PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Emong Salvacion (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shinya Aoki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Salvacion kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Till I Collapse. 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.

Salvacion
vs
Aoki

178 cm
30
166 lbs
13 - 11 - 1

176 cm
30
158 lbs
7 - 11 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

GREEN!160

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 13 - 11 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Emong Salvacion!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Shinya Aoki !
The judges for this bout are Ron Honeybunn, Steve Erwin and Winston Howard.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No luck for Salvacion with that takedown attempt.
Salvacion fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
A combination from Salvacion does no damage.

Aoki throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Salvacion tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Aoki is in Salvacion's guard.
Salvacion trying to control the position.
Salvacion seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Aoki missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Aoki is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Aoki throws a big elbow that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salvacion avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Salvacion is pulling down on Aoki 's head to control his posture.
Salvacion wants to sweep here but Aoki controlling him for the moment.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
A decent looking cross lands there for Aoki .
Aoki shoots for a takedown but Salvacion saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
A counter left hand to the body from Salvacion misses its target.
Aoki shoots in for a takedown but Salvacion shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Salvacion clinches with his opponent.
Salvacion changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Aoki fights it off and pushes away nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Emong Salvacion. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Aoki closes the distance and clinches up with Salvacion, looking for a takedown. Aoki pushes Salvacion against the cage but Salvacion circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aoki shoots in but no luck this time.
Salvacion went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Aoki fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Aoki gets a double leg takedown into Salvacion's guard.
Aoki wants to control from the top but Salvacion keeps moving.
Salvacion is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Salvacion can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Aoki controls the pace.
Salvacion working a defensive guard here.

Aoki drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Salvacion dives on top into guard.

The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aoki keeping full guard, as Salvacion tries to pass.
Salvacion is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Aoki preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Salvacion trying to control but Aoki is working from the bottom.
Salvacion throwing strikes but missing.
Salvacion tries to free his leg and advance position but Aoki is retaining full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Salvacion scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Salvacion looking to sit in guard and control but Aoki gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Aoki trying to control but Salvacion is working from the bottom.
Aoki looking to pass the guard.
Salvacion lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Aoki tries to land a sweep but no joy.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Salvacion trying to control but Aoki is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Shinya Aoki will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Aoki throws a series of punches but Salvacion moves out of range.

Aoki feints and as Salvacion raises his hands in defense, Aoki changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Aoki keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Salvacion's head.
Salvacion lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Salvacion trying to control the position from guard on top but Aoki is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Salvacion postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Salvacion sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Aoki trying to strike off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salvacion with a nice head shot there.
Aoki working a defensive guard here.
Aoki tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Salvacion throwing strikes but missing.
Shinya Aoki has got the better of the ground game so far.
Salvacion stops Aoki from standing up.
Aoki keeping moving, preventing Salvacion from controlling successfully.
Aoki controls Salvacion momentarily but Salvacion frees himself.
Salvacion with a flurry of punches that miss.
Salvacion's corner is telling him to maintain position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Salvacion looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Aoki .
Salvacion is looking for a counter combo.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Salvacion throws a right hand that Aoki ducks under and follows up with a left that Aoki also avoids with ease.
Salvacion closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Salvacion looks for a takedown but Aoki sprawls well.
Salvacion takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Aoki misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Salvacion drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Salvacion is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Aoki will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aoki stops Salvacion from passing to mount.
Aoki on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Aoki gets back to half guard.
Aoki is trying to maintain the position but Salvacion is very close to passing his half guard.
Salvacion is trying to control. Aoki wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Salvacion controlling the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Aoki tries to roll over but Salvacion keeps him under control.
Aoki is trying to maintain the position but Salvacion is very close to passing his half guard.
Salvacion thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Aoki 's head.
Aoki is trying to stand back up but Salvacion is controlling him
Aoki taking some punishment here, with Salvacion in his half guard.
Salvacion controlling the action here.
Salvacion not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Salvacion perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Salvacion lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Emong Salvacion dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Salvacion clinches with his opponent.
Salvacion tries to score a body lock takedown but Aoki shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Salvacion wants a takedown.

Aoki manages to break the clinch.

Aoki drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Aoki tries to score with some ground and pound. Salvacion controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Salvacion manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Aoki is trying to control the action in half guard but Salvacion is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Salvacion is looking to improve his position.
Aoki is looking to advance position but Salvacion won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salvacion wants to improve his position but Aoki is controlling well.
Salvacion is working hard here to advance position.
Salvacion keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Salvacion wants to get back to full guard.
Aoki is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Salvacion makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Salvacion.
Aoki trying to control but Salvacion is working from the bottom.
Salvacion is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Salvacion has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Salvacion tries for a takedown but Aoki sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Emong Salvacion. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Aoki shoots in for a takedown but Salvacion shows good takedown defense.
Salvacion shoots in for a takedown but Aoki shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Aoki unleashes a big counter combination but Salvacion bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Aoki shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Salvacion defends it nicely.
Salvacion feinted with a counter takedown.

Aoki shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Salvacion's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aoki tries to free his leg and advance position but Salvacion is retaining full guard.
Aoki loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Salvacion looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Salvacion keeping moving, preventing Aoki from controlling successfully.
Aoki is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Salvacion is looking to sweep but instead, Aoki has passed into half guard.
Salvacion is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Aoki throwing shots but Salvacion is blocking nicely.
Salvacion is refusing to be controlled, as Aoki sits in half guard.
Salvacion keeping hold of Aoki 's head, controlling as best he can.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

Salvacion looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Aoki lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Shinya Aoki comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Aoki 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 Ron Honeybunn scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Shinya Aoki !
Shinya Aoki made sure to mention his sponsor, GREEN!160 in his post fight interview.
In defeat, Emong Salvacion stepped up to the mic, saying 'He's the better man today... I will be back.'.