PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Derek Harris (ranked 579 p4p, 60 weight class) and Taiki Aoki (ranked 683 p4p, 72 weight class). Harris comes to the cage accompanied by Not again - You all ready dropped?. There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Harris
vs
Aoki

173 cm
28
153 lbs
17 - 11 - 0

170 cm
38
156 lbs
31 - 14 - 2

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

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 17 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Derek Harris!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 31 - 14 - 2, fighting out of Los Angeles, Taiki Aoki!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Jack Bonds and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Harris wants to clinch.
Aoki changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.

Harris has closed the distance and engaged Aoki in a clinch.
Harris fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Aoki has a couple of punches blocked by Harris.
Aoki displaying some good clinch control by pressing Harris up against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Aoki on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Stalling in the clinch from Aoki.
Aoki slows down the pace here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harris tries to work over Aoki's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Aoki stalls.
Aoki is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Taiki Aoki.
Aoki has his takedown stuffed
and Harris counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Harris tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Aoki manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Harris checks a leg kick.
Aoki closes the distance and clinches up with Harris, looking for a takedown. Aoki pushes Harris against the cage but Harris circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Harris tries to clinch up.
Aoki is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Harris tries to clinch there but Aoki circles away.
Aoki feints the counter takedown.
Harris wants to clinch up but Aoki keeps it at a distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harris tries to close the distance and clinch up but Aoki swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Harris moves into the clinch successfully.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Aoki takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Harris.
Harris swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Harris blocks a punch to the side of the head.
A nice right hand lands inside from Aoki.
Aoki has Harris pushed against the cage.
Harris lands a knee to the head.
Harris softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Aoki takes a shot to the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A short right from Aoki on the inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aoki stalling in the clinch but Harris improves position.
Harris misses with a hook to the ribs.
Harris makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Aoki throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Harriss head.
Aoki lands a right hand that snaps the head of Harris backwards.
Harris pushes Aoki back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Harris misses with a hook from the clinch.
Aoki misses with the head strike.
Aoki blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Aoki manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Good body shot from Aoki.
Come on Aoki - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Harris has a couple of punches blocked by Aoki.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aoki tries to throw a body punch but Harris avoids it by throwing Aoki back against the cage.
The referee is keeping an eye on Aoki - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Harris misses with a punch on the inside.
Aoki swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Aoki fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Aoki scores with a shot to the side of Harris's head.
Aoki has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Harris seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Aoki can turn it around.
Aoki dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Harris lands with a short punch from the clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Aoki swings wildly with an uppercut but Harris uses good head movement to avoid it.
Harris misses with some punches.
Aoki lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Aoki lands with a right to the head.
Aoki misses with a punch on the inside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Taiki Aoki will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Harris tries to clinch there but Aoki circles away.
Aoki misses with a wild body shot.
A counter left hand to the body from Harris misses its target.
Harris fails with an attempt to clinch.
Aoki tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Aoki throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Harris is looking to clinch.
Harris moves out of range of the strikes.
Aoki keeps the fight on the outside.
A jab from Aoki misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Aoki throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Aoki fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Harris is out of range.
Aoki connects with a single shot there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aoki swats away the attempt to clinch by Harris.
Aoki misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Harris.
Harris is looking to counter punch.

Aoki feints and as Harris raises his hands in defense, Aoki changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Aoki throws a big elbow that misses.
Harris wants to sweep here but Aoki controlling him for the moment.
Harris looking to control.
Aoki with a flurry of punches that miss.
Harris has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Aoki slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aoki looking to pass the guard.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

Aoki postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Harris is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Aoki, into his guard.

Aoki preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Harris slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harris stopping the sweep attempt from Aoki.
Aoki keeping moving, preventing Harris from controlling successfully.
Aoki trying to control the position.
Harris trying to stand up but can't free himself from Aoki's guard.
Harris working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Aoki's head.
Harris stopping the sweep attempt from Aoki.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Harris tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Aoki manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Harris takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Harris darts in trying to clinch

and Aoki counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Aoki has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Harris manages to create a bit of space in order to work his way back to his feet. Aoki keeps hold of his opponent and drives him back against the cage.
A nice left hand lands by Aoki.
Aoki lands a shoulder strike.
A short right from Harris.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Harris manages to break the clinch.
Harris tries to clinch but Aoki is having none of it.
Aoki changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Harris fails in his attempt to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Taiki Aoki showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Harris's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Aoki circles away from the clinch attempt.
Harris tries to close the distance and clinch but Aoki swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
The fighters circling - Aoki throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Harris moves out of range as Aoki strikes.
Harris doesn't manage to clinch there - Aoki circles away.
Harris is looking to clinch but Aoki is avoiding it.
Aoki is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Harris wants to clinch up but Aoki keeps it at a distance.
Aoki misses with a looping left.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harris tries to clinch up.
Aoki changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.

Harris darts in and clinches Aoki up against the cage.
Harris struggles to land a body shot inside as Aoki controls his hands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harris lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Harris scores with a shoulder strike.
A head punch on the inside from Aoki fails to land.
Harris wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Harris utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Aoki swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Harris misses with a hook to the ribs.
Harris's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Aoki has a couple of punches blocked by Harris.
Harris landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Harris working aggressively here.
Knees in the clinch landing for Harris.
Harris blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Harris.
Aoki swings wildly with an uppercut but Harris uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harris with a knee to the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Harris lands with a short shot to the head.
A head punch on the inside from Harris fails to land.
Derek Harris has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Aoki tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Aoki tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Aoki prevents a body shot from Harris.
Harris with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Harris manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
A short body shot lands from Aoki as the two fighters clinch.
A body shot lands from Aoki.

Harris escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Harris fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Aoki, pushing him back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harris working aggressively here.
Harris digs a right hand underneath Aoki's ribcage. Aoki let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Aoki looking to stall.
Harris using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Harris working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Aoki lands a left hand.
Taiki Aoki is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
A hook to the body from Harris.
Aoki is working Harris over against the cage.
Harris tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Harris struggles to land a body shot inside as Aoki controls his hands.
Harris throws a head punch that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head punch on the inside from Harris fails to land.
Harris lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Harris throws a head punch that misses.
Harris swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Aoki misses with a punch on the inside.
Harris working hard to break the clinch.
Harris wants to break free but Aoki has control.
Derek Harris has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Harris lands a hook to the side of the head.
Harris doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

And that's the end of the fight!
Derek Harris showed his dominance in that final round.
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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Taiki Aoki!
A relieved looking Taiki Aoki thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.