PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Takeya Aoki (ranked 8180 p4p, 232 weight class) and Eisson Franco (ranked 2655 p4p, 127 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Aoki
vs
Franco

163 cm
27
140 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

170 cm
24
124 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

BJJ Red Belt
Brawler
Cardio machine

Powerful takedowns
Good kicks
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Takeya Aoki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Eisson Franco!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Sosuke Kotani and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Franco shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Aoki looking for submissions off his back.
Aoki moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Aoki looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Franco throws a big elbow that misses.
Aoki avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Aoki has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Franco can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Aoki looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
We've been hearing good reports from Aoki's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Franco trying to control but Aoki is working from the bottom.
Franco lands a couple of digs.
Franco trying to control the position from guard on top but Aoki is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Aoki is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Franco defends well.
Franco is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Franco looking to sit in guard and control but Aoki gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Aoki pushing down on Franco's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

Franco is defending against the submission attempts here by Aoki.
Franco is looking to get back to full guard here but Aoki has managed to pass to side control instead.
Franco can't do much from the bottom here.
Aoki tries to move into full mount but can't pass Franco's legs.
Franco is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Franco tries to strike but it doesn't land.
Franco throws an elbow to the body but it doesn't land.
Franco manages to get back to half guard.

Franco actively working from the bottom here.
Franco is trying to control but can't.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Franco with the active half guard here but Aoki passes nicely into side control.
Franco is trying to work for a sweep but Aoki has mounted him!
Aoki punishing his opponent with strikes.
Aoki with good strikes from the mount here!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Aoki pushing the pace here, looking to move to his opponents back and work for a finish.

Aoki looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Franco is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Franco looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Aoki has hold of Franco's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Franco manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Aoki trying to control but Franco is having none of it.
Aoki working the ground and pound effectively.
Franco tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Franco sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Franco is looking for a sweep. Aoki is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Franco is refusing to be controlled, as Aoki sits in half guard.
Franco wants to improve his position but Aoki is controlling well.
Franco slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Aoki wants to control from the top but Franco keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aoki advances position into side control!
Franco tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Aoki wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Aoki thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Franco misses with an elbow from the bottom.
Franco tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Aoki tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Aoki has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Franco tries to bench press Aoki off him but Aoki keeps the position.
Aoki is putting a hurting on Franco here, landing some big shots from side control.
Franco is trying to control Aoki's posture but Aoki avoids it.
Aoki in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Takeya Aoki dominated that round.
That's time! Aoki's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Nice sprawl there from Franco as Aoki shoots in.
Franco is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Aoki with a body shot.

Aoki gets tackled into the cage by Franco. Franco maintains the clinch.
Franco blocks an uppercut.

Franco lands a takedown into guard.

Aoki has his foot on Franco's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Franco works his way back into a safe position though.
Franco must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Franco throws a big right hand that misses.

Aoki is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Aoki keeping moving, preventing Franco from controlling successfully.
Franco loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Franco 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.
Franco in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Franco avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Franco trying to control but Aoki is working from the bottom.

Aoki is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Franco wants to control from the top but Aoki keeps moving.

Franco stands over his opponent and dives in with a flying punch! Aoki throws up his legs and catches Franco in a triangle! Oh this looks tight! Franco tries to escape but he's forced to tap! Wow, fantastic work there by Aoki! That came out of nowhere!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:35 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Choke). Takeya Aoki!
Takeya Aoki decided to hype himself up post fight. It was going well but he went on about it a bit too long and the crowd turned on him a little.