PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Lee Bandit (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Josh Tito (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Bandit
vs
Tito

193 cm
20
191 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

185 cm
20
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

Good wrestler
Good kicks
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Lee Bandit!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Josh Tito!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Marco Blurström and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bandit misses with a takedown

and Tito counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Tito.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Bandit has a closed guard, preventing Tito from standing up.
Bandit not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Bandit throws his legs up looking for a submission but Tito uses it to pass to side control.

Tito has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Tito pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Tito throws a sloppy head kick and Bandit moves out of range easily.
Lee Bandit seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bandit gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Tito counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Tito.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Bandit looking for a guillotine here but Tito defends easily.
Tito looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tito chips away with some ground and pound.
Bandit lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Tito!
Bandit thowing shots but they're missing.
Tito gets back to half guard.
Tito is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Bandit sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Tito defending well though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bandit working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Tito wants to control but Bandit is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Bandit sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Tito defending well though.
Tito is doing well to control the position and prevent Bandit from advancing to side control.
Bandit throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Tito regains full guard. Nicely done.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Tito is pulling down on Bandit's head to control his posture.
Bandit loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Bandit makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Bandit throws a big elbow that misses.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bandit working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

Bandit drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Tito manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Bandit has Tito in his guard.
Tito controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tito stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Bandit swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Tito wants to control from the top but Bandit keeps moving.

Tito drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Tito jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Tito is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Tito stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Bandit tries for a takedown but Tito circles away easily

and Tito counters with a nice double leg into side control. Bandit won't be happy with that.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lee Bandit. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bandit is letting Tito control him for a moment.
Tito is chipping away with strikes.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A control attempt from Bandit but he's now mounted!
Bandit takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Bandit wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Bandit tries to escape the position.
Bandit grimaces as he takes a shot to the body.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
I would not like to be Bandit right now.

Bandit preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Tito.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josh Tito dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Tito drives through with a takedown into guard.
Tito slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Tito with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

Bandit is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Tito is aware though and is defending well.
Tito must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Bandit looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Josh Tito has got the better of the ground game so far.
Tito is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Tito trying to control the position from guard on top but Bandit is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tito controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Josh Tito wasn't active enough on the ground.
Bandit fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Bandit gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Tito counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Tito keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
The fighters are battling for position here. Bandit manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Tito is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Josh Tito.

Tito gets a clinch.
Bandit is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lee Bandit. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A right hand to the body from Tito.

Tito has Bandit pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Tito pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Bandit tumbling to the mat - Tito dives into Bandit's guard.
Tito not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Tito content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

Bandit looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Tito has picked Bandit up and slammed him! Bandit can't keep hold of the triangle and Tito manages to pass to side control!
Tito taking a breather here.

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

Tito moves into range and clinches up with Bandit.

Tito's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bandit with a poor takedown

and Tito counters with a shoot takedown. Bandit fights it but they end up in guard.
Tito advances position into side control!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Bandit is trying to work for a sweep but Tito has mounted him!
Tito takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Bandit is trying to reverse the position but instead Tito has taken his back - oops!

Tito is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Bandit defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bandit is trying to break free.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tito controls the action.
Bandit rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Tito trying to control the pace.
Tito has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Tito working the head and body with strikes.
Tito slows the pace down in half guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josh Tito 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! This is the final round!

Tito clinches with his opponent.
Bandit can't get the takedown.
Bandit is trying to drag Tito to the mat but Tito just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Tito pulls Bandit into guard.
Tito has control of Bandit's left arm, preventing Bandit from doing any damage.
Bandit trying to control the position from guard on top but Tito is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tito throwing short punches from the bottom.
Bandit trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Bandit trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tito escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Bandit gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Bandit working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Bandit slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Tito tries to control the position but he's not in luck - Bandit easily slips into full mount!
Tito is trying to escape the mount.
Tito is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Bandit looking to finish Tito with some ground and pound. This is bad for Tito!
Tito wants to control but Bandit is having none of it.
Bandit has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Tito's face.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Tito is looking to get to half guard.
Bandit in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Tito takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Bandit throws some wild stikes that Tito manages to avoid easily.
Tito is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Bandit thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Tito is looking to improve his position but Bandit isn't that keen on the idea.
Bandit unloading with bombs!
Bandit 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.
BOOM! Bandit connects with a massive shot to the dome!

Tito is rocked!
Tito is in all sorts of trouble here.
Tito is still in real trouble! Can Bandit finish him?
Bandit loads up on a couple of big shots to the head that have Tito scrambling to escape. He can't get free though and several more unanswered shots from Bandit land to the head. The referee has no choice but to stop the fight. Bandit stands and salutes the crowd.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:03 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Lee Bandit!