PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Aki Hiko (ranked 1187 p4p, 37 weight class) and Mike Shannon (ranked 2032 p4p, 64 weight class). Aki Hiko has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Hiko
vs
Shannon

225 cm
23
294 lbs
8 - 2 - 0

196 cm
30
282 lbs
15 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

KOMBAT KLOTHING

Freebok (85% Laundry)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Aki Hiko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Mike Shannon!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Yukihiro Shimada and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shannon misses with a looping left.
Hiko drops down looking for a counter takedown but Shannon sprawls and moves away.
Shannon misses with a head kick.
A head kick misses from Shannon.
Hiko ducks under a wild hook from Shannon.
Hiko appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Good leg kick by Shannon there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.

Hiko is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Shannon's half guard.
Hiko winds up and cracks Shannon with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Hiko thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Shannon's head.
Shannon tries to get to full guard but Hiko has control of the leg.
Shannon wants to get back to his feet.
Shannon desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Hiko working Shannon over with strikes.
Hiko working over Shannon with some ground and pound. Shannon looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Hiko has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shannon is staying active underneath Hiko, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Shannon gets back to full guard.
Shannon wants to sweep here but Hiko controlling him for the moment.
Hiko throws a big right hand that misses.
Hiko trying to control but Shannon is working from the bottom.
Hiko lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Hiko trying to control the position from guard on top but Shannon is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hiko preventing the sweep.
Hiko has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Hiko throwing strikes from guard but Shannon blocks nicely.
Shannon has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Hiko landing some decent shots from guard.
Shannon has control of Hiko's left arm, preventing Hiko from doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hiko working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Shannon wants to get back to his feet but Hiko is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Shannon working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Hiko.
Shannon has his hands on Hiko's head, controlling the position.
Shannon 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.
Hiko prevents Shannon from getting back to his feet.
Hiko in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Shannon pulls Hiko in close to prevent any damage.
Shannon is trying to control the position but Hiko postures up.
Hiko lands a couple of elbows.
Shannon wants to sweep here but Hiko controlling him for the moment.
Shannon wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shannon preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Hiko wants to control from the top but Shannon keeps moving.
Hiko will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Shannon trying to keep a closed guard but Hiko is proving a slippery customer.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Shannon can do anything to dispel that myth.
Shannon looking for a sweep. Not yet Shannon, not yet.
Hiko loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Hiko lands a couple of elbows.
Shannon managing to control the position.
Hiko trying to control but Shannon is working from the bottom.
Shannon 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.
Hiko trying to control the position from guard on top but Shannon is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

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.
Shannon controls Hiko momentarily but Hiko frees himself.
Hiko lands a couple of digs.
Hiko stops Shannon from standing up.
Shannon working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Hiko.
Hiko working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Hiko stopping the sweep attempt from Shannon.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Hiko accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Hiko wants to control from the top but Shannon keeps moving.
Shannon seems keen to control Hiko's posture.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hiko is in close to Shannon's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Shannon pulls Hiko in close to his closed guard and prevents Hiko from doing any damage or advancing position.
Hiko makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aki Hiko dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Hiko misses with a series of wild punches.
Shannon steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Hiko.
Hiko throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Hiko darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Hiko is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Shannon can do to turn this around?
Shannon fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Hiko uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Shannon.
Shannon pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Hiko throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Shannon on the side of the head.
Shannon tried to score with a low kick but Hiko checks it.
Hiko half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice body punch from Hiko.
Shannon throws a hook but Hiko avoids it easily.
Shannon avoids the body shot from Hiko.
Hiko fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hiko ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Shannon tries to clinch but Hiko is having none of it.
Hiko moves forwards but Shannon connects with a nice, crisp jab.

It looks like Aki Hiko has been cut.
Shannon throws a head kick but Hiko moves out of range.
Shannon misses with a straight left.
Shannon misses with a looping right.
A telegraphed right hand from Shannon misses the target.
A telegraphed right hand from Shannon misses the target.
Shannon lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Shannon lands a jab to the nose.
Hiko fails with the takedown
and Shannon counters with a stiff right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shannon throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Hiko sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Shannon misses with a hook. Hiko ducked under it nicely.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Hiko.
Hiko displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Shannon throws out the jab.
Hiko uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Shannon.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hiko misses with a jab, cross combination.
Shannon tries to clinch but Hiko is having none of it.
Hiko tries to counter with a takedown but Shannon is quick to defend against it.
Shannon feints and then cracks Hiko's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Hiko down.
Hiko takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Hiko throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Hiko gets a double leg takedown into Shannon's guard.
Shannon trying to control the position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hiko works over Shannon with some ground and pound from guard.
Hiko working some strikes from top position.
Shannon bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Hiko's guard.

