PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Opaki Ljevpo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tom Helm (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Helm has chosen yellow ledbetter as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Tom Helm told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Ljevpo
vs
Helm

181 cm
24
170 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

180 cm
26
180 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Counter striker
Good in bed

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Enjoys gardening

ANABOLIC **160**

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Opaki Ljevpo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tom Helm!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Cecil Peabody and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ljevpo with a poor takedown

and Helm counters by moving into the clinch.
Helm pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Helm wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Ljevpo has Helm pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Helm manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Ljevpo wants to take the fight to the mat but Helm manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Opaki Ljevpo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Helm.
Helm misses with an elbow strike.
Helm lands an elbow inside that Ljevpo shrugs off.

Ljevpo turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Ljevpo manages to end up in side control.
Ljevpo working away.
Ljevpo working the head with strikes.
Ljevpo in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Helm is looking for a sweep.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Helm takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
You can see the frustration on Helm's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Ljevpo is working Helm over with some ground and pound from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ljevpo misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Helm is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Ljevpo is controlling him well.
Helm manages to get back to half guard.
Ljevpo wants to control but Helm is keeping him busy.
Ljevpo missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Helm avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Ljevpo.
Ljevpo throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Ljevpo with the ground and pound but Helm uses the opportunity to regain guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ljevpo is looking to work some ground and pound but Helm has wrist control.
Ljevpo stopping the sweep attempt from Helm.
Ljevpo lands a couple of decent looking shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ljevpo is working Helm over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Ljevpo throwing strikes but missing.
Ljevpo throws a big right hand that misses.
Ljevpo working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Ljevpo loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Helm is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Helm looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Helm utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Ljevpo makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Ljevpo postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ljevpo is stalling in the full guard.

Helm looking for a guillotine here but Ljevpo defends easily.
Ljevpo postures up in Helm's guard and throws a big left but Helm blocks it.
Helm working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Ljevpo.
Ljevpo preventing the sweep.
Ljevpo is in close to Helm's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Helm working a defensive guard here.
Ljevpo trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ljevpo throws a big right hand that misses.
Ljevpo trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Helm looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Ljevpo landing some decent shots from guard.
Ljevpo scoring with punches to the head and body.
Helm is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ljevpo wants to control from the top but Helm keeps moving.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ljevpo throwing strikes but missing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Opaki Ljevpo dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

No luck for Ljevpo with that takedown attempt.
Helm tries to clinch but Ljevpo is having none of it.
Ljevpo fails with the takedown

and Helm decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Ljevpo's guard.
Helm preventing the sweep.
Helm works over Ljevpo with some ground and pound from guard.
Helm working some strikes from top position.
Ljevpo trying to keep a closed guard but Helm is proving a slippery customer.
Helm won't allow Ljevpo to sweep him here.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Helm in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ljevpo manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Ljevpo thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Ljevpo avoids the attempt from Helm to control.
Ljevpo throwing strikes but Helm uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Helm keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Ljevpo throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Helm is looking to improve his position.
Ljevpo not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ljevpo 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.
Ljevpo throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Ljevpo missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Ljevpo takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Helm moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Ljevpo throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Ljevpo has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ljevpo throwing strikes from guard but Helm blocks nicely.
Ljevpo throws a strike but Helm rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Helm loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ljevpo avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Ljevpo is trying to control the position but Helm postures up.
Helm would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Ljevpo looking to hit a scissor sweep but Helm is one step ahead there.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ljevpo working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Helm.
Helm trying to control the position from guard on top but Ljevpo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ljevpo is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Ljevpo with a lazy takedown attempt

and Helm counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Opaki Ljevpo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Helm scoring with strikes to the body and head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Helm working the head and body with strikes.
Helm throwing shots but Ljevpo is blocking nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Helm prevents Ljevpo from improving his position.
Ljevpo avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Helm.
Helm thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Ljevpo's head.
Ljevpo has hold of Helm's hands but Helm slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Helm working Ljevpo over with strikes.
Helm not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Helm lands strikes from half guard.
Helm not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Helm has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Helm 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.
Ljevpo blocking the ground and pound attempt from Helm.
Opaki Ljevpo overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Ljevpo gets full guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Ljevpo looking for a sweep. Not yet Ljevpo, not yet.
Ljevpo preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Helm stopping the sweep attempt from Ljevpo.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tom Helm showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Helm stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Helm wants it to stay on the feet.
Ljevpo shoots in for a takedown but Helm shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Helm fails with the takedown.
Helm is looking to clinch but Ljevpo is avoiding it.
Helm wants to clinch but Ljevpo slips to the side

and Ljevpo counters with a takedown into side control.
Ljevpo tries to score with some ground and pound. Helm controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Ljevpo is working Helm over with some ground and pound from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ljevpo connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Helm some visible discomfort.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Helm manages to get back to half guard.

Helm looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Helm blocking the ground and pound attempt from Ljevpo.
Helm is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Ljevpo scores with a couple of nice shots.
Helm keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Ljevpo scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

Ljevpo is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Helm is trying to stand back up but Ljevpo is controlling him

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Helm makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Helm.
Helm preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Helm keeping moving, preventing Ljevpo from controlling successfully.
Ljevpo throws a big right hand that misses.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ljevpo passes into half guard.
Ljevpo wants to control but Helm is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Helm is trying to control but can't.
Helm moves into full guard.
Ljevpo throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Helm is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Ljevpo defends well.
Ljevpo lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Ljevpo postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Ljevpo throws an elbow that misses. Helm uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Ljevpo's guard. Nice move by Helm!
Helm postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Ljevpo is trying to keep Helm in close.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ljevpo is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

Helm has Ljevpo pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Helm pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Ljevpo tumbling to the mat - Helm dives into Ljevpo's guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Ljevpo working for a triangle but Helm defends it easily.
Ljevpo preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Helm working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Ljevpo's head.
Helm postures up and lands a big shot to Ljevpo's brow.
Helm throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

And that's the end of the fight!
Opaki Ljevpo showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Ljevpo has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Tiny Johnson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 29:28
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Opaki Ljevpo!