PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Craig Hanks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tatsuya Aoki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Hanks
vs
Aoki

179 cm
23
175 lbs
9 - 2 - 0

178 cm
24
181 lbs
10 - 5 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

L.A. Elite Clothing Co

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 9 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Craig Hanks!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Tatsuya Aoki!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Hirohito Nitta and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Aoki manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Hanks on his heels. He'll look to pass Hanks's guard now, I'm sure.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Hanks preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Aoki tries to free his leg and advance position but Hanks is retaining full guard.
Hanks is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Aoki trying to control but Hanks is working from the bottom.
Aoki throwing strikes but missing.
Aoki trying to control the position from guard on top but Hanks is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hanks utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Hanks pulls Aoki in close to prevent any damage.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Aoki throws a left and a right that both miss
and Hanks counters with a nice uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hanks throws a head kick that misses.
No joy there for Aoki, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Aoki lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Hanks circles away quickly and effectively.
Hanks lands with a kick to the temple. Aoki shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Hanks walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Aoki checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.

Aoki gets a takedown into half guard.
Aoki throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Hanks is controlling Aoki's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Hanks regains full guard. Nicely done.
Aoki working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Hanks's head.
Aoki looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

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!
Aoki trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Hanks manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
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.
Hanks would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Hanks decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hanks swings for the body but Aoki moves out of range.
A swing and a miss from Hanks.
Hanks fails to land with a series of punches.
Aoki moves in looking to clinch but Hanks pushes him off.
Aoki fails to land with a series of punches.
Aoki wants to clinch.
Hanks looks to score with a jab to the body but Aoki is just out of range.
Aoki closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Aoki connects with a right hand. Hanks shakes it off.
Craig Hanks is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Hanks avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Hanks misses with a looping left.
Aoki throws a series of punches but Hanks avoids them all with ease.
Hanks misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Aoki throws a right hand that Hanks ducks under and follows up with a left that Hanks also avoids with ease.
Hanks throws a head kick that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jab by Hanks.
Aoki takes a kick to the side of the head.
Aoki takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Aoki tries to clinch but Hanks is having none of it.
Aoki throws a nice looking combination but Hanks bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Aoki fails in his attempt to clinch.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Hanks, right into the meat.
Aoki throws a leg kick but Hanks checks it.
Aoki takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Aoki throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Hanks.
Aoki takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Aoki throws a right hand that misses
and Hanks counters with a body kick.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Hanks misses the jab.
A head kick misses from Hanks.
Hanks throws a sloppy head kick and Aoki moves out of range easily.
Hanks thows a body kick. Aoki tries to catch it but that hurt him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Craig Hanks dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

A looping hook to the body misses from Aoki. Hanks does a little dance to reset his feet.
Aoki tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Hanks swivels and escapes.
Hanks pushes Aoki away with a front kick.
Hanks throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Aoki.
Hanks throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Aoki misses with a hook
and Hanks counters with a left to the body.
A right-left combo lands from Hanks.

It looks like Tatsuya Aoki has been cut.

Aoki fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Hanks to the ground. Aoki is now in Hanks's guard.
Hanks tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Hanks pulls Aoki in to control the position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hanks looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Hanks is pulling down on Aoki's head. It's preventing any offense from Aoki, at least for the moment.
Hanks has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Craig Hanks.
Aoki looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Hanks works the jab nicely.
Hanks will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Aoki shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Hanks pinned against the cage. Hanks gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Jab by Hanks.
Hanks is looking to land body kicks.
Aoki misses with a double jab.
Aoki showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Hanks.
Hanks keeps the fight on the outside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hanks plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
A looping hook to the body misses from Aoki. Hanks does a little dance to reset his feet.
Hanks slips a jab and a cross from Aoki.
Aoki throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Hanks throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Aoki throws the kick towards the body but Hanks avoids it.
Hanks swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Hanks misses the jab.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Aoki misses with a hook.
Hanks tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Aoki is able to avoid easily.
Hanks misses with a straight right.
Aoki shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Hanks sprawls well. Hanks wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Aoki gets slowly back to his feet.
Craig Hanks has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tatsuya Aoki.
Aoki rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Hanks moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Tatsuya Aoki is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A swing and a miss from Hanks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aoki shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Hanks as he avoids it easily.
Aoki gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Aoki scores with a decent looking hook.
Hanks misses with a head kick.
Hanks misses with a straight left.
Aoki throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Hanks, right into the meat.
Aoki uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Hanks.
Hanks lands a jab-cross combination.
Hanks dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Aoki. That did some damage!
Aoki just misses with a punch to the body.
A looping hook to the body misses from Aoki. Hanks does a little dance to reset his feet.
Nice defenses there by Hanks.
Hanks throws a hook but Aoki avoids it easily.
Hanks lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Hanks lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hanks misses with a shot to the body
and Aoki cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Hanks connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Aoki misses with a wild combination.
Hanks lunges at Aoki with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Aoki's hand.
Aoki shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Hanks pinned against the cage. Hanks gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Aoki misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
A punch lands to the side of Hanks 's head but he takes it in his stride.
The fight stays on the outside here - Aoki looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Aoki takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Aoki uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Hanks.
Aoki throws a series of punches but Hanks moves out of range.
Hanks scores with the left hand. Aoki knows he should have avoided that one.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Craig Hanks dominated that second 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! This is the final round!

Aoki falls off balance throwing a combination
and Hanks counters with a stiff right hand.
Hanks scores with a head kick.

Aoki is rocked!
Aoki misses with a combination
and Aoki takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Aoki is still on wobbly legs! Can Hanks finish him?
Hanks avoids a punch combination nicely.
Hanks feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Aoki's calf.
Aoki uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Hanks has time to react.
Aoki fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Hanks listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Aoki misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Aoki throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Aoki uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Hanks.
Aoki fails to land with a series of punches.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hanks wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Good exchange - Hanks coming out on top.
Aoki takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Hanks lands a front kick.
Hanks walks forward and throws a big overhand right! Aoki drops to the floor like a sack of potatoes! Hanks swarms on him with more punches until the referee wrestles him away from Aoki's unconscious body! Wow, that was brutal!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:05 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Craig Hanks!
An out of breath and clearly excited Craig Hanks thanked L.A. Elite Clothing Co for their help and support (and free stuff they sent him).