PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Taichi Heleno (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zeb Zalamander (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Heleno's entrance music is weird Japanese music. A fine choice. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Heleno
vs
Zalamander

168 cm
19
169 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

185 cm
22
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

ALL-STAR Nutrition (140 Recovery, $ 30)

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Taichi Heleno!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Zeb Zalamander!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zalamander tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Zalamander rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Heleno moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Heleno gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Zalamander tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Zalamander wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Zalamander tries a knee to the head but Heleno blocks it.
Zalamander throws a knee to the head but misses.
Zalamander lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Zalamander misses with a punch on the inside.
Heleno using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Zalamander with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Zalamander lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Zalamander misses with a knee strike.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Knees to the body from Heleno.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Zalamander tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Zalamander throws a punch but it's blocked by Heleno.
The referee calls for Heleno to work.
Zalamander wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Heleno landing knees to the head.

It looks like Zeb Zalamander has been cut.
Heleno blocking some punches.
Heleno creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Zalamander's defenses.
Heleno blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Heleno slows down the pace here.
Heleno unloads a knee to the mid-section. Zalamander lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Zalamander throws a knee to the head but misses.
Zalamander looks gassed!
Zalamander misses with a knee strike.
Zalamander is looking to break free of the clinch but Heleno has double underhooks.
Zalamander using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Heleno has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Heleno lands an elbow inside that Zalamander shrugs off.
Knees in the clinch landing for Heleno.
Heleno stalling against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Heleno landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Heleno scores a nice knee to the body.
Heleno throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Zalamanders head.
Zalamander throws a knee to the head but misses.
Heleno stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Heleno lands an elbow inside that Zalamander shrugs off.
Heleno landing knees to the body.
Heleno scores a nice knee to the body.
Heleno gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Heleno pressing his opponent against the cage.
Heleno landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Heleno is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Zalamander takes an elbow to the forehead.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Zalamander.
Zalamander is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Heleno lands a shot to the body.
Heleno landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Heleno on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Heleno lands an elbow that stopped Zalamander in his tracks for a moment.
Heleno lands an elbow inside that Zalamander shrugs off.
Zalamander takes an elbow to the temple.

That has opened up Zeb Zalamander's cut even more.
Heleno lands with a short shot to the head.
Heleno creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Zalamander's defenses.
Knees in the clinch landing for Heleno.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Heleno unloads a knee to the mid-section. Zalamander lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Heleno lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

The cut above Zeb Zalamander's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Heleno lands a shoulder strike.

Zalamander is rocked!
Heleno has Zalamander pushed against the cage.
Zalamander is still on wobbly legs! Can Heleno finish him?
Zalamander takes an elbow to the temple.
Heleno blocks an elbow strike.
Heleno slowing the pace effectively.
Zalamander seems to have recovered his senses.
Heleno prevents a body shot from Zalamander.
Zalamander trying to land knees to the body.
A body shot lands from Heleno.
Heleno scores with a knee to the head.
Heleno unloads a knee to the mid-section. Zalamander lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Heleno jerks Zalamander's head down, straight into the path of a devastating knee! Zalamander drops to the floor in a crumpled heap! Heleno goes to throw a finishing haymaker but pulls out - good sportsmanship from Heleno because Zalamander was completely out of it. That was a nice finish - just the right level of brutality to send everyone home happy.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Knee). Taichi Heleno!