PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Scott Sanford (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Demian Aoki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Scott Sanford has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Sanford
vs
Aoki

170 cm
22
170 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

179 cm
18
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Prefers ground

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Intelligent

Extremely Crazy MMA gear

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Scott Sanford!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Demian Aoki!
The judges for this bout are Gregory Folan, Elvis Blanc and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sanford dodges the punch combination from Aoki.
Scott Sanford seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Aoki scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Sanford tries to buck Aoki off but Aoki is having none of it.
Aoki trying to control the action but Sanford is working from the bottom.
Sanford prevents Aoki from improving position.
Aoki is putting a hurting on Sanford here, landing some big shots from side control.
Sanford is looking to reverse the position.
Aoki wants to take a breather but Sanford manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Aoki.
Aoki postures up in Sanford's guard and throws a big left but Sanford blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aoki stops Sanford from standing up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sanford is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Aoki trying to control but Sanford is working from the bottom.
Aoki looking to pass the guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Aoki trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Sanford tries to clinch but Aoki is having none of it.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Aoki keeps the fight on the outside.
Sanford tries to clinch but Aoki moves out of range.
Sanford with a poor takedown

and Aoki counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aoki is looking to take a break and control but Sanford is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Aoki is looking to stall here but Sanford recovers full guard.
Aoki throws a strike but Sanford rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Aoki trying to keep a closed guard but Sanford is proving a slippery customer.
Sanford preventing the sweep.

Aoki has his foot on Sanford's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Sanford works his way back into a safe position though.

Sanford postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Aoki is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Sanford, into his guard.
Aoki looking to pass the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aoki throws a big right hand that misses.
Aoki trying to control the position from guard on top but Sanford is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Aoki accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Aokiis looking to pass into half guard but Sanford pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Sanford is in guard.
Aoki keeping full guard, as Sanford tries to pass.
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.
Aoki has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Aoki holds on and takes a little breather.

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.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Aoki misses with a wild body shot.
Sanford tries to clinch up but Aoki circles away and keeps his distance.
Sanford has his takedown stuffed

and Aoki counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Aoki moves into full mount! Sanford won't be happy about that!
Aoki content just to control the position here.
Aoki misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Aoki has his takedown stuffed

and Sanford counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Aoki looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Aoki wants to control but Sanford passes easily into half guard.
Aoki tries to roll over but Sanford keeps him under control.
Aoki is not content to let Sanford control the position.
Aoki is trying to maintain the position but Sanford is very close to passing his half guard.

Sanford is working for a submission of some sort.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanford wants to get back to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Aoki manages to get to full guard.
Aoki working a defensive guard here.
Sanford has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Aoki jumps guard but Sanford stands there with Aoki around his waist. Aoki gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Aoki fails to pull guard.
Scott Sanford has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Demian Aoki.
Sanford unloads a knee to the mid-section. Aoki lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Sanford using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Aoki has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Sanford tries to land a knee to the head but Aoki blocks with his arms.
Aoki wants a takedown but no success here.

Aoki successfully pulls guard.
Aoki thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Aoki is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Aoki is on top in guard.
Aoki content to stall in guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aoki throwing strikes but missing.
Aoki working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Aoki controlling from the top position.
Aoki pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sanford is keeping the position for now.
Aoki trying to control but Sanford is working from the bottom.
Sanford is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Aoki in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

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.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Aoki shoots and misses

and Sanford counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Aoki trying to control from the bottom.
Aoki trying to get back to full guard but Sanford takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Aoki regains half guard.
Sanford trying to pass the guard but Aoki defending well.
Aoki is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Sanford tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Aoki trying to control but Sanford postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Scott Sanford dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Aoki swats away the attempt to clinch by Sanford.
Aoki keeps the fight on the outside.
Aoki fails with the takedown

and Sanford counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Sanford.
Aoki looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Aoki trying to control the position here.
Sanford wants to control from the top but Aoki keeps moving.
Aoki takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanford preventing the sweep.
Aoki is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Aoki is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Sanford trying to control but Aoki is working from the bottom.
Aoki working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Sanford.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Sanford tries for a takedown but Aoki circles away easily

and Aoki counters with a single leg into guard. Sanford didn't expect that.
Aoki won't allow Sanford to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanford has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Aoki has passed into side control.
Aoki lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Aoki postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Aoki takes a little break here. Sanford wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Aoki throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Aoki tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

Aoki tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Aoki has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
You can see the frustration on Sanford's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aoki working the ground and pound but Sanford is defending the strikes.
Aoki has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Sanford!
Aoki sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Aoki trying to control but Sanford is having none of it.
Aoki takes Sanford's back.
Well, with Aoki on his back, surely it's only a matter of time before Sanford is tapping out... Can he escape the position?
Sanford covering up well under a series of strikes from Aoki.
Aoki throws a big right hand but he misses and hits the mat. Ouch.

Aoki working for a choke but Sanford is defending well.
Aoki tries to keep control of the position but Sanford is staying busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Aoki has got his arm under Sanford's chin working for the choke… has he got it? It looks pretty tight! Oh! Sanford has spun round into Aoki's guard beautifully! Well done that man!
Aoki working a defensive guard here.

Aoki had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Sanford is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Aoki Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Sanford's back instead.
Aoki struggling to land strikes to the head as Sanford covers up.
Sanford covering up well and avoiding damage.

Sanford fending off the submission attempt from Aoki.

And that's the end of the fight!
Demian Aoki comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Aoki 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 Gregory Folan scores the fight 28:29
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 28:29
Judge William Peck scores the fight 28:29

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