PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Aoki Aoki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rufus Speed (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Aoki's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Calm Like A Bomb by Rage Against The Machine!. Speed has chosen SHM / Greyhound as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Aoki
vs
Speed

180 cm
21
170 lbs
11 - 0 - 1

177 cm
21
159 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Good knees
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Good low kicks
Good gas tank

160!
[CBK] LEGAL HIGHS « Fatality MMA ↑ 5x160Q

Perkele!

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 0 - 1, fighting out of London, Aoki Aoki!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rufus Speed!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Daniel Bishop and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Speed lands a leg kick that knocks Aoki off balance momentarily.
Speed misses with a looping left.
Aoki misses with a leg kick.
A jab lands there for Speed.
Aoki takes a swing at Speed's ribcage but misses.
Speed tries a head kick but it misses.
Aoki on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Speed throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Speed misses with a double jab.
Speed connects with the punch.
Speed has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Aoki.
Speed swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

Aoki closes the distance and pushes Speed back into the cage.
Speed lands a left hand that snaps the head of Aoki backwards.
Aoki is working for takedown but Speed is calmly controlling the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aoki putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Speed in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Speed throws a punch but it's blocked by Aoki.
Aoki can't get the takedown.
Aoki blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Speed misses with a shot to the kidneys.
A short right from Speed on the inside.
Aoki blocks an uppercut.
Speed misses with a hook from the clinch.
Aoki wants a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aoki Aoki. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Speed misses with a hook from the clinch.
Aoki looking for a takedown.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Speed creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Speed lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Speed is trying to maintain a safe position but Aoki gets an underhook and turns Speed into the cage.
Aoki wants a takedown but no success here.
Aoki goes for a takedown in the clinch but Speed prevents it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Aoki.
Aoki trying to land knees to the body.
Speed lands a hook to the side of the head.
Speed working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Aoki fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Aoki has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Speed is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A head punch on the inside from Speed fails to land.
Aoki tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Speed prevents a takedown attempt there.
Speed tries to work over Aoki's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Speed is trying to break free.
Aoki tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Speed smiles and moves away.
Speed fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Aoki.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aoki throws a leg kick
and Speed counters with a nice uppercut.

Speed closes the distance and clinches.
Aoki is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Speed pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Aoki trying to land knees to the body.
Aoki has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Speed avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Speed prevents a takedown attempt there.
Aoki is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Speed is defending well for now.

Speed escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Speed connects with a solid leg kick.
Aoki throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Aoki has Speed up against the cage in a clinch.

Speed's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aoki slips under a jab from Speed.
Speed changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Speed fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Speed dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
A head kick from Aoki lands but Speed takes it in his stride.
Speed throws a leg kick which misses Aoki's front leg but catches the back leg as Aoki tries to avoid it.
Aoki scores with a kick to the body.
Speed connects with a leg kick. Aoki looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
A swing and a miss from Speed.
Aoki's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Speed connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Aoki scrambles back to his feet.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Speed throws a quick inside leg kick.
Speed throws a hook to the side of Aoki's head but Aoki sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Speed connects with a good right hand that stumbles Aoki. Aoki circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rufus Speed dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Speed throws a right hand that Aoki ducks under and follows up with a left that Aoki also avoids with ease.
Speed cracks the inside of Aoki's front leg.
Speed moves in looking to clinch but Aoki pushes him off.

Speed manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Aoki on his heels. He'll look to pass Aoki's guard now, I'm sure.
Aoki looking to hit a scissor sweep but Speed is one step ahead there.

Aoki looking for subs off his back but Speed has passed one foot through into half guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Aoki tries to get to full guard but Speed has control of the leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Speed trying to pass the guard but Aoki defending well.
Speed wants to lay and pray for a moment but Aoki keeps working.

Aoki looking for submissions off his back.
Aoki avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Speed.

Aoki is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Speed pulls his head out easily.
Speed drops an elbow to the side of Aoki's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aoki avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Speed.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Speed throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Speed is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Aoki won't allow Speed to pass to mount.
Speed looks to land a strike but Aoki avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Speed working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Aoki looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Speed wants to stand up, so he's looking to wriggle free of Aoki's closed guard. He's half up but Aoki has locked on to an arm! Uh oh! Aoki pivots and extends the arm, Speed falls face first to the mat and taps??... does he?? YES! He's tapping! Excellent counter grappling there by Aoki! Well done that man!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:18 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Aoki Aoki!
Aoki Aoki retains his lightweight title!
A victorious Aoki Aoki thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.