PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Taiki Aoki (ranked 222 p4p, 20 weight class) and Tyaf Daeland Puno (ranked 406 p4p, 43 weight class). Puno has chosen I'm a soldier - Tupac as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Aoki
vs
Daeland Puno

170 cm
39
156 lbs
33 - 14 - 2

183 cm
31
155 lbs
10 - 5 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Zenith Nutrition (160q/225$)

Aspire Clothing
Bullet Proof System

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 33 - 14 - 2, fighting out of Los Angeles, Taiki Aoki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Tyaf Daeland Puno!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Don Winkell and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Puno fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Puno stuns Aoki with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Puno just misses with a punch to the body.
Aoki takes one to the chin there.
Puno pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Aoki changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Puno lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Aoki misses the shot to the body.
Puno jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Aoki has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Shit House in the buildup to the fight.
Puno moves into range and connects with a jab.

Puno shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Aoki might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Aoki 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.
Puno looking to pass the guard.
Puno slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Aoki 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 one minute gone in the round.
Puno controlling from the top position.
Puno preventing the sweep.
Puno controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Aoki keeping moving, preventing Puno from controlling successfully.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Aoki drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aoki throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Puno gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Aoki working over Puno with some ground and pound. Puno looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Aoki is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Aoki throwing shots but Puno is blocking nicely.
Puno is not content to let Aoki control the position.
Aoki perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aoki is looking to take a break and control but Puno is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Aoki prevents Puno from improving his position.
Aoki sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Puno defending well though.
Aoki lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

Puno looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Aoki trying to control from Puno's half guard. Puno has other ideas though and has regained full guard.

Puno is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Aoki is aware though and is defending well.
Puno trying to control the position.
Puno is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Puno prevents Aoki from improving his position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Puno is looking to take a break and control but Aoki is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Puno throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Aoki to regain full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tyaf Daeland Puno dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

A looping hook to the body misses from Puno. Aoki does a little dance to reset his feet.
Tyaf Daeland Puno seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Puno throws a hook to the side of Aoki's head but Aoki sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
A slow jab from Aoki misses its intended target.
Aoki looks for a takedown but Puno sprawls well.
Aoki walks into a jab.
Aoki takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Aoki takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Aoki shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Puno but Puno pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Puno has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Puno does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Puno scores with the left hand. Aoki knows he should have avoided that one.
Puno tests Aoki's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Puno connects with the punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Puno jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Aoki misses with a low kick as Puno jumps back.
Puno fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Aoki checks it well.
Aoki takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Aoki shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Puno sprawls well. Puno wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Aoki gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Taiki Aoki. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Puno lands a head shot.
Puno's corner calls for a 1-2. Puno obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Nice straight punches there by Puno. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Puno.
Aoki ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Aoki attempts a counter takedown but Puno avoids it well and moves away.
Puno connects with a single shot there.
Puno misses with a series of wild punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Puno misses with a body shot.
Aoki feinted with a counter takedown.
Aoki takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Puno throws a big shot that misses.
Nice body punch from Aoki.
Puno missing with a left hand there. Aoki was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Aoki feinted with a counter takedown.
Aoki dives in for a single leg takedown but Puno sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Puno misses with a telegraphed body shot

and Aoki counters with a takedown into side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Aoki connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Puno some visible discomfort.
Puno looks to move to half guard but instead Aoki has passed into mount! Damn!
Puno has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Aoki can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Puno is looking to escape.
Puno in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Puno is wriggling around trying to escape.
Puno gets back to half guard.
Puno is looking to improve his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Puno trying to hold on to Aoki's head to control him but Aoki postures up.
Aoki seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Puno does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Aoki looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Puno with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Puno wants to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aoki is pressing down on Puno's thigh, looking to free his foot. Puno is holding on for now.
Puno is looking to improve his position.
Aoki is taking a breather. Puno says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Aoki trying to control from half guard but Puno is working away.
Puno is looking for a sweep. Aoki is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Aoki is trying to control the action in half guard but Puno is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tyaf Daeland Puno showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Puno ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Puno thows a left - swing and a miss!
Aoki with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Puno to score with a decent uppercut.
Puno is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Aoki shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.

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

Aoki is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Puno sees it coming and defends easily.
Puno gets back to full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Puno lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Puno won't allow Aoki to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aoki is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Aoki passes to full mount!
Aoki prevents Puno from getting the reversal.
Aoki trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Puno sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Aoki throwing shots but Puno is blocking nicely.
Taiki Aoki has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Puno preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.

Aoki is working for a kimura but Puno is defending it quite comfortably.
Aoki tries to pass the half guard into mount. Puno knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Aoki seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Puno does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Puno wants to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Puno slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Aoki throws a big right hand that misses.
Aoki throwing strikes from guard but Puno blocks nicely.
Aoki pushing down on Puno's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Puno on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Puno avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Aoki.
Puno trying to hold on to Aoki's head to control him but Aoki postures up.

Aoki is working for a kimura but Puno is defending it quite comfortably.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Puno has hold of Aoki's hands but Aoki slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Puno is pressing down on Aoki's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Aoki throws a big right hand that misses.
Aoki throws a big elbow that misses.
Puno 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.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Puno keeps trying to improve his position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Taiki Aoki showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Puno 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tyaf Daeland Puno!