PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Lyoto Aoki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Aoki might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Handlebars. Silva has chosen Blood Brothers - Papa Roach as his entrance music. Matt Silva told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Aoki
vs
Silva

183 cm
20
200 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

186 cm
22
195 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

CROWN - Pit Inc

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Lyoto Aoki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Matt Silva!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Kenichi Hosakawa and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Silva avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Silva keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A combination from Silva does no damage.
Aoki ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Silva moves away.
Aoki checks a low kick from Silva.
Silva scores with a sloppy right hand. Aoki should have avoided that one.

It looks like Lyoto Aoki has been cut.
Aoki tries to clinch up.

Silva gets the takedown into side control.
Aoki sneaks back into half guard.
Aoki is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
It looks like Silva is going to stand back up.
Aoki avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Silva.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Silva is trying to work for a kimura but Aoki is defending well.

Silva decides to return to a standing position.
A decent looking cross lands there for Aoki.

It looks like Matt Silva has been cut.
Silva fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Horrible takedown by Silva or perhaps it was just good defense by Aoki which made him look bad.
Aoki wants to clinch up but Silva keeps it at a distance.
Lyoto Aoki is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Aoki dodges the punch combination from Silva.

Aoki fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Silva, pushing him back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aoki connects with a nasty looking knee right to Silva's face.
Aoki lands a hook that snaps the head of Silva backwards.
Aoki lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Aoki lands a knee to the head.
Aoki misses with a knee to the head.
Aoki using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Silva has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Silva managing to block the knees to the body from Aoki.
Aoki prevents a takedown attempt there.
Silva looks gassed!
Silva jumps guard but Aoki stands there with Silva around his waist. Silva gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Lyoto Aoki has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matt Silva.
Silva tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Aoki just stands there and leans against the cage.
Silva wants a takedown.
A short right from Aoki on the inside.
Silva jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Aoki walks away with a smile on his face. Silva gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Aoki is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Aoki thumps Silva with a low kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aoki lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Silva avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Aoki tries to clinch there but Silva circles away.
Aoki throws a right hand that Silva ducks under and follows up with a left that Silva also avoids with ease.
Aoki throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Aoki tries to clinch up.
Silva tries a head kick but it misses.
Silva circles away from the clinch attempt.
A bone on bone clash there as Aoki blocks the leg kick.
Aoki moves in looking to clinch but Silva pushes him off.
Aoki tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Aoki tries to clinch up but Silva circles away and keeps his distance.
A head kick misses from Silva.
Aoki tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
A thudding body kick lands there by Aoki!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aoki is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Silva takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Silva takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Aoki is looking to clinch.

Aoki pushes Silva up against the cage in a clinch.
Aoki misses with a knee to the head.
Aoki stalls.

Silva escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Aoki tries to clinch up but Silva circles away and keeps his distance.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Aoki misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Silva.
Silva misses with a combination

and Aoki counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Silva tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Aoki smiles and moves away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lyoto Aoki dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Aoki is looking to clinch but Silva is avoiding it.
Aoki loads up on a big right hand but Silva slips the punch.
Silva throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Aoki.
Aoki uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Silva.
Silva throws a head kick that misses.
Silva lands a nice hook to Aoki's body. Aoki takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.

Aoki takes the fight into the clinch.

Aoki's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Silva lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Silva.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Aoki fails in his attempt to clinch.
Silva swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Aoki counters with a series of strikes. Silva will be more careful next time no doubt.
Aoki fails with an attempt to clinch.
Aoki throws out a powerful jab.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva throws a series of punches but Aoki avoids them all with ease.
Aoki avoids a punch combination nicely.
Aoki avoids the body shot from Silva.

Aoki closes the distance and clinches.
Aoki wants to stall.
Aoki throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Silva blocks it with crossed arms.
Silva drops down looking for an ankle pick but Aoki pulls his leg out and moves away.
Aoki avoids the head kick by Silva.
Aoki throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A nice combination there by Silva.
Aoki tries to clinch but Silva moves out of range.
Aoki tries to clinch but Silva is having none of it.

