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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Masakazu Aoki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nuriel Leonard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Aoki kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Sandstorm by Darude. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.
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| 155 cm
46
147 lbs
43 - 28 - 2 |
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168 cm
38
147 lbs
34 - 20 - 0 |
Abu Dhabi Champ
Lethal high kicks
Cardio machine |
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Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin |
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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of
43 - 28 - 2, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Masakazu Aoki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of
34 - 20 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Nuriel Leonard!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Seu Braga and Mauricio Rocha.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A lazy left from Leonard finds it's target.
Aoki has been working on his boxing with his coaches at The Warehouse in the buildup to the fight.
A big left from Aoki misses.
Aoki fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Leonard sprawls well initially but Aoki persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Aoki lands a nice short elbow.
Leonard keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Leonard is refusing to be controlled, as Aoki sits in half guard.
Leonard is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Aoki winds up and cracks Leonard with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Aoki missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Aoki is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Leonard!
Aoki trying to control but he's not successful this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Aoki thowing shots but they're missing.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Aoki looking to ground and pound but Leonard is blocking nicely.
Leonard is in all sorts of trouble here.
Aoki throws some wild stikes that Leonard manages to avoid easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Aoki looking to control but Leonard is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Aoki controlling his opponent.
Aoki throws a sloppy strike and Leonard uses the opportunity to reverse the position! A bit of a scramble here and Leonard has ended up in Aoki's guard.
Leonard wants to pass the guard but Aoki is keeping the position.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Leonard is in close to Aoki's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Aoki keeping moving, preventing Leonard from controlling successfully.
Leonard missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Leonard works over Aoki with some ground and pound from guard.
Leonard preventing the sweep.
Leonard passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Aoki is looking to regain half guard here but Leonard keeps moving and retains side control.
Aoki dodges the ground and pound from Leonard.
Leonard working the ground and pound.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aoki tries to buck Leonard off but Leonard is having none of it.
Aoki struggling a bit here.
Aoki is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Aoki is not content to let Leonard control the position.
Aoki is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Leonard's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Aoki is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Aoki on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Leonard drops an elbow to the side of Aoki's head.
Aoki makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Aoki.
Aoki looking for a sweep. Not yet Aoki, not yet.
Aoki trying to control the position.
Aoki is really struggling to control Leonard but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Aoki can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Leonard controls the pace.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Leonard working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Aoki's head.
Aoki being controlled here, momentarily.
The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Masakazu Aoki dominated that round.
That's time! Aoki's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.
Leonard keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A jab from Aoki misses.
Leonard misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Aoki.
Aoki lands a head kick!
Leonard missing with a left hand there. Aoki was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Leonard lands an overhand right.
Leonard takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Aoki will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Aoki takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Aoki fails with the takedown.
Leonard has closed the distance and engaged Aoki in a clinch.
Leonard scores with a hook to the body.
The referee is keeping an eye on Leonard - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Aoki has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Leonard regains guard immediately.
Aoki has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Aoki missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Leonard keeping moving, preventing Aoki from controlling successfully.
Leonard has his hands on Aoki's head, controlling the position.
Aoki missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Aoki controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Leonard not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Leonard utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Aoki swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Leonard.
Leonard tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Aoki's jab looks to have found its range, popping Leonard under the eye.
Leonard uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Aoki.
Aoki ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Leonard moves away.
Leonard connects with a crisp jab.
Leonard just misses with a punch to the body.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Aoki lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Leonard has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Leonard and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Leonard misses with an uppercut.
Aoki goes for a double leg but Leonard avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Leonard continues to drive forward.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Masakazu Aoki. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Aoki ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aoki pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Aoki missing with a left hand there. Leonard was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Aoki shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
It seemed like Leonard was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Aoki connects with an inside leg kick.
Aoki throws a hook to the side of Leonard's head but Leonard sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
A big right from Aoki misses.
Leonard lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Masakazu Aoki is winning the standup battle so far.
Aoki pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
A looping hook to the body misses from Leonard. Aoki does a little dance to reset his feet.
Aoki throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Leonard sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Leonard scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Leonard throws a big shot that misses.
Aoki throws an ugly left hook that misses
enabling Leonard to counter with a crisp jab.
Leonard takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Leonard shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Aoki.
Leonard throws a hook but Aoki blocks it.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Leonard connects with a jab.
Leonard has closed the distance and engaged Aoki in a clinch.
Leonard tries to throw a body punch but Aoki avoids it by throwing Leonard back against the cage.
Leonard looking to throw knees to the head but Aoki is blocking nicely.
Leonard lands with a left to the head.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Leonard obliges.
Leonard is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Leonard misses with some punches.
Aoki stalling.
Leonard lands a knee to the head.
Leonard throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Aoki blocks it with crossed arms.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Nuriel Leonard showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!
Aoki fails with a takedown attempt.
Leonard looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Leonard connects with a right hand. Aoki shakes it off.
Aoki misses with a series of wild punches.
A combination from Leonard does no damage.
Aoki wants to slow Leonard down by chopping away at his legs.
Aoki steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Leonard.
Leonard throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Aoki uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Leonard.
Good standup being displayed there by Aoki as he connects with a hook.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice defenses there by Aoki.
The fight stays on the outside here - Aoki looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Leonard scores with a punch to the head.
A looping hook to the body misses from Leonard. Aoki does a little dance to reset his feet.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Leonard misses with a body shot.
Aoki gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Aoki throws a right hand that Leonard ducks under and follows up with a left that Leonard also avoids with ease.
No luck for Aoki with that takedown attempt.
Aoki stuffs the takedown attempt from Leonard. Leonard gets slowly back to his feet.
Leonard gets a double leg takedown into Aoki's guard.
Leonard wants to control from the top but Aoki keeps moving.
Aoki trying to keep a closed guard but Leonard is proving a slippery customer.
Aoki wants to sweep here but Leonard controlling him for the moment.
Aoki utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Leonard pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Aoki is keeping the position for now.
Leonard makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Aoki bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Leonard's guard.
Leonard looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Aoki pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Leonard is keeping the position for now.
Leonard 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.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leonard utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Leonard manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Aoki manages to get himself to full guard.
Leonard scoring with punches to the head and body.
My spies in The Warehouse inform me that Leonard has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
Aoki might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Aoki looking to control.
Leonard wants to control from the top but Aoki keeps moving.
Aoki looking for a sweep. Not yet Aoki, not yet.
Leonard trying to control but Aoki is working from the bottom.
Aoki not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Leonard stalks Aoki and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Aoki's face. Aoki staggers backwards, shaken.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aoki is trying hard to land a takedown here. Leonard sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Masakazu Aoki. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Leonard fails with the takedown.
Aoki blocks a jab.
Leonard takes one to the chin there.
Aoki lands a nice looking kick to the body. Leonard takes a step back to recover.
Aoki shoots in for a takedown but Leonard shows good takedown defense.
Aoki throws a body punch but Leonard moves out of range.
Aoki throws a hook but Leonard avoids it easily.
A shot to the body from Aoki misses
and Aoki takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Leonard slips under a jab from Aoki.
Aoki misses with a lunging right hand
and Leonard connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
A swing and a miss from Aoki.
Leonard lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Leonard shoots in and bounces Aoki off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Aoki is trying to keep Leonard in close.
And that's the end of the fight!
Nuriel Leonard comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Leonard 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 28:29
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 28:29
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 28:29
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nuriel Leonard!
A determined Nuriel Leonard didn't want to dwell on this fight in his post fight interview. Instead he was more keen to state he wants a title shot. Let's see if he gets it!
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
45% |
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