PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Masakazu Aoki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Toshihiro Kai (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Aoki's entrance music is Sandstorm by Darude. A fine choice. The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Aoki
vs
Kai

155 cm
30
147 lbs
17 - 5 - 0

215 cm
24
157 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very strong

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

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 17 - 5 - 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 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Toshihiro Kai!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Alan Glass and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kai just misses with a punch to the body.
Aoki with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Kai to score with a decent uppercut.
Aoki keeps the fight on the outside.
Kai throws a good cross that connects.
Kai fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Aoki manages to avoid it.
Aoki moves out of range of the strikes.
Kai lands a jab to the nose.
Kai throws a right and a left that both miss.
Kai jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Kai looks to land a right hand but Aoki moved out of range.
Kai throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kai tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Aoki was well out of range. Poor timing from Kai.
Kai smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Toshihiro Kai seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Aoki shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Kai sprawls well. Kai wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Aoki gets slowly back to his feet.
Kai is looking to clinch but Aoki is avoiding it.
Kai swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Kai lands with a shot to the body.
Kai looks to throw the jab but Aoki is out of range.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aoki tries to pass to full mount but Kai defends it.
Aoki looks to land a strike but Kai avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Aoki with a flurry of punches that miss.
Aoki prevents Kai from getting back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Aoki accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Kai is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

Aoki ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Aoki no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Kai has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Aoki is proving hard to escape from.
Kai wants to stand and escape but instead Aoki has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aoki trying to control but Kai is working from the bottom.
Aoki looking to sit in guard and control but Kai gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Kai stopping the sweep attempt from Aoki.
Aoki has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Aoki working a defensive guard here.
Aoki pulls Kai in close to prevent any damage.
Kai wants to stand but Aoki has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Kai won't allow Aoki to sweep him here.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Aoki shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Kai as he avoids it easily.
Aoki closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Kai has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Aoki drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Toshihiro Kai is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Kai throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Toshihiro Kai dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Aoki changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Kai tries to avoid it but Aoki manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Kai to the ground. Kai escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Kai throws a looping overhand right but Aoki ducks down to avoid it.
The crowd cheers as Kai lands an impressive looking overhand right. Aoki doesn't seem phased though.
A looping hook to the body misses from Kai. Aoki does a little dance to reset his feet.
Kai throws a shot to the body.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Aoki.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kai fails with an attempt to clinch.
Kai listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kai's jab looks to have found its range, popping Aoki under the eye.
Kai scores with a nice strike.
Aoki fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Masakazu Aoki. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Aoki doesn't succeed with the takedown
enabling Kai to counter with a crisp jab.
Aoki avoids a punch combination nicely.

Aoki feints and as Kai raises his hands in defense, Aoki changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Kai is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aoki postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Kai wants to stand but Aoki is controlling the position.

Kai kicks Aoki off and gets to his feet.
Aoki throws a predictable looking body shot
and Kai counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Aoki walks into a stiff left hand from Kai.
Kai scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Kai throws a body punch but Aoki moves out of range.
Aoki doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kai misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Aoki closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Aoki lands in his opponent's guard.
Kai is breathing heavily.
Aoki with a flurry of punches that miss.
Kai avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Aoki prevents Kai from getting back to his feet.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Aoki accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Aoki works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Kai looks like he's trying to stand up.
Aoki looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kai is refusing to be controlled, as Aoki sits in half guard.
Kai wants to get back to his feet.
Aoki landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Aoki looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Aoki not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Aoki throws a strike but Kai avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Aoki works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Aoki is looking to take a break and control but Kai is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Aoki is looking for a kimura but Kai is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Aoki to get the leverage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Masakazu Aoki will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Aoki shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Kai as he jumps to the side.
Kai connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Aoki momentarily.
Kai is looking to clinch but Aoki is avoiding it.
Nice body punch from Kai.
Kai connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kai punishes Aoki's body with a nice straight punch.
Aoki blocks a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kai connects with a body shot.
Kai lands with a nice body kick.
Kai misses with a body shot.
Kai connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Kai scores with a kick to the body.
Kai lands a nice shot to the body.
Kai lands with a hook. Aoki tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Kai misses with a body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A big left from Kai misses.
Kai tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Aoki paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Kai lands a nice shot to the body.
Kai displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Aoki.
Kai uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Aoki.
Aoki misses with a double jab
and Kai counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Kai is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kai's corner calls for a 1-2. Kai obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Aoki gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Kai.
Kai cracks a nice hook into Aoki's ribs.
Aoki looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Kai is fending him off so far but Aoki persists. Nope, Kai circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Masakazu Aoki. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kai fails with an attempt to clinch.
Masakazu Aoki is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kai lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Aoki ducks right into an uppercut from Kai.
Kai takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A cross from Kai lands.
Aoki keeps the fight on the outside.
Kai looks for the body kick but Aoki saw that one coming.
Aoki takes one on the chin but seems OK.

Aoki drives through with a takedown into guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Aoki stands and throws Kai's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Aoki trying to control the position but Kai is working away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Aoki working the body and head with strikes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Toshihiro Kai comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Kai has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Tiny Johnson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Toshihiro Kai!