PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Aoki King (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Anakin Skywalker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). King kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genuis that is I'm on a boat. Aoki King could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Anakin Skywalker's chin.

King
vs
Skywalker

190 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

188 cm
19
185 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
KO power

Good takedowns
Basic striking
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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Aoki King!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Anakin Skywalker!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

King drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Skywalker looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
King scoring with punches to the head and body.
King seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
King trying to control the position from guard on top but Skywalker is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
King not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
King looking to pass the guard.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Skywalker working a defensive guard but King manages to pass into side control anyway.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Skywalker tries to buck King off but King is having none of it.
Skywalker can't do much from the bottom here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A lull in the action here.
King has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

King tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no King has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
King working the ground and pound from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Skywalker is trying to get back to half guard.
King wants to control but Skywalker is keeping him busy.
Skywalker is looking for a sweep.
King staying calm.
King wants to control but Skywalker is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Aoki King just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Horrible takedown by King or perhaps it was just good defense by Skywalker which made him look bad.

Skywalker decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Skywalker is just content to waste time from the top position. King takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
King is trying to keep Skywalker in close.
Skywalker is fighting to break King's control of his arms but King is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
King is trying to control the position but Skywalker postures up.
King looking for a sweep. Not yet King, not yet.
King being controlled here, momentarily.
King looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Skywalker stands and throws King's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Skywalker trying to control the action but King is working from the bottom.

Skywalker tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Skywalker has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Skywalker tries for a kimura but King is defending well.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
You can see the frustration on King's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aoki King dominated that 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.

Skywalker tries for a takedown but King circles away easily

and King counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
King takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Skywalker has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. King is working away from the top position though.
Skywalker is staying active underneath King, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
King content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
King is pressing down on Skywalker's thigh, looking to free his foot. Skywalker is holding on for now.
Skywalker is trying to control but can't.
King is tying to control. Skywalker wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Skywalker trying to control but King postures up.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
King tries for a takedown but Skywalker circles away easily
and Skywalker counters with an inside leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Skywalker decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
King is staying active underneath Skywalker, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
King trying to control here.
King gets back to full guard.
Skywalker won't allow King to sweep him here.
King can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Skywalker controls the pace.
King tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Skywalker wants to control from the top but King keeps moving.
King is controlling Skywalker's posture.
Skywalker looking to sit in guard and control but King gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
King wants to control from the top but Skywalker keeps moving.
King has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

King drops back looking for a leg! Skywalker is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Skywalker manages to kick King off! King jumps back into Skywalker's guard.
King passes into half guard.
King seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
King works his way into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
King just content to control the position.
Skywalker wants to control but King postures up.
Skywalker trying to control but King flips him over like a cheap hooker and has his back!
King is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.

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.
King lands a couple of good shots to his opponent's body and a final shot to the head. Good little attack there by King.
Good control from King.
Skywalker rolls, trying to escape but King keeps control of the position.
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Aoki King just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.

King bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Skywalker tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Skywalker struggling a bit here.
Skywalker is trying to get back to half guard.
King tries to advance to mount but Skywalker denies him.
Skywalker struggling a bit here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aoki King dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

King decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
King moves nicely into side control.

King is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Skywalker is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Skywalker is looking for a sweep.
King working the head with strikes.
Skywalker takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
King is putting a hurting on Skywalker here, landing some big shots from side control.
King lands some shots froms side control.
Skywalker prevents King from improving position.
You can see the frustration on Skywalker's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
King controls the position.
Skywalker takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

King thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
King controlling the position.
Skywalker is trying to get back to half guard.
Skywalker is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.

King shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Skywalker's guard.
King preventing the sweep.
King is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Skywalker is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Skywalker controls King momentarily but King frees himself.
King sitting in guard here, content to control.
King stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Skywalker swivels though and keeps the full guard.
King showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
King slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Skywalker regains half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
King seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Skywalker does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with King in particular looking to stall.
King is nestled in close to Skywalker, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
King is nestled in close to Skywalker, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
King wants to pass to mount but Skywalker is defending the position.
King keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Skywalker is refusing to be controlled, as King sits in half guard.
Skywalker wants to control the action here but instead King manages to pass to full mount!
King looking to control and managing it successfully.
Skywalker tries to hold on but King pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
King controlling from the full mount.
Skywalker wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
King tries to keep control of the position but Skywalker is staying busy.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Aoki King just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.

King closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Skywalker is not content to let King control the position.
Skywalker manages to get back to half guard.
Skywalker is staying active underneath King, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Skywalker is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Anakin Skywalker has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
King lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

And that's the end of the fight!
Aoki King showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for King, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Shigeki Sano scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 30:27
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 30:27

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