PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Lyoto Aoki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jordan Jones (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
Jones

183 cm
18
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
19
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Fast

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Lyoto 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, Jordan Jones!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Shigeki Sano and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Aoki connects with a high kick.
Jones is looking to land body kicks.
Jones moves out of range of the body kick.

Aoki closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Aoki tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Aoki creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Jones sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Jones stops Aoki from passing to mount.
You can see the frustration on Jones's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Jones is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Aoki is controlling him well.
Aoki trying to control the position but Jones is working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Aoki decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Jones tries to clinch up.
Jones avoids the head kick by Aoki.
Horrible takedown by Aoki or perhaps it was just good defense by Jones which made him look bad.
Aoki tries to clinch up but Jones circles away and keeps his distance.

Jones scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Aoki prevents Jones from moving into mount.

Aoki explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Jones tries to clinch up but Aoki circles away and keeps his distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Jones.

Jones drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Aoki is on top in guard.
Aoki is breathing heavily.
Aoki trying to control but Jones is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Aoki wants to stand but Jones has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Jones looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Jones is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones stops Aoki from getting back to his feet.
Well, if Jones is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Jones lands strikes from half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Jones perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
I looks like Jones might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.

Despite being in the dominant position, Jordan Jones just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Jones is looking to chop away at Aoki's legs.
Jones wants to clinch.

Jones fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Aoki, pushing him back against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jordan Jones dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Jones looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Aoki is fending him off so far but Jones persists. Nope, Aoki circles away and we're back to standing.
Nice defenses there by Jones.
Jones wants to clinch

and Aoki counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Aoki.

Aoki stands and steps away. Jones gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Aoki fails with an attempt to clinch.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Jones.
Jones throws a body punch but Aoki moves out of range.
Jordan Jones seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Jones misses with a two punch combination.

Aoki clinches.

Jones is fighting off a takedown attempt but Aoki is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Jones to the mat. Jones regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Jones pulls Aoki in close to prevent any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Jones throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Jones trying to control the position here.
Jones tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Aoki wants to control from the top but Jones keeps moving.
Aoki is looking to stand up but Jones won't let him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Aoki preventing the sweep.
Jones pulls Aoki in close to prevent any damage.
Aoki throws and elbow that misses. Jones uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Aoki's guard. Nice move by Jones!
Aoki is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Jones is controlling him.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Aoki throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Aoki looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Aoki is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones won't allow Aoki to sweep him here.
Aoki is pulling down on Jones's head to control his posture.
Jones with a nice head shot there.
Aoki tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Jones must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Aoki wants to stand up but Jones is controlling him.
Aoki is looking to stand back up but Jones counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Aoki.
Aoki is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Jones is controlling him well.

That's four 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.

Jones decides to stand back up. Jones steps back and let's Aoki get back to his feet.
Jones throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Aoki's waist but Aoki gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Jones off to one side.
Jones doesn't manage to clinch there - Aoki circles away.
Jones circles away from the clinch attempt.
Aoki misses with a takedown attempt

and Jones counters with a nice double leg into side control. Aoki won't be happy with that.
Aoki struggling a bit here.
Aoki is pushing Jones's head away, looking to escape. Jones manages to hold on to the position though.
Aoki can't do much from the bottom here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Lyoto Aoki will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Decent striking displayed by Aoki there.
Aoki fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Aoki thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Jones if he has to take too many more of those.
Aoki misses with a two punch combination.
Jones wants to clinch but Aoki slips to the side
and Aoki counters with a head kick. That will keep Jones thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Aoki pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Jones tries a low kick but Aoki avoids it.

Jones moves into range and clinches up with Aoki.

Jones breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Danga de danga de dang - Aoki scores with a four punch combination!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aoki scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Aoki fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Jones closes the distance but Aoki moves to the side

and Aoki decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Jones's guard.
Jones manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Aoki manages to get himself to full guard.
Jones stops Aoki from standing up.
Jones controlling from the top position.
Jones wants to pass the guard but Aoki is keeping the position.
Aoki keeping moving, preventing Jones from controlling successfully.
Lyoto Aoki overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jones prevents Aoki from getting back to his feet.
Jones preventing the sweep.
Jones controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Aoki is on top in guard.
Aoki trying to control but Jones is working from the bottom.
Aoki wants to stand but Jones is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aoki stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Jones swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Jones not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Jones keeping moving, preventing Aoki from controlling successfully.
Aoki is looking to stand up but Jones won't let him.
Aoki controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Aoki pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Jones is keeping the position for now.

That's four 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.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Aoki fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lyoto Aoki. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Aoki throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Aoki throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Jones's waist but Jones gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Aoki off to one side.
Jones tries to clinch up.
Jones fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Jones shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Aoki as he avoids it easily.
Aoki shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Jones as he avoids it easily.
Jones fails with the takedown

and Aoki counters by moving into the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lyoto Aoki showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Aoki has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 29:28
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 29:28

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