PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Shinya Aoki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Henrique Fudencio (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Aoki
vs
Fudencio

180 cm
19
167 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

175 cm
20
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Tends to cut

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Shinya Aoki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Henrique Fudencio!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Paulo Santos and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Aoki avoids a punch combination nicely.
Horrible takedown by Aoki or perhaps it was just good defense by Fudencio which made him look bad.

Aoki closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Aoki lands in his opponent's guard.

Aoki avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Fudencio throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Aoki stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Fudencio swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Aoki won't allow Fudencio to sweep him here.

Fudencio is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Aoki is aware though and is defending well.
Aoki sitting in guard here, content to control.
Fudencio wants to stand and escape but Aoki is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aoki landing some decent shots from guard.
Aoki wants to pass the guard but Fudencio is keeping the position.
Aoki is breathing heavily.
Fudencio throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Fudencio is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Fudencio looking for a sweep. Not yet Fudencio, not yet.

Fudencio looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Aoki stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's two 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.
Fudencio throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Fudencio misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Fudencio misses with a takedown attempt

and Aoki counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Aoki.
Aoki looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Fudencio is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Aoki is aware though and is defending well.
Fudencio is looking to stand up but Aoki isn't so interested in that idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aoki controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Aoki's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Aoki wants to control from the top but Fudencio keeps moving.

Fudencio is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Aoki advances position into side control!

Aoki stands up and we're back to a striking position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aoki will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Fudencio shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Aoki counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Fudencio tries to roll over but Aoki keeps him under control.

Aoki is trying to work for a kimura but Fudencio is defending well.
Aoki trying to control the pace.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Fudencio is looking for a sweep. Aoki is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shinya Aoki dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Aoki changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Fudencio looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Fudencio pushes Aoki away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Aoki gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Fudencio takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Aoki trying to control the action but Fudencio is working from the bottom.
Fudencio manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Shinya Aoki overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Aoki trying to control here.
Fudencio is trying to control the action in half guard but Aoki is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aoki wants to get back to his feet.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Fudencio wants to clinch up but Aoki keeps it at a distance.
Aoki looks for a takedown but Fudencio sprawls well.
Aoki stuffs the takedown attempt from Fudencio. Fudencio gets slowly back to his feet.
No luck for Aoki with that takedown attempt.
Fudencio thuds his right hand into Aoki's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Fudencio shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Aoki counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Fudencio wants to improve his position but Aoki is controlling well.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Fudencio actively working from the bottom here.
Fudencio tries to get to full guard but Aoki has control of the leg.
Aoki content to control rather than advance.
Fudencio slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Fudencio looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Aoki puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Aoki working over Fudencio with some ground and pound. Fudencio looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fudencio is trying to get back to full guard.
Aoki is controlling the pace.
Fudencio trying to hold on to Aoki's head to control him but Aoki postures up.

Aoki decides to stand and escape the position.
Fudencio tries to bum rush Aoki with a series of wild strikes but Aoki uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Fudencio throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Aoki looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Shinya Aoki. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Aoki takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.

Fudencio gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Aoki won't allow Fudencio to sweep him here.

Aoki stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Henrique Fudencio seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Fudencio gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Aoki decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Fudencio's guard.
Aoki slips nicely into half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Aoki works his way into full mount!
Aoki takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shinya Aoki dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Fudencio lands with an uppercut that bounces Aoki off the cage and back into rage.
Aoki tries to move into range but Fudencio moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.

Aoki has taken the fight to the clinch.
Fudencio tries for a takedown. No joy.

Aoki has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Fudencio uses from the top position.
Aoki preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Fudencio won't allow Aoki to sweep him here.
Fudencio trying to control but Aoki is working from the bottom.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Aoki is on top in guard.
Aoki wants to pass the guard but Fudencio is keeping the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Fudencio looking for a guillotine here but Aoki defends easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aoki postures up and lands a big shot to Fudencio's brow.
Aoki sitting in guard here, content to control.
Aoki preventing the sweep.
Aoki pushing down on Fudencio's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Fudencio moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Fudencio looking to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Aoki is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Aoki preventing the sweep.
Aoki seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Fudencio wants to sweep here but Aoki controlling him for the moment.
Aoki stays in close to Fudencio's body and controls the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Aoki avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Aoki controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Fudencio manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Aoki manages to get himself to full guard.
Aoki controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Aoki wriggles free and stands up.
Fudencio misses with a takedown
and Aoki counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Fudencio tries to clinch up

and Aoki counters with a single leg into guard. Fudencio didn't expect that.

Fudencio has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Aoki can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Fudencio thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

Fudencio throws his legs up looking for a submission but Aoki uses it to pass to side control.
You can see the frustration on Fudencio's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Shinya Aoki showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Aoki, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Shinya Aoki!