PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Tatsuya Aoki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ilya Sapursky (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sapursky is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Imperial March. Ilya Sapursky has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Tatsuya Aoki's chin.

Aoki
vs
Sapursky

178 cm
20
188 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

185 cm
24
190 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Very strong

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Solid chin

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tatsuya Aoki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ilya Sapursky!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Shigeki Fujiwara and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sapursky throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Aoki tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Sapursky is in Aoki's guard.
Aoki keeping moving, preventing Sapursky from controlling successfully.
Sapursky stopping the sweep attempt from Aoki.
Aoki is working hard here to advance position.
Sapursky postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Aoki pushes Sapursky off and scrambles back to his feet.
Sapursky fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Aoki fails to land with a series of punches.
Tatsuya Aoki seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Aoki blocks a head kick by Sapursky.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Sapursky.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Aoki is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Sapursky wants to lay and pray for a moment but Aoki keeps working.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sapursky misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Aoki is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Aoki gets back to half guard.
Sapursky working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Aoki's thigh. Aoki counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Aoki utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Sapursky postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

Aoki pushes Sapursky off and scrambles back to his feet.

Sapursky rushes Aoki and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aoki is trying to drag Sapursky to the mat but Sapursky just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Sapursky prevents a takedown attempt there.

Sapursky turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Sapursky manages to end up in side control.
Sapursky has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Aoki is looking for a sweep.
Aoki is trying to buck Sapursky off.
Sapursky misses with the ground and pound.
Aoki tries to escape but Sapursky is in control.
Sapursky working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
The strikes coming from Sapursky are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Sapursky sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Aoki is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.

Sapursky wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Aoki, who protects the arm well.
You can see the frustration on Aoki's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sapursky throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Sapursky looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Aoki is avoiding damage well.
Aoki tries to bench press Sapursky off him but Sapursky keeps the position.
Sapursky is looking to take a break and control but Aoki is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Sapursky tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Aoki can't do much from the bottom here.
Sapursky throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
The strikes coming from Sapursky are missing the target in this wave of attacks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Sapursky wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Aoki, who protects the arm well.
You can see the frustration on Aoki's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Sapursky postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Aoki regains half guard.
Aoki trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Aoki sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Sapursky missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Sapursky is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Aoki works his way to full guard. Good work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ilya Sapursky dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Sapursky closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Sapursky is working for a kimura but Aoki is defending it quite comfortably.
Aoki is refusing to be controlled, as Sapursky sits in half guard.
Sapursky is thwarting Aoki's attempts to control the position.

Sapursky decides to stand and escape the position.
Aoki misses with a takedown

so Sapursky counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Aoki escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Sapursky gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Sapursky showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aoki lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Sapursky!
Aoki breaks from Sapursky's wrist control and lands an elbow.

Aoki moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Sapursky has worked his arm free - good work by Sapursky!
Aoki misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Sapursky is not content to let Aoki control the position.
You can see the frustration on Sapursky's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sapursky is trying to get back to his feet.
Aoki misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Aoki tries to move into full mount but can't pass Sapursky's legs.
Aoki trying to control the position but Sapursky is working away.
Sapursky on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Sapursky tries to buck Aoki off but Aoki is having none of it.
Aoki working the body and head with strikes.
Sapursky is trying to control Aoki's posture but Aoki avoids it.
Aoki is looking to take a break and control but Sapursky is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aoki is really struggling to control Sapursky but he's trying to hold on to the position.
You can see the frustration on Sapursky's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Aoki stands up.
Aoki fails with the takedown

and Sapursky counters by clinching up.

Sapursky manages to pull guard.
Aoki chips away with some ground and pound.
Aoki with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aoki wants to control from the top but Sapursky keeps moving.
Sapursky keeping full guard, as Aoki tries to pass.
Sapursky tries to strike from the bottom.
Aoki trying to control the position from guard on top but Sapursky is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Aoki has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Aoki landing some decent shots from guard.
Aoki stopping the sweep attempt from Sapursky.
Sapursky is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ilya Sapursky 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!

Aoki fails with the takedown

and Sapursky decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Aoki's guard.
Sapursky sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Aoki's guard.
Ilya Sapursky has got the better of the ground game so far.
Sapursky throwing shots but Aoki is blocking nicely.
Aoki tries to get to full guard but Sapursky has control of the leg.
Aoki avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Sapursky.

Aoki looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Sapursky throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Sapursky prevents Aoki from improving his position.
Sapursky moves into full mount! Aoki won't be happy about that!
Aoki is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sapursky trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Sapursky misses with a head shot.
Aoki working to try and regain half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sapursky throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Aoki because Sapursky loaded up on that one.
Sapursky throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Sapursky lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Sapursky working the ground and pound effectively.

Aoki defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Sapursky.
Aoki working to try and regain half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aoki tries to lock up and control but Sapursky gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Aoki regains half guard.
Sapursky seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Aoki tries to get to full guard but Sapursky has control of the leg.
Sapursky thows a huge punch but Aoki dodges it nicely.

Sapursky is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Aoki has managed to free his arm - good work.
Sapursky prevents Aoki from improving his position.
Aoki wants to get back to full guard but Sapursky has mounted him!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sapursky thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Aoki is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Aoki avoids a series of strikes thrown by Sapursky.
Aoki is looking to improve his position but Sapursky isn't that keen on the idea.
Aoki is bucking up trying to escape but Sapursky cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Sapursky dominating with strikes here.
Aoki is working to get back to half guard.
Sapursky controlling his opponent.
Sapursky 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sapursky fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Sapursky looking to ground and pound but Aoki is blocking nicely.

Sapursky is giving the impression that he's looking to ground and pound but he switches suddenly into a beautiful far side armbar! Aoki is forced to tap! Great finish!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:34 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Ilya Sapursky!