Shannon controlling from the top position.
Shannon throwing strikes but missing.
Hiko is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Shannon is trying to stand.
Hiko is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Hiko takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Hiko seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Hiko lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Hiko slips a nice elbow through Shannon's hands, connecting with Shannon's forehead.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hiko lands with a punch from half guard.
Shannon is trying to stand.
Shannon manages to get to full guard.
Hiko trying to control the position from guard on top but Shannon is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hiko scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hiko throws a big right hand that misses.
Hiko postures up and lands a big shot to Shannon's brow.
Hiko stays in close to Shannon's body and controls the position.
Shannon keeping full guard, as Hiko tries to pass.
Shannon 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.
Aki Hiko overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Hiko trying to control but Shannon is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aki Hiko dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Aki Hiko's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Hiko avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Hiko drops down looking for a counter takedown but Shannon sprawls and moves away.
Nice straight punches there by Hiko. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Hiko.
Hiko blocks a leg kick.
Hiko tries to counter with a takedown but Shannon is quick to defend against it.
Shannon throws a hook but Hiko blocks it.
Shannon takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Hiko thuds his right hand into Shannon's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.

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

Shannon is rocked!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Shannon takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Shannon is still on wobbly legs! Can Hiko finish him?
Hiko just misses with a punch to the body.
Shannon seems to have recovered his senses.

Shannon clinches.
A hook to the body from Hiko.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Hiko creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
A shot in the inside from Hiko.
Shannon takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shannon throws a punch but it's blocked by Hiko.
Hiko lands a left hand that snaps the head of Shannon backwards.
Shannon misses with a body punch.
Hiko tries to pull guard but Shannon won't allow it.
Shannon tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Hiko tries to pull guard but Shannon holds him up against the cage and eventually Hiko drops back down to his feet.
Hiko lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Hiko.
Hiko is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Hiko jumps guard but Shannon stands there with Hiko around his waist. Hiko gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aki Hiko. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hiko digs a right hand into Shannon's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Shannon's gas tank.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Hiko just misses with a elbow thrown towards Shannon's brow.
Shannon tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Shannon fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Shannon misses with some punches.
Mike Shannon has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hiko pulls guard.
Shannon slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Hiko throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Shannon is looking to work some ground and pound but Hiko has wrist control.
Hiko avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Shannon controls from within his opponent's guard.
Shannon preventing the sweep.
Hiko keeping moving, preventing Shannon from controlling successfully.
Shannon sitting in guard here, content to control.
Hiko striking off his back but it's not causing Shannon any problems.
Shannon stopping the sweep attempt from Hiko.
Shannon working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Aki Hiko is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shannon is looking to work some ground and pound but Hiko has wrist control.
Hiko is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Shannon misses with a hook. Hiko ducked under it nicely.
Hiko connects with a body shot.
Shannon misses with a hook

and Hiko counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Shannon trying to control but Hiko postures up.
Hiko is trying to control. Shannon wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Hiko is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Shannon is trying to stand.
Shannon wants to get back to full guard.
Shannon is refusing to be controlled, as Hiko sits in half guard.
Shannon wants to get back to his feet.
Shannon gets full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hiko controlling from the top position.
Shannon trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Hiko trying to control the position from guard on top but Shannon is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hiko sitting in guard here, content to control.
Hiko stops Shannon from standing up.
Hiko controlling from the top position.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Shannon looks to land a left hand but Hiko moved out of range nicely.
Shannon throws an overhand right that lands on Hiko's shoulder, as Hiko tries to avoid the shot.
Hiko tries to counter with a takedown but Shannon is quick to defend against it.
Hiko connects with a crisp jab.
Mike Shannon seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A low kick from Shannon misses

and Hiko counters with a takedown into side control.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Shannon manages to get back to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Aki Hiko showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Hiko 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 Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Aki Hiko!
Aki Hiko thanked the fans post fight for their support.