PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Phillip Gray (ranked 6149 p4p, 4286 weight class) and Harold Castro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Harold Castro has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Gray
vs
Castro

169 cm
22
150
0 - 2 - 0

185 cm
25
147
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Phillip Gray!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Harold Castro!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Tarja Halkonen and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Castro avoids the head kick by Gray.
Castro is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.

Castro takes the fight into the clinch.
Gray can't break the clinch.
Castro blocks an elbow strike.
Gray throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Castro lands a body punch in the clinch.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Castro.
Castro tries to throw a body punch but Gray avoids it by throwing Castro back against the cage.
Castro scores with a shot to the side of Gray's head.
Gray working hard to break the clinch.
Castro lands a nice shot to the body.
Castro blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Castro lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Castro misses with a body punch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A short right from Castro.
Still in the clinch, Castro scores with a nice short uppercut.
Castro misses with a punch on the inside.
Castro avoids a wild elbow strike from Gray.
Gray is trying to force a seperation but Castro has the dominant position.
A knee to the head by Gray.

It looks like Harold Castro has been cut.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Castro takes an elbow to the forehead.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castro lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Gray is trying to maintain a safe position but Castro gets an underhook and turns Gray into the cage.
Castro softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Castro misses with a hook to the ribs.
With the fighters up against the cage, Gray throws an elbow but misses.
Castro works on Gray's body with a couple of short punches.
Castro misses with a punch to the body.
Castro scores with an uppercut up the middle.
A short left from Castro.
Castro throws a head punch that misses.
Gray looking to slow down the pace here.
Castro tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Gray definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Castro lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Castro works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
A body shot lands from Castro.
Castro keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Gray's efforts to push away.
Castro misses with a punch on the inside.
Castro throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Grays head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gray wants to get back to striking at distance but Castro won't allow it.
Gray blocks a body shot from Castro.
Castro blocks an elbow strike from Gray.
Castro lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Gray.
Gray blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Gray wants to break free but Castro has control.
Castro lands an uppercut.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Castro lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Castro doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Castro misses with the head strike.
Castro goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Castro misses with a body punch.
Castro tries to work over Gray's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Castro lands a left hand that snaps the head of Gray backwards.
Castro lands a body punch in the clinch.
Castro tries a body shot but Gray blocks it.
Castro has a couple of punches blocked by Gray.
Gray scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Castro tries to work over Gray's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Castro lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gray blocks an uppercut.
Gray pushes off an throws an elbow but Castro leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Castro misses with a punch to the body.
With the fighters up against the cage, Gray throws an elbow but misses.
Castro lands a right hand.

Gray breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Castro misses with a wild combination.
Castro looks winded!
Gray tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Gray throws a nice inside leg kick.
Castro is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Gray pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Gray misses with a head kick.
Harold Castro seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gray throws a head kick that misses.

Castro has taken the fight to the clinch.
Castro working aggressively here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Castro prevents Gray from breaking the clinch.
Castro working aggressively here.
Gray throws an elbow that misses.
Castro misses with a body punch.
A short right from Castro.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Castro creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gray tries to break the clinch but Castro is controlling the position.
Castro misses with a body punch.
Castro tries to throw a body punch but Gray avoids it by throwing Castro back against the cage.
Gray wants to get back to striking at distance but Castro won't allow it.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Castro as Gray tries to tie him up.
Gray wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Castro fails to land.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Castro misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Gray's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Castro misses with a punch on the inside.
Gray using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Castro has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Castro blocks the elbow strike.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Harold Castro dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Harold Castro's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Gray throws a head kick that misses.

Castro moves into the clinch successfully.
Gray is trying to break the clinch but Castro has him pressed against the cage.
Castro digs a right hand into Gray's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Gray's gas tank.
Harold Castro seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Castro scores with a shoulder strike.
Castro lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Gray.
Castro goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A right hand to the body from Castro.
Gray struggles to land a body shot inside as Castro controls his hands.
Castro blocking some punches.
A frustrated look appears on Gray's face as he tries to break the clinch.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Castro creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Castro is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gray comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Castro blocks an elbow strike from Gray.
Castro lands with a right to the head.
Castro doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Gray blocks an uppercut.
Castro has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Castro.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castro tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Gray lands an elbow inside that Castro shrugs off.
Castro struggles to land a body shot inside as Gray controls his hands.
Gray blocks an uppercut.
Castro misses with a hook to the ribs.
Gray lands an elbow inside.

