PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Hakuin Ekaku (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Masakazu Aoki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Aoki has chosen Aerosmith - Dream On as his entrance music. Both these fighters are unbeaten, so somebody's 0 has got to go!The key to victory for Hakuin Ekaku has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Ekaku
vs
Aoki

173 cm
19
155 lbs
6 - 0 - 0

155 cm
23
148 lbs
9 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Very strong

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Bushido Clothing

Wocker's Warehouse
Wocker's Warehouse

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 6 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Hakuin Ekaku!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Masakazu Aoki!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Daniel Franklin and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No luck for Aoki with that takedown attempt.
Ekaku dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Aoki. That did some damage!
Horrible takedown by Aoki or perhaps it was just good defense by Ekaku which made him look bad.
Aoki fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Hakuin Ekaku has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Masakazu Aoki.
Ekaku scores with a nice body kick.
Ekaku stuffs the takedown attempt from Aoki. Aoki gets slowly back to his feet.
Ekaku lands a with a good body shot.
Aoki looks gassed!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ekaku scores with a shot to the body.
Ekaku lands a jab followed by a vicious hook that sends Aoki sprawling to the canvas. Ekaku follows him down, looking for the kill. Can Aoki hang on?

It looks like Masakazu Aoki has been cut.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ekaku is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Ekaku trying to pass the guard but Aoki defending well.
Aoki is staying active underneath Ekaku, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Aoki punching from the bottom.
Ekaku tries to stand but can't do so whilst Aoki controls his leg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ekaku is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Aoki tries to get to full guard but Ekaku has control of the leg.
Ekaku is looking to take a break and control but Aoki is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Ekaku pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aoki tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Ekaku paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Aoki tries to clinch but Ekaku is having none of it.
Ekaku keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Ekaku misses with a series of wild punches.
Aoki wants to clinch.
Ekaku looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Aoki fails in his attempt to clinch.
Ekaku misses with a two punch combination.
Aoki misses with a takedown attempt - Ekaku sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Aoki slips under a jab.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Jab, jab by Ekaku - just one landing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hakuin Ekaku dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Masakazu Aoki's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Aoki blocks a head kick by Ekaku.
Ekaku stuffs the takedown.
Ekaku paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.

Aoki decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Ekaku trying to control here.
Aoki throws a strike but Ekaku avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Aoki wants to control from the top but Ekaku keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Aoki trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Aoki working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Aoki shoots in for a takedown but Ekaku shows good takedown defense.
Hakuin Ekaku is winning the standup battle so far.
Aoki fails with a takedown attempt.
Hakuin Ekaku has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Masakazu Aoki.
Aoki is breathing heavily.
Ekaku tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Aoki paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Aoki shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Ekaku as he jumps to the side.
Hakuin Ekaku is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Aoki tries to move into range but Ekaku moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Aoki scores with a decent looking hook.
Aoki tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Ekaku counters with an outside leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ekaku connects with a crisp jab.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Ekaku.
Aoki darts in trying to clinch
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
and Ekaku counters with a straight right hand.
Aoki gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Ekaku.

That has opened up Masakazu Aoki's cut even more.
Aoki takes a shot to the body in his stride.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Ekaku connects with a nice looking jab.
Ekaku scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
The fighters circle momentarily. Ekaku darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Aoki doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Ekaku counters with a stiff right hand.

The cut above Masakazu Aoki's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Ekaku tests Aoki's chin there with a solid looking shot.
A right-left combo lands from Ekaku.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Ekaku clinches up with Aoki and pushes him back against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hakuin Ekaku dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Masakazu Aoki's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Aoki doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Ekaku counters with an inside leg kick.
Ekaku lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Ekaku lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Ekaku jabs at Aoki's body.
Ekaku comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Aoki takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Ekaku scores with a one two! Aoki had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
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!
Ekaku lands a two punch combo.

Masakazu Aoki's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A jab from Ekaku finds it's way through Aoki's defenses.
Ekaku with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Aoki takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Ekaku dips to his left and cracks Aoki with an uppercut!

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Masakazu Aoki's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:37 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Hakuin Ekaku!