PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Taiki Aoki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shinya Yamamoto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Aoki's entrance music is Gangnam Style. A fine choice. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Aoki
vs
Yamamoto

170 cm
18
135 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

167 cm
22
147 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Taiki Aoki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Shinya Yamamoto!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Yukihiro Shimada and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yamamoto is trying hard to land a takedown here. Aoki sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Yamamoto gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Aoki to score an easy takedown into full guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Aoki accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Aoki drops back looking for a leg! Yamamoto is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Yamamoto manages to kick Aoki off! Aoki jumps back into Yamamoto's guard.
Yamamoto tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Yamamoto trying to control the position here.
Yamamoto keeping moving, preventing Aoki from controlling successfully.
Yamamoto looking for a sweep. Not yet Yamamoto, not yet.
Aoki trying to control but Yamamoto is working from the bottom.
Yamamoto controlling Aoki's posture.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Taiki Aoki wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Aoki fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aoki is looking to clinch but Yamamoto is avoiding it.
Aoki tries to clinch up

and Yamamoto counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Yamamoto.

Yamamoto has clasped his hands together around Aoki's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Yamamoto wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Aoki, who protects the arm well.

Yamamoto tries for a kimura but Aoki is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aoki is trying to get back to half guard.
Aoki misses with an elbow from the bottom.
Yamamoto wants to lay and pray for a moment but Aoki keeps working.
Aoki tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Yamamoto presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Yamamoto throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aoki avoids a series of strikes thrown by Yamamoto.
Yamamoto misses with a head shot.
Aoki slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Yamamoto wants to control but Aoki is keeping him busy.
Yamamoto looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Aoki looks like he's trying to stand up.
Yamamoto is thwarting Aoki's attempts to control the position.

Yamamoto is trying to work for a kimura but Aoki is defending well.
The fighters are battling for position here. Aoki manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Yamamoto accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Aoki keeping full guard, as Yamamoto tries to pass.
Yamamoto works a leg free and moves into half guard.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Yamamoto connects with a nice short shot to Aoki's temple.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Yamamoto looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Aoki won't allow Yamamoto to pass to mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Yamamoto doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Aoki counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Aoki is looking to take a break and control but Yamamoto is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Yamamoto moves into full guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Yamamoto is on top in guard.

Yamamoto throws a sloppy strike and Aoki has hooked up an armbar on the loose arm! He's turned and extended fully! Yamamoto is forced to tap! Great BJJ from Aoki!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:48 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Taiki Aoki!
A relieved looking Taiki Aoki thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.