PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Gilbert Aoki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Evgeni Klebanov (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 Prodigy - Breathe. Klebanov has chosen Your Worst Nightmare as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Aoki
vs
Klebanov

188 cm
21
200 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

168 cm
26
166 lbs
14 - 4 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Good low kicks
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Gilbert Aoki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Evgeni Klebanov!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Sosuke Kotani and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Klebanov chopping away at his opponent's legs.

Klebanov fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Aoki, pushing him back against the ropes.
Klebanov lands a body punch.
Klebanov lands a hook that snaps the head of Aoki backwards.
Klebanov lands a nice shot to the body.
Aoki tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Aoki drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Klebanov is working Aoki over against the ropes.

Aoki successfully pulls guard.
Klebanov controls from within his opponent's guard.
Aoki trying to keep a closed guard but Klebanov is proving a slippery customer.
Klebanov slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Aoki looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Klebanov wants to control from the top but Aoki keeps moving.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Evgeni Klebanov.
Klebanov lands with a straight right. Aoki didn't see that one coming.
Klebanov tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Aoki has his takedown stuffed
and Klebanov counters with a lovely shot to the body.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gilbert Aoki. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Klebanov gets caught flat footed, as Aoki shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Aoki 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.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Klebanov has Aoki pulled in close to control his posture.
Klebanov controls Aoki momentarily but Aoki frees himself.
Aoki throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Aoki preventing the sweep.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Aoki trying to control the position from guard on top but Klebanov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Klebanov is trying to control the position but Aoki postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Evgeni Klebanov dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

A nice leg kick lands there from Klebanov.
Klebanov scoring well with a low kick there.
Aoki shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Klebanov makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Aoki misses with a takedown attempt
and Klebanov counters with a thumping low kick.
Aoki with a lazy takedown attempt
and Klebanov counters with a nice kick to the body.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gilbert Aoki. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Aoki closes the distance but Klebanov moves to the side
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Aoki gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Klebanov makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A chopping leg kick lands by Klebanov.
Klebanov tries to land a leg kick but Aoki saw it coming and moves away.
Klebanov looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Klebanov tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Aoki is able to avoid easily.
A chopping leg kick lands by Klebanov.
Klebanov thuds a left hand into Aoki's body.
Klebanov looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.

Klebanov drives through and clinches with Aoki against the ropes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Klebanov presses Aoki against the ropes and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Aoki has Klebanov pressed up against the ropes and is working for takedown. Klebanov manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Aoki tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Aoki has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Klebanov avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Klebanov has Aoki pressed up against the ropes. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Klebanov pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Aoki tumbling to the mat - Klebanov dives into Aoki's guard.
Klebanov is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Let's hope that Klebanov has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Klebanov wants to control from the top but Aoki keeps moving.
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.
Klebanov looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Evgeni Klebanov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Klebanov misses with a low kick.
Aoki swats away the attempt to clinch by Klebanov.
Aoki uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Klebanov.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Klebanov throws a low kick but Aoki avoids it.
Aoki shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Klebanov makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aoki shoots and misses
and Klebanov counters with a low kick, right behind Aoki 's knee.
Klebanov is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Aoki rather than just go for the knockout.
Klebanov is looking to slow Aoki down with leg kicks.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Klebanov.
Aoki misses with a takedown attempt
and Klebanov counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Gilbert Aoki has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gilbert Aoki. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Klebanov cracks a nice hook into Aoki's ribs.
Nice shot lands for Klebanov.
Aoki on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Klebanov. Klebanov obviously looking to wear him down.
Klebanov tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Aoki was well out of range. Poor timing from Klebanov.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aoki circles away from the clinch attempt.
Aoki blocks the body kick.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Aoki takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

Aoki closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Klebanov did well to prevent Aoki getting side control.
Aoki is stalling here. Klebanov is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Aoki seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Klebanov has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Aoki manages to work his way to half guard, despite Klebanov's best efforts.
Aoki is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

And that's the end of the fight!
Evgeni Klebanov comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Klebanov winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Shirou Masuda scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 27:30
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Evgeni Klebanov!