PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Lyoto Aoki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Stari Starac (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Aoki's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Handlebars. The crowd seem to be enjoying Starac's choice of entrance music: The Last Waltz . Lyoto Aoki has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Aoki
vs
Starac

183 cm
21
200 lbs
9 - 2 - 0

196 cm
25
195 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good knees
Granite chin

Good takedowns
Good kicks
Determined

Cobra Kai Nutrition (New Products Out)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Lyoto Aoki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Stari Starac!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Ren Mimura and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Starac shoots for a double leg takedown but Aoki sprawls well. He's pushed Starac's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Aoki misses with a two punch combination.
Some wild striking there from Aoki.
The fight stays on the outside here - Aoki looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Starac showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Aoki.
Aoki loads up on a big right hand but Starac slips the punch.

Starac drives through with a takedown into guard.
Aoki trying to keep a closed guard but Starac is proving a slippery customer.
Aoki has his hands on Starac's head, controlling the position.

Starac drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Starac jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Starac wants to pass the guard but Aoki is keeping the position.
Starac trying to control but Aoki is working from the bottom.
Starac pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Aoki is keeping the position for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Aoki is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Starac trying to control but Aoki is working from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Starac clinches up with Aoki and pushes him back against the cage.
Starac goes for a takedown attempt but Aoki pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Aoki jabs at Starac's body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Starac tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Aoki cracks the inside of Starac's front leg.
The fight stays on the outside here - Starac looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Aoki throws a front kick aimed at Starac's knee but Starac avoids it well.
Starac shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Lyoto Aoki has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Stari Starac.
Aoki misses with a head kick.
Aoki throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Aoki lands with a thumping leg kick.
Aoki tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Starac was well out of range. Poor timing from Aoki.
Aoki lands a nice shot to the body.
Starac fails to land the takedown.
Starac looks gassed!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A head kick from Aoki lands but Starac takes it in his stride.

It looks like Stari Starac has been cut.
Starac fails with a takedown attempt.
Starac fails with a takedown attempt.
Aoki plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Aoki stuns Starac with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.

Aoki closes the distance and clinches.
Aoki tries a knee to the head but Starac blocks it.

Aoki breaks the clinch.
Starac tries to clinch but Aoki moves away
and Aoki counters with a left and a right that stings Starac.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Aoki scoring well with a low kick there.
Starac blocks a head kick by Aoki.
Aoki throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

Starac tries to keep at a distance but Aoki has taken the fight into the clinch.
Aoki connects with a nasty looking knee right to Starac's face.

Aoki pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Starac.

Aoki clinches up against the cage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Aoki pushes Starac back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Starac looking for a takedown.
Aoki with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Starac tries to break free but Aoki pushes him back against the cage.

Aoki manages to break the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lyoto Aoki dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Stari Starac's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Aoki throws a head kick but Starac moves out of range.
Starac circles away from the clinch attempt.

Aoki forces Starac back against the cage and clinches.
Starac has Aoki pressed against the cage, preventing Aoki from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
A frustrated look appears on Aoki's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Aoki landing knees to the body.

Aoki breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Aoki scores with a nice body kick.
Aoki comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Starac takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.

Aoki closes the distance and clinches.
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!

Aoki breaks the clinch.

Aoki gets a clinch.
Starac on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Aoki is working Starac over against the cage.
Starac is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Aoki breaks the clinch.
Aoki fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Aoki is looking to wear down Starac with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.

Aoki clinches up against the cage.

Aoki breaks the clinch.
Lyoto Aoki is winning the standup battle so far.
Aoki thows a body shot but no joy.
Starac avoids the head kick by Aoki.
Aoki throws a head kick but Starac moves out of range.
Starac fails with the takedown
and Aoki counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

Aoki closes the distance and pushes Starac back into the cage.
Starac tries to pull guard but Aoki holds him up against the cage and eventually Starac drops back down to his feet.
A bit of stalling here from Aoki.
Starac blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aoki tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Starac avoids it.

Aoki breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Starac has his takedown stuffed
and Aoki counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Lyoto Aoki has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Stari Starac.
Aoki moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Starac doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Aoki counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Aoki wants to clinch

and Starac counters with a takedown into side control.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Starac is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Aoki knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Aoki tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Starac is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Aoki is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Aoki regains half guard.
Starac prevents Aoki from improving his position.
Starac seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Aoki does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Starac wants to free his trapped foot but Aoki is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Starac is keen to just control but Aoki is a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Aoki gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Aoki breaks the clinch.
Aoki misses with a looping right.
Starac dodges the punch combination from Aoki.
Aoki tries to clinch there but Starac circles away.
Aoki lands a two punch combo.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Starac.
Aoki tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Starac was well out of range. Poor timing from Aoki.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Aoki gets a clinch.
Aoki tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lyoto Aoki dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Stari Starac's cut.
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. This is the final round!

Starac closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Starac lands in his opponent's guard.
Starac is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Aoki keeping full guard, as Starac tries to pass.
Aoki knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Starac on the ground.

Starac thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Starac trying to control but Aoki is working from the bottom.
Starac stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Aoki swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Aoki has Starac pulled in close to control his posture.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Starac preventing the sweep.
Aoki keeping full guard, as Starac tries to pass.
Aoki is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Aoki thows a body shot but no joy.
Starac doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Aoki counters with a right hand to the body.
Aoki misses with a jab to the body

and Starac moves into the clinch.
Starac wants a takedown.

Aoki manages to break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Aoki tries to clinch up

and Starac decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Aoki's guard.
Aoki is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Starac working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Starac wants to pass the guard but Aoki is keeping the position.
Starac throwing strikes from guard but Aoki blocks nicely.
Starac works a leg free and moves into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Starac is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Aoki is controlling Starac's trapped leg to prevent Starac from advancing to side control.

Starac seems to be looking for submissions.
Stari Starac has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Lyoto Aoki is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Starac thows a huge punch but Aoki dodges it nicely.
Starac is looking to advance position but Aoki won't allow it.
Aoki wants to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Aoki is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Aoki is trying to get back to full guard.
Aoki might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Aoki tries to close the distance and clinch up but Starac swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Aoki scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Starac dives in and grabs Aoki's left leg, looking for a takedown. Aoki pushes down on Starac's head and hops out.
Lyoto Aoki has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Stari Starac.

Starac gets a takedown into half guard.
Starac not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

And that's the end of the fight!
Stari Starac comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Aoki 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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lyoto Aoki!