PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Masakazu Aoki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eli Gabriel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Aoki kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Sandstorm by Darude. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Aoki
vs
Gabriel

155 cm
25
147 lbs
12 - 2 - 0

160 cm
25
147 lbs
9 - 2 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Solid boxing
Very strong

Powerful takedowns
Decent boxing
Powerful

Convicted Trap House
Convicted Trap House

Biobonds Supplements

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Masakazu Aoki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Eli Gabriel!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Chris Downing and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Aoki closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Gabriel is refusing to be controlled, as Aoki sits in half guard.
Aoki is looking to advance position but Gabriel won't allow it.
Aoki trying to control the action but Gabriel is working from the bottom.
Gabriel wants to control but Aoki is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Gabriel blocking the ground and pound attempt from Aoki.
Gabriel manages to get to full guard.
Aoki tries to free his leg and advance position but Gabriel is retaining full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aoki sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Gabriel's guard.
Aoki throwing shots but Gabriel is blocking nicely.
Aoki content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Aoki is looking to stall here but Gabriel recovers full guard.
Aoki wants to control from the top but Gabriel keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Gabriel is adopting a defensive guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gabriel is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Aoki stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gabriel swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gabriel is adopting a defensive guard.
Aoki trying to control the position from guard on top but Gabriel is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Aoki postures up in Gabriel's guard and throws a big left but Gabriel blocks it.
Aoki trying to control but Gabriel is working from the bottom.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Aoki comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.

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 steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Gabriel.
A lazy left from Gabriel finds it's target.
Aoki lands a right hook to the body.
Aoki fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Aoki gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Aoki tries to pull guard but Gabriel won't allow it.
Aoki on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Aoki escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Gabriel wants to clinch up but Aoki keeps it at a distance.

Aoki gets the takedown into side control.
Aoki throws a strike aimed at the side of Gabriel's head but Gabriel avoids it well.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Aoki controlling the position.
Aoki lands a decent elbow from side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Aoki slips a jab from Gabriel.
Gabriel stuffs the takedown attempt from Aoki. Aoki gets slowly back to his feet.
Aoki tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Gabriel counters with a nice uppercut.

Aoki changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Gabriel looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
You can see the frustration on Gabriel's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Aoki trying to control the position but Gabriel is working away.
Aoki postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Gabriel regains half guard.

Aoki is looking for a kimura here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gabriel trying to hold on to Aoki's head to control him but Aoki postures up.
Gabriel is positioning himself well to prevent Aoki advancing to mount.
Aoki is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Aoki slips nicely into half guard.
Gabriel tries to get to full guard but Aoki has control of the leg.

Aoki is working for a submission of some sort.
Aoki trying to control from Gabriel's half guard. Gabriel has other ideas though and has regained full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aoki trying to control the position from guard on top but Gabriel is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gabriel wants to sweep but no luck.
Aoki looking to sit in guard and control but Gabriel gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Gabriel is pushing down on Aoki's leg trying to pass to half guard. Aoki is fighting to maintain full guard but Gabriel has managed to sneak the leg through.
Aoki trying to control from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Gabriel trying to control from half guard but Aoki is working away.
Aoki is looking to control Gabriel's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Aoki avoid being mounted?
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Gabriel is looking for a kimura but Aoki is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Gabriel to get the leverage.
Aoki is trying to maintain the position but Gabriel is very close to passing his half guard.
Aoki is staying active underneath Gabriel, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Aoki slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Aoki scores with a nice shot.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Gabriel thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Gabriel is breathing heavily.
Gabriel passes into half guard under a barage of strikes.
Aoki is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Eli Gabriel will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Aoki shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Aoki looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Gabriel is refusing to be controlled, as Aoki sits in half guard.
Gabriel slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Aoki trying to control but Gabriel is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aoki looking to sit in guard and control but Gabriel gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Gabriel looking to pass the guard.
Aoki doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Gabriel is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Gabriel trying to control the position from guard on top but Aoki is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gabriel takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Gabriel gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Aoki to score an easy takedown into full guard.

Aoki drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Gabriel manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Aoki has Gabriel in his guard.

Gabriel thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aoki looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

Aoki has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Gabriel is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Aoki.
Gabriel working away.
Aoki is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Gabriel is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

Gabriel is trying to get an arm triangle but Aoki is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Aoki sneaks back into half guard.
Aoki is looking to get back to full guard here but Gabriel has managed to pass to side control instead.
Gabriel landing strikes from the mount and Aoki is in trouble!
Gabriel can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Aoki is looking to escape.
Aoki is in all sorts of trouble here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Aoki tries to hold on but Gabriel postures up.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Masakazu Aoki.
I think Aoki has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 29:28
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 29:28

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