PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Aleksander Titov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andrei Arlovski (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Titov
vs
Arlovski

191 cm
21
215 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
22
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Powerful

Attliction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Aleksander Titov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Andrei Arlovski!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Valeri Chadov and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Arlovski stuffs the takedown attempt from Titov. Titov gets slowly back to his feet.
Arlovski avoids a punch combination nicely.
Arlovski throws a front kick that sends Titov stumbling back into the cage.
Titov avoids the head kick by Arlovski.
Titov shoots in and drives through. Arlovski sprawls well.
Titov throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Arlovski tries to close the distance and clinch up but Titov swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Arlovski explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Titov is breathing heavily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Titov steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Arlovski. That one must have hurt.
Arlovski tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Titov paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Arlovski wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Arlovski stuffs the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aleksander Titov. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Titov gets caught flat footed, as Arlovski shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Arlovski gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arlovski tries to clinch there but Titov circles away.
Arlovski lets loose with a powerful body kick. Titov will feel that in the morning.

Arlovski rushes Titov and presses him up against the cage.
Titov wants to break free but Arlovski has control.
Titov has had enough of the clinch but Arlovski keeps him there for the moment.

Arlovski breaks from the clinch.

Arlovski bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Titov is looking for a sweep.
Arlovski is looking to take a break and control but Titov is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Titov tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Arlovski wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Arlovski working the ground and pound from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Titov gets back to half guard.
Titov wants to get back to his feet.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Arlovski closes this distance looking for a takedown but Titov circles away.
Arlovski fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Titov. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.

Titov shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Titov cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
A nice elbow there by Titov.
Titov unloading with bombs!

Titov looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Titov is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Arlovski takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Titov thowing shots but they're missing.
Arlovski squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Titov prevents Arlovski from getting the reversal.

Arlovski somehow manages to escape the mount and get back to his feet!
Titov fails to land the takedown.
Arlovski doesn't manage to clinch there - Titov circles away.
Titov looks to land a combination but Arlovski avoids it well.

Titov fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Arlovski sprawls well initially but Titov persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Arlovski is trying to get back to full guard.
Titov 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.
Arlovski makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Arlovski.
Arlovski is trying to keep Titov in close.
Titov takes a decent strike to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arlovski avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Arlovski controls Titov momentarily but Titov frees himself.
Titov slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Titov postures up.

Arlovski working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Titov doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Titov manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Arlovski avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Arlovski looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Titov throws a combination that misses

and Arlovski counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Titov's guard now.
Arlovski wants to control from the top but Titov keeps moving.

Titov is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andrei Arlovski dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Titov keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Titov falls off balance throwing a combination
and Arlovski counters with an inside leg kick.
Aleksander Titov is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Arlovski dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Titov. That did some damage!
Arlovski throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Titov stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Arlovski drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.

Arlovski drives through with a takedown into guard.
Titov will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Arlovski controlling from the top position.
Arlovski tries to free his leg and advance position but Titov is retaining full guard.

Arlovski avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Arlovski stopping the sweep attempt from Titov.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Titov manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Arlovski manages to get himself to full guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Titov has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Arlovski is proving hard to escape from.
Titov throws a strike but Arlovski rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Arlovski working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Titov's head.
Titov throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Titov wants to sweep here but Arlovski controlling him for the moment.
Titov bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Arlovski's guard.
Arlovski working a defensive guard here.
Titov stands up out of Arlovski's guard for a moment - Arlovski manages to land a nice upkick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Arlovski working for a triangle but Titov defends it easily.
Arlovski is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Titov trying to control but Arlovski is working from the bottom.
Titov pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Arlovski is keeping the position for now.
Titov throws a big right hand that misses.
Arlovski is wriggling around but Titov manages to pass to half guard.
Arlovski is looking to escape.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Arlovski throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Titov's waist but Titov gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Arlovski off to one side.
Andrei Arlovski seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Titov misses with a combination
and Arlovski counters with a three punch combo that has Titov backing up. Titov nods at Arlovski to acknowledge the strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arlovski is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Titov fails to land the takedown.
Arlovski looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Aleksander Titov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Andrei Arlovski.
Arlovski stuffs the takedown attempt from Titov. Titov gets slowly back to his feet.
Titov tries to score with a low kick but Arlovski moves his leg out of the way.
Arlovski tries to close the distance and clinch but Titov swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Titov drives through with a takedown into guard.
Titov lands a couple of digs.
Arlovski working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Titov.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arlovski trying to control the position.
Arlovski keeping full guard, as Titov tries to pass.

Arlovski looking for a guillotine here but Titov defends easily.
Arlovski striking off his back but it's not causing Titov any problems.
Titov thows a big elbow that misses.
Arlovski trying to keep a closed guard but Titov is proving a slippery customer.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Titov gets the takedown into side control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Arlovski struggling a bit here.
Titov has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Arlovski!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Aleksander Titov will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Arlovski has his takedown stuffed

and Titov counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Arlovski is pressing down on Titov's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Arlovski trying to control the position.
Titov postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Titov looking to pass the guard.
Arlovski trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Arlovski is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Titov manages to get to full guard.
Titov keeping moving, preventing Arlovski from controlling successfully.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arlovski might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Titov kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Titov manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Arlovski regains half guard.
Arlovski is trying to stand up here but Titov is controlling him well.
Titov is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Arlovski is trying to control but can't.
Titov slips a nice elbow through Arlovski's hands, connecting with Arlovski's forehead.
Arlovski on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arlovski is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Titov's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Titov's back!
Titov is keeping busy.
Titov manages to reverse the position and now he's in Arlovski's guard. Nice work there by Titov.
Arlovski is trying to control the position but Titov postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Titov trying to control but Arlovski is working from the bottom.
Arlovski trying to control the position.
Titov slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Titov looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Titov in side control, just content to control the action for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arlovski struggling a bit here.
Titov cracks Arlovski with a big elbow.
Titov wants to control but Arlovski is keeping him busy.
Titov is working Arlovski over with some ground and pound from side control.
Arlovski dodges the ground and pound from Titov.
Titov looks up at the clock and then as Arlovski takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Titov smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Titov lands some shots froms side control.
Arlovski wants to control but Titov postures up.

Titov is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Arlovski has escaped the position, nice work there.
Titov throwing shots but missing, from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arlovski takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Arlovski is trying to control Titov's posture but Titov avoids it.
Titov in side control lands a decent elbow.
Arlovski tries to escape but Titov is in control.
Arlovski tries to buck Titov off but Titov is having none of it.
Titov cracks Arlovski with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Arlovski is looking to reverse the position.
Titov working the ground and pound from side control.
Titov working the head and body with strikes.

Titov has hold of Arlovski's arm here. He's working for an Americana. It looks like he might have it! Arlovski tries to escape but he's just digging himself in deeper - Titov cranks the arm and Arlovski screams in pain! The ref makes a decision and ends the fight before the tap - no complains from Arlovski, who is just happy to have his arm attached to his body.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Americana). Aleksander Titov!