PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Filippo Di Vaio (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shinya Aoki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Filippo Di Vaio had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 156.2lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Di Vaio
vs
Aoki

176 cm
38
171 lbs
23 - 15 - 1

176 cm
33
158 lbs
12 - 15 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Excellent 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 23 - 15 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Filippo Di Vaio!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Shinya Aoki !
The judges for this bout are Donatello Bradman, Hugh Johnson and Chris Dean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Di Vaio moves in looking to clinch but Aoki pushes him off.
Aoki tries to counter by closing the distance.
Di Vaio throws a head kick but Aoki moves out of range.
Aoki tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Nice takedown defense from Aoki . No joy for Di Vaio on that attempt.
Di Vaio tries for a takedown but Aoki sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Aoki appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.

Aoki changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Di Vaio looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Aoki is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Di Vaio tries to bench press Aoki off him but Aoki keeps the position.
Aoki lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Di Vaio manages to work his way to half guard, despite Aoki 's best efforts.
Aoki prevents Di Vaio from standing back up.
The fighters are battling for position here. Di Vaio manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Aoki slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aoki 's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Aoki throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Di Vaio holds on and takes a little breather.
Aoki preventing the sweep.

Aoki thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Di Vaio wants to stand but Aoki is controlling the position.
Aoki won't allow Di Vaio to sweep him here.
Di Vaio trying to control the position.
Di Vaio wants to get back to his feet but Aoki is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Di Vaio enables Aoki to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Di Vaio manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Di Vaio looking to control.
Di Vaio is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Aoki looking to pass the guard.
Aoki keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Di Vaio's head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Aoki slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Di Vaio working a defensive guard but Aoki passes into half guard.
Aoki has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Di Vaio moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aoki cracks Di Vaio with a solid left hand.
Aoki sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Di Vaio wants to sweep but no luck.
Aoki wants to control from the top but Di Vaio keeps moving.
Di Vaio is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

Aoki decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Di Vaio dives in for a single leg takedown but Aoki sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Filippo Di Vaio. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Aoki cracks Di Vaio with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Di Vaio manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Aoki on his heels. He'll look to pass Aoki 's guard now, I'm sure.
Di Vaio loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Aoki working a defensive guard here.

Aoki is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Aoki pulls Di Vaio in close to prevent any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Di Vaio wants to control from the top but Aoki keeps moving.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Di Vaio working some strikes from top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shinya Aoki dominated that 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.

Di Vaio uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.

Di Vaio gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Aoki postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Shinya Aoki has got the better of the ground game so far.
Di Vaio working a defensive guard here.
Aoki engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
More stalling from Aoki .
Di Vaio looking for a sweep. Not yet Di Vaio, not yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Di Vaio is trying to control the position but Aoki postures up.
Aoki controls from within his opponent's guard.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Horrible takedown attempt by Di Vaio or perhaps it was just good defense by Aoki , which made it look bad.
Di Vaio throws out a loose jab but Aoki uses good head movement to avoid it.
Aoki tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Aoki uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Di Vaio.
Aoki appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Di Vaio.
Di Vaio misses with a two punch combination.
Aoki stuffs the takedown attempt from Di Vaio. Di Vaio gets slowly back to his feet.
Aoki is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Di Vaio with a body shot.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Filippo Di Vaio. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A telegraphed right hand from Di Vaio misses the target.

Aoki drops Di Vaio with a left and a right! Oh, Di Vaio is hurt - Aoki dives into side control looking to finish!

Di Vaio is rocked!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Aoki thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Oh Di Vaio is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Aoki looks up at the clock and then as Di Vaio takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Aoki smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Aoki has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Di Vaio is not content to let Aoki control the position.
Di Vaio tries to bench press Aoki off him but Aoki keeps the position.
Di Vaio is not content to let Aoki control the position.
Di Vaio seems to have got his legs back now.
Aoki passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Di Vaio!
Aoki wants to control the pace but Di Vaio is squirming around nicely.
Di Vaio is bucking up trying to escape but Aoki cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Aoki looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Di Vaio is trying desperately to improve position.
Aoki wants to control the pace but Di Vaio is squirming around nicely.
Aoki sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Di Vaio is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Di Vaio tries to hold on but Aoki postures up.
Di Vaio is wriggling around trying to escape.
Aoki postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Di Vaio looks a forlorn figure.
Aoki controlling the position easily from mount.
Aoki raining down shots from the mount!
Di Vaio is working to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shinya Aoki showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Di Vaio closes this distance looking for a takedown but Aoki circles away.
Di Vaio misses with a jab to the body
and Aoki connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Aoki moves out of range of the body kick.
Shinya Aoki is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Aoki lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Di Vaio misses with a body shot.

Aoki closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Aoki working the ground and pound.
Di Vaio manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
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!

Aoki looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Aoki has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Di Vaio is working away from the top position though.
Aoki is not content to let Di Vaio control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aoki is pressing down on Di Vaio's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Di Vaio controls from within his opponent's guard.
Aoki not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Aoki holds on and takes a little breather.
Di Vaio chips away with some ground and pound.
Di Vaio wants to control from the top but Aoki keeps moving.
Di Vaio won't allow Aoki to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
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.

Di Vaio taking some punishment here, with Aoki in his half guard.
Aoki working over Di Vaio with some ground and pound. Di Vaio looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Di Vaio trying to hold on to Aoki 's head to control him but Aoki postures up.
Aoki throwing shots but Di Vaio is blocking nicely.
Di Vaio tries to get to full guard but Aoki has control of the leg.

Aoki is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Di Vaio wants to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aoki is looking to take a break and control but Di Vaio is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Shinya Aoki is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Di Vaio is defending against the submission attempts here by Aoki .
Aoki working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Aoki is trying to control. Di Vaio wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Aoki controlling the action here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Di Vaio controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Filippo Di Vaio has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Aoki wants to control but Di Vaio is keeping him busy.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Di Vaio misses with a looping left.

And that's the end of the fight!
Shinya Aoki comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Aoki has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Donatello Bradman scores the fight 27:30
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Dean scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Shinya Aoki !
Shinya Aoki thanked the fans post fight for their support.