By Mike Hammersmith

With the original main event cancelled due to medical complications, all eyes shifted towards two rising stars within the New England scene at Cage Titans 34 in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

Searching for his fifth victory in his first calendar year as a professional, Joe Giannetti (4-0) faced off with Vince McGuinness (5-6) in a mid-paced affair. The Bang Muay Thai instructor McGuinness would find himself confounded by the highly-unorthodox Giannetti, whose use of low percentage kick techniques would trap McGuinness largely on the outside.

Giannetti's matwork, which had proven to be insurmountable in all four of his professional bouts, was kept just short of lethal by a patient defensive game by McGuinness, who survived numerous D'arce and guillotine attempts across three rounds. While the bout was more competitive than the trifecta of 30-27 scores would indicate, it provided Giannetti with some much needed cage time for the young pro, while showcasing the ultra-durability of the journeyman McGuinness.

Another New England fighter looking to inch ever closer to the world stage, Peter Barrett (8-0) faced off with Michigan-based battler Drew Morais (6-4) in what was billed as a Striker vs Wrestler showcase. Flipping the script for this fight, the striker Barrett came out aggressively, using a rugged muay thai clinch comprised of tight elbows and upper body control. It was in the wrestler creating separation that the end came however, Morais hurling a lightning bolt of a left hand that floored the undefeated Barrett; follow-up hammerfists spelling the end as referee Alan Lau stepped in to save the downed fighter.

The loss comes as a hiccup for the heavily-touted Barrett, who hasn't tasted defeat since a 2012 amateur bout at Cage Titans 7.

Cage Titans 34 Results:

Professional Card:

Jimmy Manning defeats Montoyia Swilling via 1st Round Submission (triangle)
Johnny Campbell defeats Timothy Wheeler via 1s Round Submission (RNC)
Joe Giannetti defeats Vince McGuinness via Unanimous Decision (30-27x3)
Drew Morais defeats Peter Barrett via 1st Round TKO (punches)
Frank Sforza defeats  Jay Ellis via 1st Round Submission (RNC)

Amateur Card:

John Semenuk defeats Aaron Hughes via  1st Round Submission (RNC)
Matt Waddell defeats Jordan Brown via Unanimous Decision (30-27x3)
Pat Crowley defeats Brandon Conrad via 1st round KO (punches)
Chris Sniger defeats Antoine Caparotta via Unanimous Decision (29-28x3)
Pat Gilbride defeats Mike Albert via 1st Round Submission (armbar)
Chris O'Brien defeats Josh Halladay via 2nd Round Submission (guillotine)
Fabio Cherant defeats Ron Marshall via 1st Round Submission (RNC)
Trevor Gudde defeats Marty Navis via Split Decision (30-27x2, 28-29)
Hilarie Rose defeats LaNeisha Vinson via Unanimous Decision (29-28x3)
Zach DiSabatino vs Gerald Meuse ends in Majority Draw (47-47x2, 48-46 DiSabatino) (Amateur 155lb Title)
Jake Kasperowski defeats Josh Meehan via Unanimous Decision (49-46, 48-47x2) (Amateur 125lb Title)