PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Taiki Aoki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pedro Lopez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Aoki
vs
Lopez

170 cm
30
155 lbs
21 - 11 - 0

165 cm
25
155 lbs
14 - 8 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Sun-Tzu
KAISER Nutrition - Q160/$250

FinnFighter Nutrition (Five 160Q supps!)

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 21 - 11 - 0, fighting out of New York, Taiki Aoki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Pedro Lopez!
The judges for this bout are Jeff Smith, Roger Salmon and Micheangelo Fripello.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

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

Aoki looking for a guillotine here but Lopez defends easily.

Aoki is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Aoki keeping moving, preventing Lopez from controlling successfully.
Lopez looking to pass the guard.
Lopez preventing the sweep.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Aoki being controlled here, momentarily.
Aoki trying to keep a closed guard but Lopez is proving a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lopez looking to pass the guard.
Aoki being controlled here, momentarily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Aoki is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Lopez is trying to get back to full guard.

Aoki is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Aoki trying to control from half guard but Lopez is working away.
Lopez wants to control but Aoki is keeping busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lopez is looking to improve his position.
Lopez controlling the position well.
Lopez slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Aoki is in close to Lopez's body, working some short punches and elbows.

Lopez escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Aoki gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Aoki trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Aoki stands and throws Lopez's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Lopez is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aoki missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Lopez on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Aoki working the head and body with strikes.
Aoki trying to control from half guard but Lopez is working away.

Lopez looking for submissions off his back.
Lopez is doing well to control the position and prevent Aoki from advancing to side control.
Lopez is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Aoki tries to pass to full mount but Lopez defends it.
Aoki lands with a punch from half guard.
Lopez tries to get to full guard but Aoki has control of the leg.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Lopez actively working from the bottom here.
Aoki wants to pass to mount but Lopez is defending the position.

Lopez actively working from the bottom here.

Lopez looking for a kimura from the bottom but Aoki passes into side control!
Lopez takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Aoki grinds an elbow into Lopez's temple.
Aoki misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Aoki working the body and head with strikes.
Lopez takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sloppy strikes there by Aoki.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Aoki working the ground and pound.
Lopez can't do much from the bottom here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Taiki Aoki dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Aoki tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Lopez was well out of range. Poor timing from Aoki.
Lopez throws an ugly left hook that misses

so Aoki counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Lopez has his foot on Aoki's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Aoki works his way back into a safe position though.
Lopez looking to hit a scissor sweep but Aoki is one step ahead there.
Lopez avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Aoki is posturing up here but Lopez has hold of an arm and he's gone for an armbar! Aoki tries to roll out but it's too tight and Aoki has to tap! Slick submission there by Lopez!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:46 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Pedro Lopez!
Our winner, Pedro Lopez, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.