PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Drew Down (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tatsuya Aoki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Down comes into the arena with 50 Cent - I Get Money blaring out of the sound system. Tatsuya Aoki acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Down
vs
Aoki

185 cm
20
185 lbs
8 - 1 - 0

178 cm
22
181 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Powerful takedowns
Basic striking
Powerful

1337 ANZAC

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 8 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Drew Down!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tatsuya Aoki!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Yuuki Gou and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Down misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Aoki closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Down's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Down preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Aoki gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Aoki lands a two punch combo.
Aoki misses with a series of wild punches.
Down's corner calls for a 1-2. Down obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.

It looks like Tatsuya Aoki has been cut.
Down goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Aoki swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Aoki tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Down cracks Aoki with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Aoki just misses with a punch to the body.
Down circles away from the clinch attempt
and Down counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Aoki is rocked!
Aoki moves in looking to clinch but Down pushes him off.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aoki moves in looking to clinch but Down pushes him off.
Aoki moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
A looping hook to the body misses from Aoki. Down does a little dance to reset his feet.
Down throws a body punch but Aoki moves out of range.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Aoki.

Aoki wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Down, who protects the arm well.
Down is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Down dodges the ground and pound from Aoki.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aoki in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Aoki advances nicely into full mount.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Aoki has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Down's face.
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.
Down manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Down on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Down tries to get out of the position.
Aoki missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Aoki wants to pass to mount but Down is defending the position.
Down is trying to get back to full guard.
Aoki is looking to advance position but Down won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Down is refusing to be controlled, as Aoki sits in half guard.
Aoki missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Aoki trying to control from half guard but Down is working away.
Down tries to roll over but Aoki keeps him under control.
Aoki scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Aoki throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Aoki works his foot free and advances to mount.
Down working to try and regain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Down wants to hold on but Aoki pushes him away.
Aoki lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Down is in a horrible position here. Aoki smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Aoki wants to control the pace but Down is squirming around nicely.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Aoki is landing with some decent strikes but Down is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Aoki landing punches.
Aoki takes Down's back.
Aoki cracks Down with a big shot to body and one to the head - really punishing Down from the back mount here, looking to soften him up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tatsuya Aoki dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Tatsuya Aoki's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Down jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Aoki chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Down can pounce on him.
Aoki throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Down.
Aoki finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Aoki misses with the combination.
Aoki takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Aoki loads up on a big right hand but Down slips the punch.
Aoki fails to land with a series of punches.
Tatsuya Aoki seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Down catches Aoki with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Tatsuya Aoki is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Aoki throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Aoki checks a leg kick nicely.
Aoki misses with a double jab.
Down stuffs the takedown.
Down uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Aoki.

Aoki has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aoki is trying to drag Down to the mat but Down just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Down stops a takedown attempt from Aoki.
Drew Down has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tatsuya Aoki.
Aoki wants a takedown.

Down breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A solid leg kick lands there for Down.
Aoki tries to close the distance and clinch up but Down swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Down fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Aoki is breathing heavily.
Down lands with an uppercut that bounces Aoki off the cage and back into range.
Aoki ducks right into an uppercut from Down.
Nice uppercut lands for Down. That snapped Aoki's head back.
Aoki is still on wobbly legs! Can Down finish him?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Down throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Aoki seems to have recovered his senses.
Drew Down is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Down misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
A looping hook to the body misses from Aoki. Down does a little dance to reset his feet.
Down throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
A jab from Down finds it's way through Aoki's defenses.
Down lands with an overhand left.
Aoki takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Decent striking displayed by Down there.
Aoki is trying hard to land a takedown here. Down sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Aoki is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Down rather than just go for the knockout.
Down misses with a wild combination.
Nice body punch from Aoki.
Down just misses with a punch to the body.
Down slips under a jab from Aoki.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aoki fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Aoki tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Aoki doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Down throws a nice outside leg kick.
Left hook, right uppercut from Aoki.
Down ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Aoki moves away.
Aoki tries to bum rush Down with a series of wild strikes but Down uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Down lands with a straight right. Aoki didn't see that one coming.
Aoki misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Drew Down is winning the standup battle so far.
Down throws a shot from downtown. Aoki moves away and avoids it.
Down circles away from the clinch attempt.
Nice takedown defense from Down. No joy for Aoki on that attempt.
Down paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Down misses with a hook.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Down swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Aoki throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Aoki throws an overhand right that lands on Down's shoulder, as Down tries to avoid the shot.
Down lands with an uppercut that bounces Aoki off the cage and back into range.
Down digs a good hook to Aoki's body.
Down is looking to slow Aoki down with leg kicks.
Aoki shoots in for a takedown but Down shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Aoki throws a series of punches but Down avoids them all with ease.
A lazy left from Down finds it's target.

That has opened up Tatsuya Aoki's cut even more.
A left lands for Down.
Aoki swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Down counters with a head kick.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Aoki swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Aoki takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Aoki fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Down lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Aoki circles away quickly and effectively.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Drew Down dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Tatsuya Aoki's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. And we move into the final round!

Aoki looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Down is fending him off so far but Aoki persists. Nope, Down circles away and we're back to standing.
Aoki comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Down avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Aoki misses the jab.
Down throws a right and a left that Aoki avoids nicely.
Down tries to land a front kick but Aoki steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Aoki lands a body shot.
Aoki throws out a loose jab but Down uses good head movement to avoid it.
Aoki is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Aoki comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Down avoids the body shot from Aoki.
Aoki lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Down backs up against the cage.
Aoki misses with the combination.
Aoki takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Aoki throws a sloppy body shot
and Down counters with a nice leg kick.
Jab from Aoki.

Aoki closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Down quickly recovers to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Aoki is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Down sees it coming and defends easily.
Down has his hands clasped together around Aoki's back. He's all about the action.
Aoki prevents Down from improving his position.
Aoki throwing shots but Down is blocking nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aoki not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Aoki tries to pass the half guard into mount. Down knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Down is trying to stand.
Aoki is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Down!
Down keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Aoki has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Down's face.
Aoki working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Aoki landing strikes from the mount and Down is in trouble!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Aoki looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Down knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Aoki on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aoki tries to control but Down wriggling away.

Aoki swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Down is now in Aoki's guard. A big mistake from Aoki there, giving up the dominant position!
Aoki wants to sweep but no luck.
Aoki is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Down trying to control the position from guard on top but Aoki is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Aoki has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Aoki pushes Down off and gets back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Down looks to land a right hand but Aoki moved out of range.
Aoki keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Down.
Down scores with a punch to the head.
Down misses with a wild body shot.
Aoki thows a left - swing and a miss!

Aoki looking to score a takedown here. Down is defending well but Aoki drives through and ends up in Down's guard.
Aoki trying to control but Down is working from the bottom.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Aoki working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Down's head.
Down keeping moving, preventing Aoki from controlling successfully.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tatsuya Aoki comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Aoki 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 Taro Takaoka scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 28:29
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tatsuya Aoki!
Our winner, Tatsuya Aoki, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.