PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mikal Helio (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bancroft Rothschild (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Helio comes to the cage accompanied by Brazil National Anthem . Rothschild has chosen The Light as his entrance music. Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Helio
vs
Rothschild

190 cm
35
195 lbs
29 - 11 - 0

188 cm
38
192 lbs
37 - 20 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class MT
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

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 29 - 11 - 0, fighting out of London, Mikal Helio!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 37 - 20 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Bancroft Rothschild!
The judges for this bout are Reed Andrews, Russell Pearce and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rothschild pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Helio throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Rothschild.
Good work by Helio as he checks the leg kick.
Rothschild misses with a hook
and Helio counters with a left and a right that stings Rothschild.
Some wild striking there from Helio.
Rothschild throws a body kick that misses.
Rothschild fails in his attempt to clinch.

Helio closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Helio tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Helio lands a left hand that snaps the head of Rothschild backwards.
Rothschild tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A short right from Rothschild.
Rothschild lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Rothschild misses with a knee strike.
Helio misses with a shot to the kidneys.
We've been hearing reports that Helio has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rothschild tries a knee to the head but Helio blocks it.
Helio lands with a short shot to the head.
Helio just leaning against Rothschild, taking a breather.
Rothschild lands an elbow that stopped Helio in his tracks for a moment.
Rothschild looking to throw knees to the head but Helio is blocking nicely.
Rothschild is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Helio is defending well for now.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Helio.
Helio blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Helio pushes Rothschild back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Rothschild lands a left hand that snaps the head of Helio backwards.
Helio on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Helio tries to work over Rothschild's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Rothschild lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
A nice right hand lands inside from Helio.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Rothschild.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Helio pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rothschild throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Rothschild lands a nice shot to the body.
Rothschild looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Rothschild swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Rothschild throws a nice inside leg kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rothschild throws a lazy uppercut
letting Helio counter with a right hand.
A low kick from Rothschild misses
and Helio counters with a nice body shot.
Rothschild misses the jab.
Rothschild throws a leg kick
and Helio connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Helio throws a right hand that Rothschild ducks under and follows up with a left that Rothschild also avoids with ease.
Good work by Helio as he checks the leg kick.
Helio tries to clinch there but Rothschild circles away.
A jab from Helio misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Helio fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Rothschild is looking to land body kicks.
Rothschild circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rothschild tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Helio was well out of range. Poor timing from Rothschild.
Helio swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Bancroft Rothschild is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A shot to the liver by Helio. Beautiful body shot.
Rothschild bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Helio's head.
Nice cross by Rothschild.
Helio throws a head kick that half lands.
Rothschild misses with a hook. Helio ducked under it nicely.
Rothschild lands the left hand.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A looping hook to the body misses from Rothschild. Helio does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rothschild avoids a punch combination nicely.
Helio slips under a jab.
Bancroft Rothschild seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rothschild walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Helio checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Rothschild throws a leg kick
and Helio counters with a two punch combo.
Helio chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Rothschild can pounce on him.
Rothschild chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Rothschild buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
A nice leg kick lands there from Rothschild.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Rothschild swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Rothschild connects with a right hand. Helio shakes it off.
Rothschild falls off balance throwing a combination

