PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Frankie Russo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shinya Aoki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Frankie Russo has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Russo
vs
Aoki

169 cm
25
165 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

175 cm
25
161 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Cuts easily

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Frankie Russo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Shinya Aoki!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Hirohito Nitta and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Russo lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.

It looks like Shinya Aoki has been cut.
Russo throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Aoki.
Russo throws a shot from downtown. Aoki moves away and avoids it.
Shinya Aoki seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Aoki drives through with a takedown into guard.
Aoki stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Russo swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Aoki with a flurry of punches that miss.
Aoki with a flurry of punches that miss.
Aoki wants to control from the top but Russo keeps moving.
Russo looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Russo trying to control the position here.
Russo working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Aoki.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Russo keeping full guard, as Aoki tries to pass.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Russo looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Russo leaves Aoki with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Aoki attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Russo closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Russo lands with a nice combination. Aoki backs away looking to recover.
Russo connects with a right hand. Aoki shakes it off.
Aoki doesn't manage to clinch there - Russo circles away.
Aoki takes one on the button.
Russo displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Aoki.
Russo misses with a two punch combination.

Aoki moves into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aoki changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Russo fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Frankie Russo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Shinya Aoki.
Russo digs a good hook to Aoki's body.
Russo misses with a jab, cross combination.
Russo throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Aoki.
Aoki on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Russo misses with a wild combination.
Russo throws a one two combo.
Aoki shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Russo but Russo pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Russo defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Aoki.
Russo rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Aoki moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Russo will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Russo closes the distance and lands a one-two.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Russo defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Aoki.
Aoki looks gassed!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jab by Russo.
Aoki tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Russo paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Russo scores with a body shot.
Aoki takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

Russo shoots in and bounces Aoki off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Aoki looking for a guillotine here but Russo defends easily.
Russo knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Aoki on the ground.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Russo working some strikes from top position.
Russo connects with a couple of short punches.

Aoki working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Russo has passed into half guard!
Russo throwing shots but Aoki is blocking nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Russo drops an elbow to the side of Aoki's head.
Aoki is looking to improve his position.
Russo thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Aoki's head.
Aoki is not content to let Russo control the position.
Russo lands strikes from half guard.
Aoki taking some punishment here, with Russo in his half guard.
Aoki tries to roll over but Russo keeps him under control.
Russo takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Aoki wants to improve his position but Russo is controlling well.
Russo sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Aoki defending well though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frankie Russo dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Shinya Aoki's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Russo fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Aoki sprawls well initially but Russo persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Russo working over Aoki with some ground and pound. Aoki looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Aoki is looking to improve his position.
Russo wants to take a breather but Aoki is having none of it.
Aoki makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Aoki.
Russo has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Aoki is trying to control the position but Russo postures up.
Aoki lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Russo!
Russo is trying desperately to improve position.
Aoki is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aoki scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Russo?
Aoki punching from mount but Russo doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Russo holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Aoki tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Aoki can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Russo is looking to escape.
Russo is trying desperately to improve position.

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 misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Aoki avoids the attempt from Russo to control.
Russo manages to regain half guard whilst avoiding the strikes.
Russo on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Russo tries to get out of the position.
Aoki working Russo over with strikes.

Aoki is working for a submission of some sort.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aoki not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Russo preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Russo's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Aoki thows a huge punch but Russo dodges it nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Aoki is actively looking for submissions here but good counter grappling here from Russo as he works his way to full guard.

Aoki drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Russo dives on top into guard.
Aoki keeping moving, preventing Russo from controlling successfully.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
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.
Aoki working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Russo.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frankie Russo dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Shinya Aoki's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Russo scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Aoki closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Aoki misses with a takedown
and Russo counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

Russo shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Aoki napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Russo scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Aoki to see if he's OK.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Russo sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Aoki is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Aoki has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Russo is looking to take a break and control but Aoki is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Aoki is trying to improve his position.
Aoki sneaks back into half guard.
Aoki takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Aoki is looking for a sweep. Russo is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Russo wants to take a breather but Aoki is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Russo is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Aoki is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Russo is thwarting Aoki's attempts to control the position.

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

Excellent takedown into side control there by Russo.
Aoki tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Russo wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Russo landing strikes.
Russo working the ground and pound from side control.
Frankie Russo overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Russo landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Aoki is looking for a sweep.
Russo working the body and head with strikes.
Aoki tries to bench press Russo off him but Russo keeps the position.
Aoki is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Russo is putting a hurting on Aoki here, landing some big shots from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Russo scores with punches from side control.
Russo working the ground and pound from side control.
Aoki is looking for a sweep.
Russo landing a few strikes.
Russo looks up at the clock and then as Aoki takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Russo smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Russo working the body and head with strikes.
Russo lands a decent elbow from side control.
Russo wants to control but Aoki is keeping him busy.
Aoki manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Russo is trying to maintain the position but Aoki is very close to passing his half guard.
Aoki is trying to control. Russo wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Aoki missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Russo trying to hold on to Aoki's head to control him but Aoki postures up.
Aoki thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Russo's head.
Aoki is pressing down on Russo's thigh, looking to free his foot. Russo is holding on for now.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
A left and a right from Russo both land. Nice combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Aoki has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Russo with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Russo throws a nice looking combination but Aoki bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A combination from Russo does no damage.
Russo looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Russo changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Russo's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Russo duly obliges.

Aoki closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Aoki is pressing down on Russo's thigh, looking to free his foot. Russo is holding on for now.
Frankie Russo is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Russo avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Aoki.
Shinya Aoki has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Aoki is pressing down on Russo's thigh, looking to free his foot. Russo is holding on for now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Frankie Russo showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Russo, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 30:27
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Frankie Russo!