PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between James Steel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Loki Aoki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Aoki has chosen KAANCEPTS as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Steel
vs
Aoki

183 cm
28
202 lbs
8 - 6 - 0

182 cm
22
195 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Urban Fighter

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 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, James Steel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Loki Aoki!
The judges for this bout are Gregory Folan, Yves DeLean and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Steel jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Aoki takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Aoki misses with a straight left.

Steel looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Aoki is defending against the submission attempts here by Steel.
Aoki pushes Steel off looking to stand but Steel dives back in and keeps control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Steel is looking to advance position but Aoki won't allow it.
Aoki is trying to maintain the position but Steel is very close to passing his half guard.

Steel is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steel prevents Aoki from improving his position.

Aoki kicks Steel off and gets back to his feet.
Aoki takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Steel fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Aoki avoids it really well and circles away.
Steel throws a right hand that misses
and Aoki counters with a right hand to the body.
Steel keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Aoki.
A telegraphed right hand from Aoki misses the target.
Aoki throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Steel has been working on his boxing with his coaches at The Factory in the buildup to the fight.
Aoki misses with a leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Steel just misses with a punch to the body.
Aoki looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Steel lands a body shot.
Aoki swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Steel changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Steel throws a predictable looking body shot
and Aoki counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Aoki throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Steel darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Steel is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

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

Aoki has one foot on Steel's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Steel feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Aoki keeping moving, preventing Steel from controlling successfully.
Steel is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Aoki is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Aoki wants to sweep but no luck.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Steel looking to pass the guard.
Steel stops Aoki from standing up.
Steel slips nicely into half guard.

Steel is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Aoki defends it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aoki looks like he's trying to stand up.

Steel wants to work for an arm triangle but Aoki is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Aoki wants to get back to his feet.
Aoki is staying active underneath Steel, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Steel controlling the action here.
Aoki trying to control here.
Steel wants to pass to mount but Aoki is defending the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Loki Aoki will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Aoki misses the jab.
Loki Aoki is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Aoki blocks a jab.
Steel throws a right hand that Aoki ducks under and follows up with a left that Aoki also avoids with ease.
Steel cracks Aoki with an open hand slap.
Steel looks to land a left hand but Aoki moved out of range nicely.
Steel bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Loki Aoki seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Steel stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Aoki.
Aoki connects with a looping right hand.
Steel dodges the punch combination from Aoki.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Aoki with a body punch. A glancing blow.

Steel fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Aoki to the ground. Steel is now in Aoki's guard.

Aoki scrambles and gets back to his feet.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Aoki looks to land a combination. Steel sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

It looks like James Steel has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steel bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Loki Aoki is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Steel slips a jab and a cross from Aoki.
Aoki on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Aoki dips to his left and cracks Steel with an uppercut!

Steel changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Aoki looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

Steel is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Aoki knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Steel is trying to get an arm triangle but Aoki is defending well.
Steel trying to control the action but Aoki is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Steel controls the position from side control.
Aoki is pushing Steel's head away, looking to escape. Steel manages to hold on to the position though.
Steel wants to control but Aoki is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Steel working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Steel working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Aoki is pushing Steel's head away, looking to escape. Steel manages to hold on to the position though.

Steel working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Aoki sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

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.
Steel is looking to stall here but Aoki recovers full guard.
Aoki keeping moving, preventing Steel from controlling successfully.
Aoki is trying to control the position but Steel postures up.
James Steel overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Steel sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Aoki's guard.
Aoki tries to kick Steel off but Steel keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

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.

Loki Aoki showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on James Steel's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

A lazy left from Steel finds it's target.
Steel lands a lovely overhand right.
Steel misses with a hook.
Aoki throws a lazy body kick

and Steel counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Steel is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Steel is looking for a kimura here.
Aoki pushes Steel off looking to stand but Steel dives back in and keeps control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Steel is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Aoki has managed to free his arm - good work.

Aoki manages to create a bit of space in order to work his way back to his feet. Steel keeps hold of his opponent and drives him back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steel 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. Steel gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Aoki's coach down at Fight Factory was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Aoki's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Aoki fails to land with a series of punches.
Steel moves out of range of the strikes.
Steel has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Aoki.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Aoki fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Left hook, right uppercut from Aoki.
Steel takes a swing at Aoki's ribcage but misses.
Steel lands with a hook. Aoki tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
James Steel seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Aoki bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Aoki throws a counter combo.
Aoki uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Steel.

Aoki lands a left and a right that send Steel crashing to the mat, dazed. Aoki thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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!
A telegraphed right hand from Aoki misses the target.

Steel drives through with a takedown into Aoki's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

Aoki pushes Steel off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Aoki misses with a kick to the body.
Steel swings away with a body shot that misses

and Aoki counters with a crisp right hand that drops Steel! Aoki lets Steel back up to his feet, looking for a finish!

Aoki lands a big uppercut and Steel crumbles to the floor! The ref thinks about stopping the fight but Steel looks OK. Aoki waves Steel back to his feet!

Steel is rocked!
Aoki lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Steel at a distance.
Oh Steel is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Aoki fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
A shot to the liver by Aoki. Beautiful body shot.
Aoki steps into range and unloads a brutal right left combo! Steel is out on his feet! Aoki sets himself and nearly takes Steel's head off with a straight right, sending him crashing to the mat! Wow, that was nasty... but awesome! Wooo!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:51 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Loki Aoki!
Loki Aoki took to the microphone after his victory and thanked his sponsors, Urban Fighter for their support in the buildup to the fight.