PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Edward Forbes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jonny Okereke (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Forbes
vs
Okereke

189 cm
22
170 lbs
5 - 5 - 0

180 cm
25
175 lbs
3 - 7 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Edward Forbes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 7 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jonny Okereke!
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, Reed Andrews and Bruno Lombardi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Okereke shoots for a takedown but Forbes saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Forbes tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Okereke.

Okereke rushes Forbes and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Okereke is trying to pull guard but Forbes has him pressed against the cage.
Edward Forbes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jonny Okereke.
Okereke fails to pull guard.

Okereke breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Okereke scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Okereke tries to bum rush Forbes with a series of wild strikes but Forbes uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Okereke fails with a takedown attempt.

Okereke closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Okereke lands in his opponent's guard.
Okereke trying to control but Forbes is working from the bottom.
Okereke preventing the sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Forbes uses the cage to get back to his feet.
A head kick misses from Forbes.
Forbes throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Okereke shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Forbes sprawls well. Forbes wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Okereke gets slowly back to his feet.
Okereke slips a jab and a cross from Forbes.
Jonny Okereke seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Forbes connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Okereke's hands.
Okereke tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Forbes manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Okereke closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Forbes did well to prevent Okereke getting side control.
Okereke is keen to just control but Forbes is a slippery customer.
Forbes wants to get back to full guard.
Forbes trying to control here.
Okereke wants to stand up but Forbes manages to regain full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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!
Forbes wants to stand and escape but Okereke is having none of it.

Okereke postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Forbes is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Okereke, into his guard.
Okereke looking for a sweep. Not yet Okereke, not yet.

Okereke working for a triangle but Forbes defends it easily.
Forbes controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Forbes decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Forbes throws a right and a left that Okereke avoids nicely.
Forbes stuffs the takedown attempt from Okereke. Okereke gets slowly back to his feet.
A combination from Forbes does no damage.
A nice combination there by Okereke.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Forbes misses with a few strikes there.
No joy there for Forbes, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Okereke lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.

Okereke darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Okereke is just content to waste time from the top position. Forbes takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Forbes avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Forbes is looking to stand up but Okereke isn't so interested in that idea.
Okereke in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Okereke has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Forbes is proving hard to escape from.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Okereke accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Okereke forces his way into half guard.

Okereke is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Forbes waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Okereke.

Okereke drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Okereke trying to control the position from guard on top but Forbes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Okereke tries to free his leg and advance position but Forbes is retaining full guard.
Okereke is stalling in the full guard.
Jonny Okereke has got the better of the ground game so far.
Okereke wants to stand and escape but instead Forbes has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Forbes throws a big right hand that misses.
Forbes is in close to Okereke's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Forbes throwing strikes but missing.

Okereke kicks Forbes off and gets to his feet.
Forbes scores with a one two! Okereke had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

It looks like Jonny Okereke has been cut.
Forbes throws a right and a left that Okereke avoids nicely.
Okereke takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Okereke tries to score a power double leg takedown but Forbes sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Okereke somewhat.
Forbes rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Okereke moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Okereke staying out of range there.
Forbes fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Okereke moves to clinch but Forbes breaks away
enabling Forbes to counter with a crisp jab.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Okereke takes one on the button.
A combination from Forbes does no damage.
Okereke tries to close the distance and clinch up but Forbes swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Okereke.
Forbes fails to land with a series of punches.
Forbes wants to slow Okereke down by chopping away at his legs.
Forbes misses with a series of wild punches.
Forbes throws a series of punches but Okereke avoids them all with ease.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Okereke gets a clinch.
Okereke lands a knee to the body.
Okereke is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Forbes gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Edward Forbes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jonny Okereke.
Okereke tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Forbes has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Okereke breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Edward Forbes is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Okereke lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!

Okereke closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Okereke trying to control the action but Forbes is working from the bottom.
Okereke is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Okereke throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Forbes wants to get back to his feet but Okereke drags him back down.

Forbes throws Okereke to one side and escapes!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Okereke closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Okereke lands in his opponent's guard.
Okereke wants to control from the top but Forbes keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Forbes is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Forbes is working for a submission of some sort.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Forbes throws a strike but Okereke avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Jonny Okereke will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Jonny Okereke's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Okereke throws a sloppy head kick and Forbes moves out of range easily.
Forbes avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Edward Forbes is winning the standup battle so far.
Okereke slips under a jab.
Forbes throws a combination. Okereke tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Forbes misses with a few strikes there.
Okereke shoots in for a double leg but Forbes sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Forbes throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Forbes tries to keep at a distance but Okereke has taken the fight into the clinch.
Forbes can't break the clinch.
Okereke goes for a takedown in the clinch but Forbes prevents it.
Forbes is looking to break free of the clinch but Okereke has double underhooks.
Okereke misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Forbes.
Okereke jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Forbes walks away with a smile on his face. Okereke gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Edward Forbes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jonny Okereke.
Forbes lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Okereke circles away quickly and effectively.
Forbes throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Okereke shoots in looking for a takedown. Forbes tries to sprawl out of it but Okereke keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Forbes manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Forbes is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Forbes rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Okereke moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Forbes misses with a two punch combination.
Okereke with a poor takedown
and Okereke takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Forbes scores with a nice strike.
Okereke tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Forbes manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Forbes connects with a right hand. Okereke shakes it off.
Nice takedown defense from Forbes. No joy for Okereke on that attempt.
Okereke tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Forbes throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
No luck for Okereke with that takedown attempt.
Okereke goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Forbes lands with a right hand.
Edward Forbes is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Okereke looks to land a combination. Forbes sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Forbes throws a right hand that Okereke ducks under and follows up with a left that Okereke also avoids with ease.
Okereke darts in trying to clinch
and Forbes cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Okereke.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Okereke throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Forbes misses with a wild combination.
A punch combination from Forbes misses.

Okereke bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Okereke tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Okereke has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Okereke wants to control but Forbes is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Forbes is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Okereke off and has taken his back!
Forbes is landing with strikes from the back.
Forbes punches the canvas rather than the man.
Okereke is in bad spot here.
Okereke is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Forbes patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
Okereke rolls, trying to escape but Forbes keeps control of the position.
Forbes struggling to land strikes to the head as Okereke covers up.
Even with his hooks in, Forbes manages to miss with strikes from the back.
Forbes throwing sloppy strikes.
Edward Forbes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Oooh a big shot gets through from Forbes. Many more shots like that and the referee will have to think about stepping in!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Forbes misses with punches from the back.
Okereke tries to escape the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Edward Forbes showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Okereke has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Columbo Gatti scores the fight 28:29
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 28:29
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jonny Okereke!