PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Akihiro Aoki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tuck Happiness (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Happiness comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Bullet With a Name on It kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Aoki
vs
Happiness

178 cm
22
152 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

162 cm
22
147 lbs
7 - 5 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Self confident

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Knockout power

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Akihiro Aoki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tuck Happiness!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Taro Takaoka and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Happiness keeps the fight on the outside.
Tuck Happiness seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Happiness tries to clinch up.
Happiness tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Happiness misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Aoki.
A bone on bone clash there as Happiness blocks the leg kick.
Aoki closes the distance and clinches up with Happiness, looking for a takedown. Aoki pushes Happiness against the ropes but Happiness circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Happiness 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.
Happiness passes Aoki's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Happiness wants to pass to mount but Aoki is defending the position.
Happiness slows the pace down in half guard.
Aoki trying to control here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aoki is pressing down on Happiness's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Aoki keeping moving, preventing Happiness from controlling successfully.

Aoki looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Aoki trying to control the position.
Aoki wants to improve his position but instead Happiness has moved into half guard.

Happiness seems to be looking for submissions.
Aoki is trying to maintain the position but Happiness is very close to passing his half guard.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Aoki is staying active underneath Happiness, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Happiness is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Aoki doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Happiness.
Happiness wants to free his trapped foot but Aoki is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Happiness seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Aoki does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Aoki displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Happiness.
Happiness tries to close the distance and clinch up but Aoki swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Happiness tries to close the distance and clinch but Aoki swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Happiness scores with a leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Aoki gets the takedown into side control.
Aoki wants to control but Happiness is keeping him busy.
Happiness tries to improve position but can't.
Happiness sneaks back into half guard.
Happiness is not content to let Aoki control the position.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

Aoki is working for a kimura but Happiness is defending it quite comfortably.
Aoki is breathing heavily.
Happiness trying to control from the bottom.
Happiness wants to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aoki wants to take a breather but Happiness is having none of it.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Happiness scores with a head kick.
Aoki has his takedown stuffed

and Happiness counters with a takedown into side control.
Happiness working away.
Happiness throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Aoki seems a little lost for a moment, as Happiness dominates the positioning.
You can see the frustration on Aoki's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Happiness thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Aoki is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tuck Happiness dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Aoki gets caught flat footed, as Happiness shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
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.

Aoki seems to be looking for submissions.
The fighters are battling for position here. Happiness manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Happiness looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Aoki wants to pass the guard but Happiness is keeping the position.
Happiness tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Aoki trying to control the position from guard on top but Happiness is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Happiness 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.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Happiness keeping moving, preventing Aoki from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Happiness throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Happiness looking to control.
Aoki trying to control the position from guard on top but Happiness is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Happiness throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Aoki's waist but Aoki gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Happiness off to one side.

Happiness closes the distance and clinches.
Happiness is looking to control Aoki's arms but Aoki gets an underhook and turns him. Now Happiness has his back to the ropes.
Happiness is working for a takedown up against the ropes. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Happiness tries for a takedown but Aoki manages to get underhooks.
Akihiro Aoki has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tuck Happiness.
Happiness tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Aoki just stands there and leans against the ropes.

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.
Aoki is looking for a takedown up against the ropes. Happiness gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Happiness stops a takedown attempt from Aoki.
Happiness has Aoki pressed against the ropes.

Happiness pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Aoki circles away from the clinch attempt

and Aoki counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Aoki.
Happiness keeping moving, preventing Aoki from controlling successfully.
Happiness keeping full guard, as Aoki tries to pass.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Happiness is looking for a triangle but Aoki pushes his legs off easily.
Aoki trying to control the position from guard on top but Happiness is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Happiness is trying to keep Aoki in close.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Happiness is on top in guard.
Happiness throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Aoki is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

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 is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Happiness trying to control but Aoki is working from the bottom.
Aoki working a defensive guard here.

Happiness stands up and waves to Aoki to follow him.
Left hook, right uppercut from Happiness.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Tuck Happiness will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Happiness gets the takedown into side control.
Aoki is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Happiness's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Aoki regains full guard. Nicely done.

Aoki looking for a guillotine here but Happiness defends easily.
Happiness sitting in guard here, content to control.
Happiness wants to control from the top but Aoki keeps moving.
Happiness trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Happiness got a little sloppy there for a moment and Aoki has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Happiness has managed to get both his arms back between Aoki's legs - danger averted.

Aoki working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Happiness has passed into half guard!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Happiness trying to control from half guard but Aoki is working away.
Aoki is in trouble now - Happiness has advanced to mount!
Aoki is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

Happiness stands up from mount. Strange move.
Happiness moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.

Happiness forces Aoki back against the ropes and clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Happiness decides to pull guard.
Happiness keeping full guard, as Aoki tries to pass.

Happiness looking for a guillotine here but Aoki defends easily.
Happiness can't keep his opponent in guard - Aoki advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Aoki is keen to just control but Happiness is a slippery customer.
Happiness is controlling Aoki's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Tuck Happiness is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Happiness slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Happiness is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Aoki wants to control from the top but Happiness keeps moving.
Aoki won't allow Happiness to get back to his feet.
Aokiis looking to pass into half guard but Happiness pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Happiness is in guard.
Happiness advances to half guard.
Aoki wants to control but Happiness is keeping busy.
Happiness trying to control the action but Aoki is working from the bottom.

Happiness is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's four 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.
Aoki is not content to let Happiness control the position.
Aoki wants to get back to full guard.
Happiness with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Aoki is looking to improve his position.
Aoki is controlling Happiness's position as best he can from this difficult position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Happiness goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tuck Happiness comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Happiness 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 Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 28:29
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 27:30
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tuck Happiness!