PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Henry Aron (ranked 1138 p4p, 141 weight class) and Yokuni Togashi (ranked 2492 p4p, 272 weight class). Aron comes to the cage accompanied by USA!. The crowd seem to be enjoying Togashi's choice of entrance music: Imagine Dragons - Radioactive. On his way into the cage it seems that Henry Aron has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Henry Aron seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Aron
vs
Togashi

187 cm
29
183 lbs
13 - 6 - 0

181 cm
22
177 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Groove Gear
Pit Bull Development

Urban Fighter
Zenith Nutrition (160q/$200)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 6 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Henry Aron!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yokuni Togashi!
The judges for this bout are , Timothy Bukovac and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Aron shoots and misses
and Aron takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Togashi thows a left - swing and a miss!
A telegraphed right hand from Aron misses the target.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Togashi! But no joy.
Aron throws a shot from downtown. Togashi moves away and avoids it.
Togashi uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Aron.
Togashi tries to score with a low kick but Aron moves his leg out of the way.
Togashi slips under a jab.
Aron takes a swing at Togashi's ribcage but misses.
Aron definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Aron ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Togashi moves away.
Aron fails to land the takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Aron throws a hook but Togashi blocks it.
Togashi misses with a body shot.
Aron moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Aron slips under a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Togashi leaves Aron with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
A countering left hand to the body from Togashi misses.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Henry Aron. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Aron scores with a takedown into Togashi's guard.
Aron wants to control from the top but Togashi keeps moving.
Togashi is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Aron throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Aron trying to control the position from guard on top but Togashi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aron working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Togashi wants to sweep but no luck.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Aron missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Togashi really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Aron. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Aron postures up in Togashi's guard and throws a big left but Togashi blocks it.
Aron throws a strike but Togashi rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Togashi stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Aron swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Togashi throws an elbow that misses. Aron uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Togashi's guard. Nice move by Aron!

Aron wants to control from the top but Togashi keeps moving.
Aron has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Togashi is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Aron throws an elbow that misses. Togashi uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Aron's guard. Nice move by Togashi!

Aron keeping moving, preventing Togashi from controlling successfully.
Togashi slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Togashi working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aron is looking for a sweep.
Aron is working hard here to advance position.
Aron is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Togashi's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Togashi keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yokuni Togashi dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Aron shoots in for a takedown but Togashi shows good takedown defense.
Aron scores with a decent looking hook.
Togashi misses with an uppercut.
Togashi displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Aron.
Togashi will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Aron throws a hook but Togashi blocks it.
Aron shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Togashi counters with a left to the body.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Henry Aron. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Aron walks into a stiff left hand from Togashi.
Togashi slips under a jab.
Togashi throws a big shot that misses.
Yokuni Togashi seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Aron with a poor takedown
and Togashi cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Henry Aron seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Aron walks into a left hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Togashi steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Aron.
Nice straight punches there by Togashi. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Togashi.
Aron shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Togashi pinned against the cage. Togashi gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Aron fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Togashi to the ground. Aron is now in Togashi's guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Aron accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Togashi controlling the position.
Togashi looking for a sweep. Not yet Togashi, not yet.
Togashi has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Aron pushes down on Togashi's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Togashi avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Aron.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aron lands strikes from half guard.
Aron takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Aron missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Aron working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Aron moves nicely into side control.
Aron is putting a hurting on Togashi here, landing some big shots from side control.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Aron connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Togashi some visible discomfort.
Togashi takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Aron lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Togashi down.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aron wants to control for a moment but Togashi uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Aron lands a nice short elbow.
Aron takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Aron tries to pass the half guard into mount. Togashi knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Aron wants to take a breather but Togashi is having none of it.
Aron content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Aron trying to control from half guard but Togashi is working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Togashi wants to control but Aron is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Aron not doing much here.
Aron looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Togashi with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Togashi is trying to get back to full guard.
Aron takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Aron is looking to advance position but Togashi won't allow it.
Still in half guard, Aron seems content to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Henry Aron dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Togashi takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Aron looks for a takedown but Togashi sprawls well.
Togashi let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Aron throws an off balance right hand
enabling Togashi to counter with a crisp jab.
Togashi jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Aron misses with a hook.
A nice side step and Togashi releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Aron fails with the takedown
and Togashi counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Aron throws a hook but Togashi blocks it.
Aron misses with a hook.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Aron looks to score with a jab to the body but Togashi is just out of range.
Aron shoots in for a takedown but Togashi shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Henry Aron. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A looping hook to the body misses from Togashi. Aron does a little dance to reset his feet.
Aron ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Togashi moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aron missing with a left hand there. Togashi was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Togashi connects with a good right hand that stumbles Aron. Aron circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Togashi throws a looping overhand right but Aron ducks down to avoid it.
Togashi lands with a shot to the body.
Aron will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Aron cracks Togashi with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Aron gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Togashi counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Togashi pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Aron misses with a hook. Togashi ducked under it nicely.
Aron dives in for a single leg takedown but Togashi sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Aron throws an off balance right hand
and Togashi counters with a nice uppercut.
Aron throws a lazy uppercut
and Togashi connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aron throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Togashi sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Togashi swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
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!
Togashi wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Togashi misses the shot to the body.
Aron misses with a straight right.
Aron looks for a takedown but Togashi sprawls well.
Togashi moves out of range of the strikes.
A swing and a miss from Aron.
Togashi swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Togashi connects with a good right hand that stumbles Aron. Aron circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Aron walks into a jab.
Aron scores with a jab to the jaw.
Aron shoots and misses
and Togashi counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Aron is rocked!
Yokuni Togashi is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Aron throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Togashi tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Aron is in Togashi's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Togashi can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Aron controls the pace.
Aron trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Aron trying to control but Togashi is working from the bottom.
Aron is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Togashi looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Togashi tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Aron trying to control but Togashi is working from the bottom.

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.
Togashi looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Togashi can do anything to dispel that myth.
Aron is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Togashi looking to hit a scissor sweep but Aron is one step ahead there.
Togashi has Aron pulled in close to control his posture.
Aron tries to free his leg and advance position but Togashi is retaining full guard.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Aron pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Togashi throws out a counter right but Aron avoids it with no problem.
Aron is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Togashi ducks under a wild hook from Aron.
Aron avoids the body shot from Togashi.

And that's the end of the fight!
Yokuni Togashi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Togashi 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Yokuni Togashi!
Yokuni Togashi seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.
The defeated Henry Aron had this to say: 'I want to thank me mum, Rise for giving me this chance, and I love to kick ass.'.