PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jon Hardy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Steve Aoki (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.

Hardy
vs
Aoki

172 cm
18
152 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

172 cm
20
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Tends to cut

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 Tokyo, Jon Hardy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Steve Aoki!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Kenichi Hosakawa and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hardy connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Hardy tries to work over Aoki's front leg with a kick but Aoki checks it.
Aoki fails with a takedown attempt.
Hardy lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Aoki ducks under a wild hook from Hardy.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Hardy.
Aoki shoots in but Hardy avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Hardy pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Aoki shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Hardy as he jumps to the side.
Jon Hardy has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Steve Aoki.
Hardy fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Aoki on the side of the head.
Good exchange - Hardy coming out on top.
Hardy misses with a head kick.

Hardy looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Hardy wants to control from the top but Aoki keeps moving.
Hardy throwing strikes but missing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardy throws and elbow that misses. Aoki uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Hardy's guard. Nice move by Aoki!
Hardy keeping full guard, as Aoki tries to pass.
Hardy looking for a sweep. Not yet Hardy, not yet.
Aoki trying to control the position from guard on top but Hardy is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hardy wants to stand up but Aoki is controlling him.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two 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.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Aoki with a lazy takedown attempt

and Hardy counters with a shoot takedown. Aoki fights it but they end up in guard.
Aoki looks gassed!
Hardy wants to control from the top but Aoki keeps moving.
Hardy is really struggling to control Aoki but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Hardy looking to pass the guard.
Aoki preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Aoki avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Aoki looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardy stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Aoki swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Hardy drops back looking for a leg! Aoki is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Aoki manages to kick Hardy off! Hardy jumps back into Aoki's guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Hardy lands a lovely overhand right.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Hardy, right into the meat.
Aoki tries for a takedown but Hardy circles away easily
and Hardy cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

Hardy shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aoki taking some punishment here, with Hardy in his half guard.
Aoki avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Hardy.
Aoki moves into full guard.
Hardy stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Aoki swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Hardy throws a big right hand that misses.
Hardy trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Aoki on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Hardy lands with a kick to the ribs.
Jon Hardy is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hardy misses with a jab, cross combination.
Hardy swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Hardy shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Aoki manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Hardy throwing strikes from guard but Aoki blocks nicely.
Aoki utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Aoki controls Hardy momentarily but Hardy frees himself.
Aoki is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardy trying to control the position from guard on top but Aoki is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hardy wants to pass the guard but Aoki is keeping the position.
Aoki bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Hardy's guard.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Aoki's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Aoki trying to control but Hardy is working from the bottom.
Hardy wants to sweep here but Aoki controlling him for the moment.

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.
Hardy wants to stand and escape but Aoki is having none of it.
Aoki wants to control from the top but Hardy keeps moving.
Hardy looking to control.
Aoki stopping the sweep attempt from Hardy.
Hardy trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Hardy stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Hardy wants it to stay on the feet.
Jon Hardy seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Aoki has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Hardy is looking to slow Aoki down with leg kicks.
Aoki avoids a punch combination nicely.
Aoki shoots and misses

and Hardy counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Aoki's guard now.
Hardy throwing strikes from guard but Aoki blocks nicely.
Hardy landing with the ground and pound.
Aoki keeping moving, preventing Hardy from controlling successfully.
Hardy with a nice head shot there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hardy is looking to work some ground and pound but Aoki has wrist control.
Hardy tries to free his leg and advance position but Aoki is retaining full guard.
Hardyis looking to pass into half guard but Aoki pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Aoki is in guard.
Aoki trying to control the position from guard on top but Hardy is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Aoki showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jon Hardy dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Aoki takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Aoki walks into a jab.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Hardy, right into the meat.
Hardy lands a lovely overhand right.
Aoki misses with a takedown
and Hardy counters with a nice body shot.
A punch combination from Hardy misses.
Aoki has his takedown stuffed
and Hardy counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hardy throws a series of punches but Aoki moves out of range.
Hardy misses with a few strikes there.
Aoki takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Good shot there by Hardy.
Hardy throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Aoki's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hardy closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Hardy takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Aoki is trying to stand.
Hardy is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Hardy working the head and body with strikes.
Aoki is looking to control Hardy's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Aoki avoid being mounted?
Hardy prevents Aoki from improving his position.
Hardy scoring with strikes to the body and head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hardy missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Hardy thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Aoki on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Aoki trying to hold on to Hardy's head to control him but Hardy postures up.
Jon Hardy overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Hardy lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Hardy slips a nice elbow through Aoki's hands, connecting with Aoki's forehead.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Aoki looking for submissions off his back.
Hardy tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Aoki.
Hardy wants to pass the guard but Aoki is defending well.
Hardy is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Aoki wants to control but Hardy is keeping busy and won't allow it.

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.
Hardy is keen to just control but Aoki is a slippery customer.
Hardy is pressing down on Aoki's thigh, looking to free his foot. Aoki is holding on for now.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Aoki tries for a takedown but Hardy circles away easily
and Hardy counters with a two punch combo.
Jon Hardy has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Steve Aoki.
Hardy explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Aoki with a lazy takedown attempt
and Hardy counters with a slapping leg kick.
Hardy fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Aoki shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
letting Hardy counter with a right hand.
Steve Aoki has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hardy gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Aoki counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Aoki.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jon Hardy showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Hardy has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 30:27
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jon Hardy!