PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Jose Aldo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Aleksandr Aksentiev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Aleksandr Aksentiev has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Aldo
vs
Aksentiev

180 cm
25
145 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

175 cm
25
142 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Great elbows
Intelligent

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 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Jose Aldo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Aleksandr Aksentiev!
The judges for this bout are Dirk Anderson, Michael Johnstone and Peter Branson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Aldo circles away from the clinch attempt.

Aldo gets a clinch.
Aldo blocks an elbow strike from Aksentiev.
Aksentiev creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Aksentiev comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Aksentiev throws an elbow that misses.
Aksentiev is pressed up against the cage. Aldo has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Aksentiev down to the mat. Aksentiev avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Aksentiev wants to clinch

and Aldo moves into the clinch.
Aldo dodges an elbow strike from Aksentiev.
Aldo tries to pull guard but Aksentiev forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Aldo wants a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jose Aldo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Aksentiev lands a damaging elbow.
Aldo jumps guard but Aksentiev stands there with Aldo around his waist. Aldo gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Aksentiev pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aldo blocks an elbow strike.
Aksentiev creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Aksentiev throws an elbow that misses.
Aldo takes an elbow to the temple.

It looks like Jose Aldo has been cut.
Aksentiev throws an elbow but it misses.
Aksentiev throws an elbow that misses.

Aldo manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Aksentiev wants to get up but he can't break Aldo's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Aldo on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Aldo tries to get out of the position.
Aldo is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Aksentiev is trying to stand up here but Aldo is controlling him well.
Aksentiev tries to kick Aldo off in order to stand up. Aldo Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.

Aldo has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aksentiev is looking to clinch.
Nice sprawl there from Aksentiev as Aldo shoots in.
Aksentiev doesn't manage to clinch there - Aldo circles away.
Aksentiev tries to clinch but Aldo moves out of range.
Aksentiev misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Aksentiev clinches up against the cage.
Aldo really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Aksentiev creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Aldo blocks an elbow strike from Aksentiev.
Aksentiev prevents the takedown attempt.
Aksentiev misses with an elbow strike.
Aldo wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Aksentiev keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Aldo's efforts to push away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Aldo blocks an elbow strike from Aksentiev.
Aksentiev throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Aldo is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Aksentiev gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Aldo pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Aldo takes an elbow to the temple.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Aksentiev.
Aksentiev pushes off an throws an elbow but Aldo leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Aksentiev gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Aldo blocks an elbow strike.
Aldo avoids the elbow strike from Aksentiev, against the cage.
Aksentiev creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Aldo.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aldo blocks the elbow strike.
Aldo avoids the elbow strike from Aksentiev, against the cage.
Aksentiev lands an elbow just above Aldo 's eye.

Aldo is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Aksentiev can't fight it off and eventually Aldo manages to take the fight to the floor. Aksentiev looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Aldo trying to control but Aksentiev is working from the bottom.
Aksentiev wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Aldo manages to pass to side control.
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!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Aksentiev wants to stand back up but Aldo manages to pass into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Aleksandr Aksentiev will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Jose Aldo's cut.
That's time! Aldo's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Aksentiev moves to clinch but Aldo breaks away

and Aldo counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Aksentiev really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Aldo. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Aldo controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Aksentiev wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Aldo manages to pass to side control.
Aldo looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Aksentiev with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Aldo is controlling the pace.
Aksentiev tries to kick Aldo off but Aldo keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aldo takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Aksentiev is trying to escape back to his feet but Aldo uses the scramble to pass into side control.
Aldo tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
A lull in the action here.
Aksentiev is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aldo landing a few strikes.
Aldo tries to stand but Aksentiev is controlling his head.
Aldo controls the position.
Aksentiev tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.
Aksentiev is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Aldo.

Aksentiev tries to get to his feet, scrambling wildly. Aldo sees the opportunity and transitions to an armbar that forces Aksentiev to tap. Impressive finish!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:58 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Jose Aldo!
During a confident post fight interview, Jose Aldo thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.