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.
Aoki tries to close the distance and clinch but Silva swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Aoki tries to clinch but Silva moves out of range.
Aoki tries to clinch up but Silva circles away and keeps his distance.
Aoki is looking to clinch but Silva is avoiding it.
Aoki wants to clinch.

Aoki gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Aoki tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Silva tries for a takedown. No joy.
Silva fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Lyoto Aoki has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matt Silva.
Aoki misses with an elbow over the top.
Aoki dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.

Silva gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Aoki is not content to let Silva control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva prevents Aoki from improving his position.
Silva trying to control from half guard but Aoki is working away.
Silva moves into full mount! Aoki won't be happy about that!
Aoki is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Aoki is working hard here to advance position.

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.
Silva trying to control but he's not successful this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Silva misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Aoki is trying to escape the mount.
Aoki tries to hold on but Silva postures up.
Silva landing strikes, looking to finish!
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.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
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 tries a head kick but it misses.
Silva swats away the attempt to clinch by Aoki.
Aoki is looking to clinch but Silva is avoiding it.
Silva connects with a single shot there.
Silva tries to bum rush Aoki with a series of wild strikes but Aoki uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Aoki instigates a clinch.
Aoki landing knees to the head.
Aoki is trying to stall.
Aoki prevents the takedown attempt.
Silva is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Aoki gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Aoki lands a nice elbow.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Aoki misses with a body punch.

Aoki breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
The fight stays on the outside here - Aoki looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Lyoto Aoki is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Aoki dips to his left and cracks Silva with an uppercut!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva lands an overhand right.
Silva circles away from the clinch attempt.
Silva throws a push kick but Aoki slaps the foot to one side.
A right-left combo lands from Silva.
Aoki tries to clinch but Silva is having none of it.
Silva throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A punch combination from Silva misses.
Aoki tries to clinch but Silva moves out of range.
Silva keeps the fight on the outside.
Aoki tries to clinch but Silva is having none of it.
Silva throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Silva circles away from the clinch attempt.
Aoki tries to clinch up.
Silva avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva circles away from the clinch attempt.
Silva throws a left and a right that both miss

and Aoki counters by clinching up.
Aoki tries to throw a body punch but Silva avoids it by throwing Aoki back against the cage.
Aoki tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Aoki tries to land knees in the clinch but Silva avoids the damage to the body.
Silva swings wildly with an uppercut but Aoki uses good head movement to avoid it.

Silva breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Silva lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Silva.
Silva scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Silva throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Aoki.
Aoki on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
A punch combination from Silva misses.
Aoki swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Silva cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
The fight stays on the outside here - Aoki looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Silva looks for the body kick but Aoki saw that one coming.
Matt Silva has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aoki takes a swing at Silva's ribcage but misses.
Aoki tries to clinch up.
Silva misses with a straight left.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Silva 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 Aoki has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Aoki and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Silva avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Aoki scores with a jab. Silva acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Lyoto Aoki is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Aoki misses with a jab, cross combination.
Silva works over Aoki's head and body with a nice combination.
Silva throws a series of punches but Aoki avoids them all with ease.
Aoki tries to clinch but Silva moves out of range.
Silva throws the kick towards the body but Aoki avoids it.
Good leg kick by Aoki there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Aoki clinches but Silva breaks the clinch
and Silva counters with a three punch combo that has Aoki backing up. Aoki nods at Silva to acknowledge the strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aoki tries to clinch but Silva moves away
and Silva counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Silva swats away the attempt to clinch by Aoki.
Aoki is looking to clinch.
Silva throws a right hand that Aoki ducks under and follows up with a left that Aoki also avoids with ease.
Silva will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Aoki tries to clinch but Silva is having none of it.

Aoki instigates a clinch.
Aoki comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Aoki lands an elbow inside that Silva shrugs off.
Silva misses with a punch to the body.
Nice elbow from Aoki.
Silva letting Aoki take a breather here.
Silva misses with an elbow strike.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Matt Silva.
I think Aoki has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Taro Takaoka scores the fight 29:28
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 29:28

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