PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Aoki Aoki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joe Gallo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Aoki's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Baka Survivor . Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Aoki
vs
Gallo

180 cm
29
165 lbs
20 - 3 - 1

190 cm
26
160 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 20 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Aoki Aoki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Joe Gallo!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Marco Blurström and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Aoki takes one to the chin there.
Gallo tests Aoki's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Gallo tries to bum rush Aoki with a series of wild strikes but Aoki uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Aoki misses with a straight left.
Nice body kick from Aoki.
Gallo dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Gallo throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Aoki lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
A head kick misses from Aoki.
Gallo ducks under a wild hook from Aoki.
Gallo shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Aoki eats them both and turns towards Gallo to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Gallo tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Aoki was well out of range. Poor timing from Gallo.
Gallo's corner calls for a 1-2. Gallo obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Aoki feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Gallo's calf.
We've been hearing reports that Aoki has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Gallo clobbers Aoki with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Gallo looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gallo moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Gallo lands with a shot to the body.
Gallo just misses with a punch to the body.
Joe Gallo is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Aoki throws a wild body kick that Gallo sees coming a mile off.
Gallo lands a jab to the head.
Aoki takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Gallo swings away with a body shot that misses
and Aoki counters with a big head kick but Gallo shrugs it off.
Aoki shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Gallo pinned against the cage. Gallo gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Aoki keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Gallo stalks Aoki and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Aoki's face. Aoki staggers backwards, shaken.
Aoki uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Gallo.
A lazy left from Gallo finds it's target.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gallo throws a body punch but Aoki moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Gallo looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Gallo blocks the body kick.
Gallo bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Aoki's head backwards.
Gallo scores with a hook.
Gallo throws a body shot but no joy.
Gallo doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Gallo has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Gallo misses the shot to the body.
Gallo lands a jab to Aoki's midsection.
Aoki pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Gallo throws a body punch but Aoki moves out of range.
Gallo is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Aoki rather than just go for the knockout.
Gallo's jab looks to have found its range, popping Aoki under the eye.

Aoki bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Gallo dodges the ground and pound from Aoki.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Aoki swings around for an armbar but Gallo sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Aoki's guard.
Gallo must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Aoki looking for subs off his back but Gallo has passed one foot through into half guard.
Gallo content to control rather than advance.
Aoki wants to control but Gallo passes into side.
Aoki is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aoki is working hard here to advance position.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Aoki sneaks back into half guard.
Gallo is trying to control the action in half guard but Aoki is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Nice straight punches there by Gallo. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Gallo.
Gallo will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Gallo!
Gallo is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Aoki throws a nice outside leg kick.
Aoki looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
A shot to the body from Gallo misses
and Aoki counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Gallo just misses with a punch to the body.
Joe Gallo seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Gallo misses with a body shot.
Gallo misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Aoki.
Aoki scores with a jab to the body.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Aoki.
Aoki swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Gallo lands a nice shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aoki keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Gallo throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Gallo steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Aoki.
Gallo keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Aoki misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Some bone on bone action there as Gallo checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Gallo misses with a jab, cross combination.
Gallo connects with a crisp jab.
Gallo scores with a hook.
Aoki tries to clinch there but Gallo circles away.
Aoki avoids the body shot from Gallo.
Nice body punch from Aoki.
Aoki misses with a takedown attempt
and Gallo counters with a nice uppercut.
Gallo rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Aoki moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Aoki throws a solid leg kick but Gallo takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Aoki.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gallo fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Aoki manages to avoid it.
Aoki misses with an attempted mid kick.
Gallo swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A jab from Gallo misses.
Gallo moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Aoki avoids the body shot from Gallo.
Gallo works Aoki's body with a nice hook.
Gallo scores with a jab to the jaw.
Gallo with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Gallo has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
Gallo throws a body punch but Aoki moves out of range.
Aoki throws a body kick that misses.
Aoki shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Aoki closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Aoki keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Gallo.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Gallo.
Gallo takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Aoki slips a jab and a cross from Gallo.
Gallo scores with a shot to the body.
Aoki throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Aoki has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Gallo finds it's way round the side to connect with Aoki's head.
Gallo fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Aoki manages to avoid it.
Gallo fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Aoki lands a nice looking kick to the body. Gallo takes a step back to recover.
Aoki takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Aoki keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Aoki uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Gallo.
Gallo is looking to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aoki throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Aoki avoids the body shot from Gallo.
Gallo fails with an attempt to clinch.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Gallo swings for the body but Aoki moves out of range.
Gallo misses the shot to the body.
Gallo fails to land with a series of punches.
Aoki avoids a punch combination nicely.
Aoki lands with a kick to the temple. Gallo shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Aoki throws a sloppy head kick and Gallo moves out of range easily.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gallo scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
A cross from Gallo lands.
Gallo uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Gallo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Gallo lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Gallo lands a nice shot to the body.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Gallo crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Aoki - the referee stops the clock and Gallo gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Aoki. Gallo manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Aoki lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Gallo scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Aoki getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Aoki looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Gallo takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.

Gallo gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A head punch blocked on the inside by Aoki.
A nice right hand lands inside from Gallo.
Aoki misses with a punch on the inside.
Aoki blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Gallo effectively controlling the action here.
Aoki misses with a punch to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aoki swings wildly with an uppercut but Gallo uses good head movement to avoid it.
Gallo lands a right hand that snaps the head of Aoki backwards.
Aoki lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Gallo tries to throw a body punch but Aoki avoids it by throwing Gallo back against the cage.
Gallo lands a body shot.
Gallo is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Gallo tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Aoki's elbow.
Gallo swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Gallo lands a body punch.
Gallo swings wildly with an uppercut but Aoki uses good head movement to avoid it.
Gallo stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Aoki tries a body shot but Gallo blocks it.
Gallo is looking to control Aoki's arms but Aoki gets an underhook and turns him. Now Gallo has his back to the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gallo works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Gallo has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Aoki.
Gallo lands a shoulder strike.
A short body shot lands from Gallo as the two fighters clinch.
Aoki working hard to break the clinch.
Gallo throws a head punch that misses.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Aoki prevents a body shot from Gallo.
Aoki blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Aoki misses with a hook from the clinch.
Gallo has a couple of punches blocked by Aoki.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Aoki tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Gallo goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Aoki working hard to break the clinch.
Aoki swings wildly with an uppercut but Gallo uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aoki prevents a body shot from Gallo.
Gallo can't find room to land a body shot as Aoki controls the action.
Gallo stalling in the clinch.
A short right from Aoki.
Gallo lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Aoki is trying to break the clinch but Gallo is controlling him.
Aoki misses with some punches.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Aoki.
Gallo stalling in the clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Aoki.
Gallo is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Gallo swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Still in the clinch, Gallo scores with a nice short uppercut.
Gallo looking to stall.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gallo misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Aoki is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Gallo pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Gallo tries a body shot but Aoki blocks it.
A short body shot lands from Gallo as the two fighters clinch.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Gallo tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Gallo is trying to stall.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A quick uppercut on the inside from Aoki.
Aoki misses with a body punch.
Gallo struggles to land a body shot inside as Aoki controls his hands.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Gallo stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Gallo is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Aoki Aoki has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Joe Gallo is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Gallo digs a right hand underneath Aoki's ribcage. Aoki let out a lung full of air as it connected.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joe Gallo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Gallo 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 27:30
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joe Gallo!
After the fight, Joe Gallo was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.