PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Diago Sanchez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shina Aoyki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Diago Sanchez has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Sanchez
vs
Aoyki

180 cm
22
165 lbs
8 - 1 - 1

180 cm
25
164 lbs
7 - 3 - 1

Powerful takedowns
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Powerful takedowns
Counter striker
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Diago Sanchez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Shina Aoyki!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Sosuke Kotani and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Aoyki throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Aoyki throws a lazy right hand but Sanchez sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Aoyki throws a head kick but Sanchez moves out of range.
Aoyki displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Sanchez.

Sanchez scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Sanchez stands up and beckons Aoyki to his feet.

Sanchez closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Aoyki did well to prevent Sanchez getting side control.
Sanchez slips a nice elbow through Aoyki's hands, connecting with Aoyki's forehead.
Aoyki is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Sanchez thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Aoyki's head.
Aoyki avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Sanchez.
Sanchez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Aoyki keeps working.
Sanchez throwing shots but Aoyki is blocking nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aoyki tries to get to full guard but Sanchez has control of the leg.
Sanchez wants to control but Aoyki is keeping him busy.
Aoyki makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Aoyki.
Aoyki keeping full guard, as Sanchez tries to pass.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Sanchez checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Aoyki is trying hard to land a takedown here. Sanchez sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Aoyki has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Sanchez dives in and grabs Aoyki's left leg, looking for a takedown. Aoyki pushes down on Sanchez's head and hops out.
Sanchez catches Aoyki with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aoyki tries a head kick but it misses.
Aoyki shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Sanchez sprawls well. Sanchez wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Aoyki gets slowly back to his feet.
Aoyki throws a body kick that misses.
Aoyki ducks under a wild hook from Sanchez.
Sanchez throws a shot from downtown. Aoyki moves away and avoids it.
Sanchez thows a body shot but no joy.
Sanchez misses with a series of wild punches.
Sanchez works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Sanchez throws a right hand that Aoyki ducks under and follows up with a left that Aoyki also avoids with ease.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez scores with a hook to the body. Aoyki takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Sanchez throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Sanchez tries to score a power double leg takedown but Aoyki sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Sanchez somewhat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Diago Sanchez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Aoyki tries for a takedown but Sanchez circles away easily
and Sanchez counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Sanchez keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Aoyki fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Aoyki bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Aoyki throws a head kick that misses

and Sanchez decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Aoyki's guard.
Sanchez trying to control the position from guard on top but Aoyki is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Aoyki escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Sanchez gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Sanchez trying to control but Aoyki is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sanchez postures up.

Aoyki is looking for a triangle but Sanchez pushes his legs off easily.
Sanchez postures up and lands a big shot to Aoyki's brow.

Aoyki working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Sanchez doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Sanchez manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Aoyki looks gassed!
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Aoyki not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Diago Sanchez dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Aoyki throws out a leg kick but Sanchez moves out of range and Aoyki only half commits.
Sanchez fails to land with a series of punches.

Sanchez scores with a takedown into Aoyki's guard.
Sanchez passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Sanchez scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Aoyki to see if he's OK.
Aoyki tries to buck Sanchez off but Sanchez is having none of it.
Sanchez lands a decent elbow from side control.
Aoyki is working to avoid the ground and pound but Sanchez connects with a decent elbow.
Aoyki is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Sanchez tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sanchez stands up and beckons Aoyki to his feet.
Sanchez avoids the body shot from Aoyki.
A shot to the body from Aoyki misses
enabling Sanchez to counter with a crisp jab.
Aoyki throws a head kick that misses

and Sanchez counters with a shoot takedown. Aoyki fights it but they end up in guard.
Sanchez would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Aoyki is looking for a triangle but Sanchez pushes his legs off easily.
Sanchez throwing strikes but missing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aoyki 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.
Sanchez wants to control from the top but Aoyki keeps moving.
Sanchez pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Aoyki is keeping the position for now.

Aoyki looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Sanchez passes into half guard.
Sanchez throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Aoyki is looking to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Aoyki keeps working.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Aoyki throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Sanchez sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Sanchez lands with a nice body punch.

Sanchez fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Aoyki sprawls well initially but Sanchez persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Aoyki looking for submissions off his back.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Aoyki is breathing heavily.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Sanchez lands a nice short elbow.
Sanchez moves into full mount! Aoyki won't be happy about that!

Sanchez is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Aoyki to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Aoyki shrugs it off.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez raining down shots from the mount!
Sanchez putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Aoyki is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Sanchez with shots to the head and body - Aoyki looks very uncomfortable down there.
Sanchez takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Sanchez can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Aoyki is looking to escape.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Aoyki wants to hold on but Sanchez pushes him away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Diago Sanchez dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. And we move into the final round!

A big right from Aoyki misses.
Sanchez misses with a hook. Aoyki ducked under it nicely.
Sanchez avoids the body shot from Aoyki.
A solid body kick from Aoyki.
An inside leg kick lands from Aoyki.
Aoyki with a lazy takedown attempt
and Sanchez counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Aoyki pivots, looking for a leg kick but Sanchez is out of range and Aoyki settles back down.
Aoyki throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Sanchez, as that shot connected.
Sanchez checks a leg kick.
Aoyki misses the body punch
and Aoyki takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Aoyki thows a body shot but no joy.
Diago Sanchez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A lazy left from Sanchez finds it's target.
Aoyki misses with a two punch combination.
Sanchez lands a head shot.
Sanchez scores with a crisp jab that stopped Aoyki in his tracks.
Aoyki clobbers Sanchez with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Aoyki wants to slow Sanchez down by chopping away at his legs.
Sanchez throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Sanchez uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Aoyki throws a leg kick but Sanchez sees it coming and moves out of range.
Sanchez tries for a takedown but Aoyki circles away easily

and Aoyki counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez looking to control.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Aoyki accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Aoyki throws and elbow that misses. Sanchez uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Aoyki's guard. Nice move by Sanchez!

Sanchez drops back, looking for a kneebar! Aoyki looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Aoyki looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Aoyki!
Aoyki 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.
You can see the frustration on Sanchez's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Aoyki wants to control but Sanchez is keeping him busy.
Sanchez is trying to control Aoyki's posture but Aoyki avoids it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Sanchez sneaks back into half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sanchez has hold of Aoyki's hands but Aoyki slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

Aoyki is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Sanchez defends it well.
Sanchez desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Shina Aoyki has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

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.
Aoyki winds up and cracks Sanchez with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Aoyki not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Sanchez keeping hold of Aoyki's head, controlling as best he can.
Sanchez has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Aoyki is working away from the top position though.
Aoyki works his way into side control.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Shina Aoyki.
Well Sanchez 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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 29:27
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 29:27
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 29:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Diago Sanchez!