PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Rikiya Shimabukuro (ranked 4572 p4p, 4539 weight class) and Bob Aldo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Shimabukuro
vs
Aldo

177 cm
25
145
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
25
145
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
KO power

Good takedowns
Excellent MT
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rikiya Shimabukuro!
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, Bob Aldo!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Emerson Jorge and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shimabukuro lands a slapping body shot.

Aldo looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Shimabukuro tries to roll over but Aldo keeps him under control.
Aldo thows a huge punch but Shimabukuro dodges it nicely.
Shimabukuro blocking the ground and pound attempt from Aldo.
Shimabukuro wants to improve his position but Aldo is controlling well.
Aldo is just content to waste time from the top position. Shimabukuro takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shimabukuro tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Aldo looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aldo looking to pass the guard.
Aldo loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Aldo tries to free his leg and advance position but Shimabukuro is retaining full guard.
Shimabukuro is trying to keep Aldo in close.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

That's two 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.
A lazy body kick from Shimabukuro

and Aldo counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Shimabukuro!
Shimabukuro tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.
Shimabukuro trying to control but not successfully.

Aldo is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Shimabukuro knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Shimabukuro for a finish.

Aldo is working hard for the rear naked choke here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shimabukuro trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
A lull in the action here.
Aldo wants to control the position but Shimabukuro frees himself and scrambles - Aldo manages to regain control in side control.
Aldo taking a breather here.
Aldo wants to control but Shimabukuro is keeping him busy.

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.
Shimabukuro tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Aldo wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Aldo working the ground and pound but Shimabukuro is defending the strikes.
Aldo is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Shimabukuro will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Aldo trying to control the position but Shimabukuro is working away.
Aldo content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Shimabukuro tries to improve position but can't.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Bob Aldo dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Shimabukuro throws a leg kick

so Aldo counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Aldo trying to control but Shimabukuro is working from the bottom.
Aldo stopping the sweep attempt from Shimabukuro.
Aldo trying to control but Shimabukuro is working from the bottom.
Shimabukuro is pulling down on Aldo's head. It's preventing any offense from Aldo, at least for the moment.
Aldo tries to free his leg and advance position but Shimabukuro is retaining full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Aldo postures up.
Shimabukuro keeping moving, preventing Aldo from controlling successfully.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Aldo shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Shimabukuro counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Shimabukuro.
Aldo has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Shimabukuro slowing the pace effectively.
Aldo wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Shimabukuro has him pressed against the cage.
Aldo wants to break the clinch but can't.
Shimabukuro is pressed up against the cage. Aldo has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Shimabukuro down to the mat. Shimabukuro avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Aldo shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Shimabukuro is trying to defend but Aldo finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

Shimabukuro has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Aldo is on him like a limpet, forcing Shimabukuro back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aldo prevents the takedown attempt.
Aldo tries to pull guard but Shimabukuro forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Rikiya Shimabukuro has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bob Aldo.

Shimabukuro jumps guard and drags Aldo to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Aldo wanted to stand there but Shimabukuro had control of the position.
Shimabukuro trying to control the position.
Aldo controls from within his opponent's guard.
Shimabukuro wants to stand up but Aldo is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aldo scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Shimabukuro 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.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Aldo looking to sit in guard and control but Shimabukuro gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Shimabukuro throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Aldo works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Aldo is controlling Shimabukuro's posture.
Aldo keeping moving, preventing Shimabukuro from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shimabukuro working some strikes from top position.
Aldo working a defensive guard here.
Aldo has Shimabukuro pulled in close to control his posture.
Aldo trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

Aldo looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Shimabukuro has picked Aldo up and slammed him! Aldo can't keep hold of the triangle and Shimabukuro manages to pass to side control!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Aldo takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Aldo wants to control but Shimabukuro postures up.
Aldo takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Rikiya Shimabukuro dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Aldo is looking to clinch but Shimabukuro is avoiding it.
Shimabukuro is trying hard to land a takedown here. Aldo sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
As Shimabukuro backs off Aldo throws a huge counter combo but Shimabukuro manages to avoid it all.
Shimabukuro throws a leg kick that is checked
and Aldo counters with a one-two to the body.
Aldo doesn't manage to clinch there - Shimabukuro circles away.
Aldo looks for a takedown but Shimabukuro sprawls well.

Aldo scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Shimabukuro is looking to escape.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Aldo wants to pass the guard but Shimabukuro is defending well.
Aldo is trying to control. Shimabukuro wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aldo wants to get back to his feet.
Bob Aldo has got the better of the ground game so far.
Shimabukuro is trying to maintain the position but Aldo is very close to passing his half guard.
Shimabukuro is looking for a sweep. Aldo is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Aldo wants to control but Shimabukuro is keeping him busy.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Shimabukuro throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Aldo's waist but Aldo gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Shimabukuro off to one side.
Aldo lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Shimabukuro is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Shimabukuro with a lazy takedown attempt
and Aldo counters with a nice body shot.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rikiya Shimabukuro. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Aldo is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Shimabukuro's half guard.
Shimabukuro is looking to control Aldo's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Shimabukuro avoid being mounted?
Shimabukuro manages to get to full guard.
Aldo prevents Shimabukuro from getting back to his feet.
Aldo tries to free his leg and advance position but Shimabukuro is retaining full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aldo throws a big elbow that misses.
Aldo stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Shimabukuro swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Aldo is looking to stand up but Shimabukuro won't let him.
Aldo advances position into side control!
Shimabukuro sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Aldo trying to control the action but Shimabukuro is working from the bottom.

Shimabukuro looking for subs from the bottom but Aldo mounts him!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Aldo moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Shimabukuro has worked his arm free - good work by Shimabukuro!
Aldo trying to control the position but Shimabukuro is working away.

Shimabukuro wants to improve his position, back to half guard but Aldo has ideas of his own. He's got hold of Shimabukuro's far side arm and it looks like he's got an Americana. Ohh! Ohhhh! OOOOOOOOOH! A human being's arm is not meant to bend like that! Shimabukuro is tapping like a morse code operator on the Titanic! SOS SOS! He's out of here! Great win for Aldo!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:54 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Americana). Bob Aldo!