PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Yamoto Aoki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marco Pepinhos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Pepinhos has chosen Macaco - Hacen Falta Dos as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Aoki
vs
Pepinhos

186 cm
20
192 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

183 cm
22
195 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Self confident

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Hellbent, 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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yamoto Aoki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Marco Pepinhos!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Kenichi Hosakawa and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Aoki is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Aoki misses with a hook.

Pepinhos looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Pepinhos missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Aoki wants to get back to his feet.

Aoki looking for submissions off his back.
Pepinhos throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Pepinhos is taking a breather. Aoki 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pepinhos's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Aoki is staying active underneath Pepinhos, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Aoki keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Aoki tries to kick Pepinhos off but Pepinhos keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Pepinhos working over Aoki with some ground and pound. Aoki looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Aoki is trying to stand.
Pepinhos is thwarting Aoki's attempts to control the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Aoki shoots and misses

and Pepinhos counters with a single leg into guard. Aoki didn't expect that.
Pepinhos stands and throws Aoki's legs to the side, diving into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pepinhos lands a nice forearm strike.

Pepinhos is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Aoki is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Aoki is looking for a sweep.
Pepinhos tries to score with some ground and pound. Aoki controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Aoki struggling a bit here.

Pepinhos wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Aoki, who protects the arm well.
Aoki regains half guard.
Pepinhos working over Aoki with some ground and pound. Aoki looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Pepinhos is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Aoki sees it coming and defends easily.
Pepinhos looks gassed!
Aoki has his hands clasped together around Pepinhos's back. He's all about the action.
Aoki is refusing to be controlled, as Pepinhos sits in half guard.
Aoki trying to hold on to Pepinhos's head to control him but Pepinhos postures up.
Aoki tries to roll over but Pepinhos keeps him under control.
Pepinhos thows a huge punch but Aoki dodges it nicely.

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.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Aoki throws a lazy head kick

and Pepinhos counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Aoki!
Aoki is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Aoki is trying to escape the mount.
Pepinhos takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Aoki really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

Pepinhos working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Pepinhos prevents Aoki from getting the reversal.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marco Pepinhos dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Pepinhos misses with a low kick.
Aoki has his takedown stuffed
and Pepinhos counters with a thumping low kick.
Yamoto Aoki seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Aoki wants to clinch but Pepinhos slips to the side

and Pepinhos counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Aoki keeping moving, preventing Pepinhos from controlling successfully.
Pepinhos postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Pepinhos loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Pepinhos trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Pepinhos is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Pepinhos is breathing heavily.

Pepinhos drops back for a leg here. A bit of a high risk move... He's looking for a kneebar by the looks of things. Now both of them are looking for submissions. Pepinhos seems to have locked his on tight now - Aoki screams in pain and taps out furiously! It certainly was a high risk move but it's paid off for Pepinhos, as he picks up the win!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:02 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kneebar). Marco Pepinhos!