PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Coalman Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hiro Aoki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Gracie
vs
Aoki

219 cm
23
269 lbs
8 - 8 - 0

180 cm
24
227 lbs
12 - 13 - 0

Great wrestler
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Coalman Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Hiro Aoki!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Frank Dennis and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Aoki throws a hook to the side of Gracie's head but Gracie sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Aoki looks to throw the jab but Gracie is out of range.
Aoki waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Gracie.
Gracie is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Aoki.
Aoki tries a head kick but it misses.
Gracie takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.

It looks like Coalman Gracie has been cut.
Gracie looks to land a right hand but Aoki moved out of range.
Aoki keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Aoki jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Aoki tries a low kick but Gracie avoids it.
Aoki throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Gracie sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Aoki throws a lazy right hand but Gracie sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie moves out of range of the strikes.
A solid leg kick lands there for Aoki.
Aoki misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Aoki misses with a few strikes there.
Aoki misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Gracie.
Some bone on bone action there as Gracie checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Aoki catches Gracie with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Aoki misses with a hook
and Gracie makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Gracie on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Aoki. Aoki obviously looking to wear him down.
Good leg kick by Aoki there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The fighters circling - Aoki throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Aoki tries to bum rush Gracie with a series of wild strikes but Gracie uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Aoki feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Gracies jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Gracie ducks right into an uppercut from Aoki.
Aoki fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

A jab-cross combination lands for Aoki and sends Gracie crashing to the mat! Aoki follows him down to the mat - Gracie regains half guard but he's not out of trouble yet!

Gracie is rocked!

Coalman Gracie's cut is getting worse.

Aoki escapes and gets back to his feet.
Aoki misses the jab.
Aoki throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Gracie checks a leg kick.
Gracie throws a lazy uppercut
and Aoki counters with a series of strikes that practically lifts Gracie off his feet! He tumbles backwards, his head bouncing off the mat - Aoki follows up with more strikes before the ref can step in but Gracie was out before he hit the floor.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:12 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Hiro Aoki!
An out of breath Hiro Aoki thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.