PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Shinya Aoki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Axel Rose (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Aoki
vs
Rose

180 cm
23
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

176 cm
18
153 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Shinya Aoki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Axel Rose!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Shigeki Sano and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Aoki circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rose scores with a nice strike.
Rose misses with a wild combination.
Rose misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Rose tries to bum rush Aoki with a series of wild strikes but Aoki uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Aoki throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Rose's waist but Rose gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Aoki off to one side.
No joy there for Rose, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Aoki drives through with a takedown into guard.
Aoki controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Aoki seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Rose for as long as he can get away with.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rose looking for a sweep. Not yet Rose, not yet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rose wants to stand and escape but Aoki is having none of it.

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.
Rose being controlled here, momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aoki has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Shinya Aoki.
Rose throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rose looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rose with a lazy takedown attempt

and Aoki counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Aoki won't allow Rose to sweep him here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aoki content to stall in guard here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Aoki slips a jab and a cross from Rose.
Aoki shoots in for a double leg but Rose sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Rose tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Aoki counters with a single leg into guard. Rose didn't expect that.
Aoki trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rose trying to keep a closed guard but Aoki is proving a slippery customer.
Aoki not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aoki throws a big right hand that misses.
Aoki in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Aoki controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's two 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.
Aoki is looking to work some ground and pound but Rose has wrist control.
Aoki not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Shinya Aoki.
Rose throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Rose tries to clinch but Aoki moves away

and Aoki counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shinya Aoki dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Rose throws a hook but Aoki avoids it easily.
Rose throws a right hand that Aoki ducks under and follows up with a left that Aoki also avoids with ease.
Rose closes the distance looking to clinch

and Aoki counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Rose's guard now.
Aoki's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aoki trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Aoki stands and steps away. Rose gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Nice sprawl there from Rose as Aoki shoots in.
Aoki shoots for a takedown but Rose saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Rose scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Rose lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Rose takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Rose clinches but Aoki breaks the clinch

and Aoki counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Rose!
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Aoki takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rose is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Shinya Aoki is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Aoki controlling from the full mount.
Axel Rose has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

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 with some aggressive grappling here, looking for the finish.

And that's the end of the fight!
Shinya Aoki showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Aoki, 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 Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 30:27
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 30:27

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