and Helio counters with a single leg into guard. Rothschild didn't expect that.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bancroft Rothschild dominated that round.
That's time! Helio's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Rothschild finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Helio closes the distance looking to clinch
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Rothschild throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Helio counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
A low kick from Rothschild misses
and Helio counters with a right hand to the body.
Rothschild scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Rothschild throws a leg kick that is checked
and Helio connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Rothschild takes a swing at Helio's ribcage but misses.
Rothschild thows a left - swing and a miss!
Rothschild tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Helio counters with a left and a right that stings Rothschild.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rothschild thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Helio if he has to take too many more of those.
Rothschild throws a hook but Helio avoids it easily.
Rothschild throws a head kick but Helio moves out of range.
Mikal Helio is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Rothschild moves into the clinch.
Helio stalling the fight.
With the fighters up against the cage, Rothschild throws an elbow but misses.
Rothschild is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Helio is defending well for now.
Rothschild tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Helio blocks the elbow strike.
Helio on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Rothschild throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Rothschild with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Rothschild pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Helio is working for takedown but Rothschild is calmly controlling the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Helio blocks the elbow strike.
A head punch on the inside from Rothschild fails to land.
Rothschild with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Rothschild missing with knees to the body.
Rothschild creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Rothschild stops a takedown attempt from Helio.
Rothschild using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Helio on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Rothschild tries to land knees in the clinch but Helio avoids the damage to the body.
Rothschild landing knees to the body.
Helio dodges an elbow strike from Rothschild.
Rothschild pushes off an throws an elbow but Helio leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Helio avoiding damage as Rothschild throws knees to the body.
Rothschild throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Helios head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rothschild swings wildly with an uppercut but Helio uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rothschild prevents Helio from breaking the clinch.
Helio blocks an elbow strike from Rothschild.
Bancroft Rothschild seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Rothschild tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Rothschild tries a knee to the head but Helio blocks it.
Rothschild looking to throw knees to the head but Helio is blocking nicely.
Helio on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Helio is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Rothschild gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mikal Helio. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rothschild throws an elbow but it misses.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Rothschild just misses with a elbow thrown towards Helio's brow.
Helio on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Rothschild throws an elbow that misses.
Rothschild tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Helio's elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rothschild is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Helio is defending well for now.
Rothschild throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Rothschild with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Rothschild misses with some punches.

Helio breaks the clinch.
Rothschild throws a sloppy body shot
and Helio counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Rothschild lands a nice leg kick that just misses Helio's sensitive parts.
Rothschild fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Helio is out of range.
Rothschild fails to land with a series of punches.
Rothschild wants to clinch
and Helio counters with a flying knee. Nice.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Helio scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Helio missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bancroft Rothschild showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Helio scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
A swing and a miss from Rothschild.
Rothschild looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Helio scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Helio is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rothschild throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Helio.
Bancroft Rothschild seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Rothschild misses the body punch
and Helio counters with a one-two to the body.
Helio throws out a powerful jab.
Rothschild finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Helio throws a series of strikes that have Rothschild backpedaling.
Helio uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rothschild throws a sloppy head kick and Helio moves out of range easily.
Helio misses with a head kick.
Rothschild tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Helio manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Helio moves in looking to clinch but Rothschild pushes him off.
Helio displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Rothschild throws out the jab.
Rothschild throws a leg kick which misses Helio's front leg but catches the back leg as Helio tries to avoid it.
Rothschild throws a front kick that sends Helio stumbling back into the cage.
Rothschild with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Helio slips a jab from Rothschild.
Rothschild keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Rothschild changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rothschild throws a body punch but Helio moves out of range.
Rothschild rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Helio counters with a big head kick but Rothschild shrugs it off.
Rothschild throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Helio throws a head kick but Rothschild moves out of range.
A jab from Rothschild misses.
Rothschild throws a head kick that misses.
Helio misses with a hook.
Helio is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Helio takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Helio shoots for a double leg takedown but Rothschild sprawls well. He's pushed Helio's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mikal Helio. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A jab from Rothschild misses.
Rothschild scores with a hook.
Rothschild throws a sloppy body shot
and Helio counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rothschild fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Helio.
Rothschild wants to clinch.
Rothschild throws a jab but it's blocked by Helio.
A jab from Rothschild misses.
Rothschild is looking to clinch but Helio is avoiding it.
Helio fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Rothschild avoids it really well and circles away.
Helio bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rothschild ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Helio moves away.
Rothschild tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Helio manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Helio slips under a jab.
Helio shoots in but no luck this time.
Rothschild thows a leg kick but Helio checks it
and Helio counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Rothschild thinking.
Helio lands a head kick. Rothschild smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

Helio throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Rothschild was covering up waiting for the punch and Helio finishes the takedown easily into guard.

Helio drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Rothschild dives on top into guard.
Mikal Helio has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Helio lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Rothschild!

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Mikal Helio.
I think Rothschild 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 Reed Andrews scores the fight 28:30
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 27:30
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bancroft Rothschild!
In his post fight interview, Bancroft Rothschild gave a big smile as he said 'I want Dwight ekins next iv fought some of the best so has he. I want to prove I'm the best and a win over him gets me closer to my belt'.