PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Neal Titus (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Taichi Heleno (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Titus's entrance music is 'Till We Die - Slipknot. A fine choice. Heleno has chosen weird Japanese music as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Taichi Heleno has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Titus
vs
Heleno

185 cm
20
162 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

168 cm
22
167 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

Good takedowns
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Sharon Needles Nutrition

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 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Neal Titus!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Taichi Heleno!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Robert Twigg and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A nice leg kick lands there from Heleno.
Titus looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Heleno swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Titus checks the leg kick.
Heleno looks for the body kick but Titus saw that one coming.
Titus misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Titus shoots in but no luck this time.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Neal Titus. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Heleno lands with a nice body kick.
Heleno works Titus's body with a nice hook.
Titus checks a leg kick.
A chopping leg kick lands by Heleno.
Titus takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Titus tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
A slapping leg kick lands for Heleno.
Titus is breathing heavily.
Heleno throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Heleno looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Heleno lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Titus takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Titus on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Heleno. Heleno obviously looking to wear him down.
Heleno throws a series of punches but Titus moves out of range.

Heleno gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Heleno gets through Titus's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
A right handed body shot lands from Heleno.
Heleno landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Heleno landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Heleno digs a right hand into Titus's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Titus's gas tank.
Heleno lands a nice knee to the body.
Heleno's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Heleno lands with a right to the head.
Heleno scores a nice knee to the body.
Knees to the body from Heleno.
Knees to the body from Heleno.
Titus tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Heleno just stands there and leans against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Heleno landing knees to the head.
The referee calls for Heleno to work.
Heleno lands a damaging elbow.
Heleno working Titus over with knees to the body.
Heleno throws a knee to the head but misses.
A nice right hand lands inside from Heleno.
Heleno trying to land knees to the body.
Heleno makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Heleno works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Heleno lands a nice shot to the body.
Knees in the clinch landing for Heleno.
Heleno unloads a knee to the mid-section. Titus lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
A hook to the body from Heleno.
Heleno lands a nice knee to the body.
Titus trying to stall but Heleno improves his position.
Heleno stalls.
Titus takes a knee to the side of the body.
Titus tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Heleno.
Heleno with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Heleno connects with a nasty looking knee right to Titus's face.
Heleno misses with a knee strike.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Titus. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.
Titus tries to pull guard but Heleno holds him up against the cage and eventually Titus drops back down to his feet.
Titus goes for a takedown in the clinch but Heleno prevents it.
Heleno stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Heleno lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Titus.
Heleno digs a right hand into Titus's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Titus's gas tank.
Heleno throws a knee to the head but misses.
Titus is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Heleno gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Heleno scores a nice knee to the body.
Heleno lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Titus backwards.
Heleno is pressed up against the cage. Titus has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Heleno down to the mat. Heleno avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Heleno fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Titus manages to avoid it.

Titus closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Titus is looking to take a break and control but Heleno is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Titus works to advance to full mount. Heleno defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Heleno holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Titus tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Titus has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Titus trying to control but he's not successful this time.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Titus sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Titus shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Heleno defends it nicely.
A thudding body kick lands there by Heleno!
Titus checks the leg kick nicely there.
Neal Titus is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Titus shoots in for a takedown but Heleno shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Heleno lands with a thumping leg kick.
Heleno throws a half hearted mid kick.
An inside leg kick lands from Heleno.
Heleno throws a right hand that Titus ducks under and follows up with a left that Titus also avoids with ease.
Taichi Heleno seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Titus shoots in but no luck this time.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Neal Titus. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Titus takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Titus avoids a kick to the body.
Heleno misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Titus blocks a head kick by Heleno.
Some wild striking there from Heleno.
Heleno is breathing heavily.
Heleno swinging wildly here.
Titus blocks a leg kick.
Heleno displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Titus.
Taichi Heleno is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Heleno throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Heleno has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Titus moves out of range as Heleno strikes.
Heleno motions for Titus to come forward. Heleno throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Heleno looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Heleno tries a head kick but it misses.
A nice leg kick lands there from Heleno.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Heleno cracks the inside of Titus's front leg.
Taichi Heleno seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Heleno throws a leg kick but Titus sees it coming and moves out of range.
Titus is trying hard to land a takedown here. Heleno sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Heleno throws a nice inside leg kick.

Titus shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Titus showed some decent athleticism there.
Titus seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Titus is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Heleno sees it coming and defends easily.
Titus wants to control but Heleno is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Titus stalling away here and it's allowed Heleno to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Heleno trying to keep a closed guard but Titus is proving a slippery customer.
Titus trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Heleno tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Titus trying to control the position from guard on top but Heleno is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Heleno keeping full guard, as Titus tries to pass.

That's four 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.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Heleno defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Titus.
Heleno misses with a leg kick.
Titus fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Heleno avoids it really well and circles away.
Heleno throws a right hand that Titus ducks under and follows up with a left that Titus also avoids with ease.
Heleno will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Titus misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Heleno misses with a head kick.
Heleno swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Heleno throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Titus.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Taichi Heleno showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Titus tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Heleno swivels and escapes.
Heleno wants to clinch up but Titus keeps it at a distance.
Heleno lands with a thumping leg kick.

Titus throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Heleno was covering up waiting for the punch and Titus finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Titus trying to control the position from guard on top but Heleno is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Heleno throws his legs up looking for a submission but Titus uses it to pass to side control.
Titus will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Heleno takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Sloppy strikes there by Titus.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Titus working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Titus looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Heleno is avoiding damage well.
Titus trying to control the position but Heleno is working away.
Heleno is looking for a sweep.
Titus works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Heleno struggling a bit here.

Titus wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Heleno, who protects the arm well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Heleno is trying to improve his position.
Titus postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Titus trying to control the action but Heleno is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Heleno is trying to control Titus's posture but Titus avoids it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Titus is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Heleno is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Titus is putting a hurting on Heleno here, landing some big shots from side control.
Taichi Heleno is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Heleno is not content to let Titus control the position.
Titus advances to full mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Titus avoids the attempt from Heleno to control.

Heleno defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Titus.
Heleno tries to lock up and control but Titus gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Neal Titus has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
The referee warns Heleno that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Neal Titus showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Heleno 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight 27:29
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 27:29
Judge George Francis scores the fight 27:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Taichi Heleno!