki. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Sa is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sa is not content to let Okazaki control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sa tries to get to full guard but Okazaki has control of the leg.

Okazaki is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Okazaki is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Sa has managed to free his arm - good work.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Okazaki seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Sa does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Keisuke Okazaki dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Okazaki shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Sa as he avoids it easily.

Sa clinches up against the cage.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Sa goes for a takedown in the clinch but Okazaki prevents it.

Sa pulls guard successfully.
Okazaki wants to control from the top but Sa keeps moving.
Okazaki trying to move into half guard but instead Sa has managed to sweep!

Sa avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Sa takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Okazaki isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Sa stacks Okazaki on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Sa!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Okazaki is letting Sa control him for a moment.
Sa working the ground and pound but Okazaki is defending the strikes.

Sa is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Okazaki has escaped the position, nice work there.

Sa decides to stand back up.
Ra Sa seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Okazaki throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Okazaki throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Sa fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Okazaki misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Okazaki misses with a head kick.
Okazaki throws a head kick that misses.
Okazaki misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Okazaki throws a head kick that misses.

Okazaki tries to keep at a distance but Sa has taken the fight into the clinch.
Keisuke Okazaki is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Okazaki wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Sa has him pressed against the cage.
Okazaki has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Sa drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Okazaki gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Keisuke Okazaki has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ra Sa.
Okazaki tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sa prevents Okazaki from breaking the clinch.
Sa putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Okazaki in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.

Sa decides to pull guard.
Sa is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Sa throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Sa keeping moving, preventing Okazaki from controlling successfully.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ra Sa has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Okazaki will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

Sa is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ra Sa.
I think Okazaki has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 William Gold scores the fight 30:27
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 29:28
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Keisuke Okazaki!
After the fight, Keisuke Okazaki was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.