That has opened up Harold Castro's cut even more.
Castro throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Castro goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Castro misses with the head strike.
Castro is breathing heavily.
Castro scores with a shoulder strike.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Castro.
Castro lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Gray wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Castro has him pressed against the cage.
Gray has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Castro struggles to land a body shot inside as Gray controls his hands.
Castro softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Castro misses with a punch on the inside.
Castro lands an uppercut.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Castro.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gray lands a knee to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gray gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
A frustrated look appears on Gray's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Gray pushes off an throws an elbow but Castro leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Castro misses with a punch to the body.
Gray throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Castro lands a body shot in the clinch.
Gray looking to stall.
Gray is trying to stall.
Castro swings wildly with an uppercut but Gray uses good head movement to avoid it.
Castro tries to work over Gray's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Castro misses with a hook to the ribs.
A frustrated look appears on Gray's face as he tries to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gray blocking some punches.
Castro can't find room to land a body shot as Gray controls the action.
Gray is trying to stall.
Castro avoiding damage as Gray throws knees to the body.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Gray.

Gray manages to break the clinch.
Gray is looking to land body kicks.
A punch combination from Castro misses.
Castro takes a swing at Gray's ribcage but misses.
Gray throws a sloppy head kick and Castro moves out of range easily.
Gray pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Gray misses with a series of wild punches.
Gray misses with a low kick.
Gray lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Castro tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Gray throws a body kick that misses.
Gray tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Castro is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Gray thinks about countering with a head kick.
Castro blocks a head kick by Gray.
Castro lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Gray backs up against the cage.
Gray throws a head kick but Castro moves out of range.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Castro moves into the clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Gray.
Castro misses with a body punch.
Gray tries to break the clinch but Castro is controlling the position.
Gray working hard to break the clinch.
Castro tries a body shot but Gray blocks it.
Castro prevents Gray from breaking the clinch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Harold Castro showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Harold Castro's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Castro tries to clinch up but Gray circles away and keeps his distance.
Castro moves out of range of the leg kick from Gray.
Castro wants to counter the offense by Gray and move into the clinch position.

Castro fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Gray, pushing him back against the cage.
Gray creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Castro's defenses.
Castro tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Gray's elbow.
Castro lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Castro blocks an elbow strike from Gray.
Gray tries to stall but Castro uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Castro softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Gray goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Castro.
Gray blocks a body shot from Castro.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gray looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Castro softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Castro tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Gray's elbow.
Castro has Gray pressed against the cage, preventing Gray from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Gray tries to stall but Castro uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Gray tries to break the clinch but Castro is controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castro scores with a shot to the side of Gray's head.
A short uppercut from Gray.

The cut above Harold Castro's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Castro takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Castro misses with a short punch on the inside.
Gray creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Gray is looking to control Castro's arms but Castro gets an underhook and turns him. Now Gray has his back to the cage.
Gray is trying to force a seperation but Castro has the dominant position.
Castro presses Gray against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
A left hand lands to the body for Castro.
Castro tries a body shot but Gray blocks it.
Castro goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Castro has Gray pressed against the cage, preventing Gray from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Castro lands with a light punch inside.
Castro tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Gray wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Castro has him pressed against the cage.
Gray throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Castro lands a left hand.
Castro misses with a body punch.
Castro misses with a hook to the ribs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gray blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Castro keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Gray's efforts to push away.
Castro tries to work over Gray's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Gray misses with an elbow strike.
Castro swings wildly with an uppercut but Gray uses good head movement to avoid it.
Gray stalling in the clinch but Castro improves position.
Castro throws a punch but it's blocked by Gray.

Gray breaks the clinch.
Gray throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.

Castro closes the distance and clinches.
Gray can't break the clinch.
Gray wants to break the clinch but can't.
Castro scores with a shot to the side of Gray's head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Castro misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Castro lands a right hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gray lands an elbow inside that Castro shrugs off.
Castro works on Gray's body with a couple of short punches.
Castro blocks a body shot from Gray.
Gray is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Castro swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Gray blocking some punches.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Gray just misses with a elbow thrown towards Castro's brow.
Castro doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A short right from Castro on the inside.
Gray wants to break the clinch but can't.
Gray wants to get back to striking at distance but Castro won't allow it.
Castro doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Gray wants to break the clinch but can't.
Nice elbow from Gray.
Gray wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Gray blocks an uppercut.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Castro.
Castro stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gray pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Gray throws a head kick but Castro moves out of range.
Castro swinging wildly here.
A nice leg kick lands there from Gray.
Castro keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Gray throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gray circles away from the clinch attempt.
Castro rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Gray moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Gray throws a wild body kick that Castro sees coming a mile off.
A head kick misses from Gray.
Castro takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Phillip Gray has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Castro closes the distance and pushes Gray back into the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Harold Castro comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Castro winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Harold Castro!