PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Marcelo Castro (ranked 2227 p4p, 23254 weight class) and Mariusz Pudzianowski (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mariusz Pudzianowski will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Castro
vs
Pudzianowski

187 cm
28
265
3 - 2 - 0

200 cm
30
230
13 - 66 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Good elbows
Solid chin

Fantasy Threads

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Marcelo Castro!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 66 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mariusz Pudzianowski!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Paulo Santos and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pudzianowski throws a leg kick that is checked

and Castro decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Pudzianowski's guard.
Castro is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Castro's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Castro won't allow Pudzianowski to get back to his feet.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castro works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Castro looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Pudzianowski trying to control from the bottom.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Castro in particular looking to stall.

Castro is working for a kimura but Pudzianowski is defending it quite comfortably.
Pudzianowski blocking the ground and pound attempt from Castro.
Castro sitting and controlling from the half guard.

Pudzianowski looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Castro seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

Castro looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Castro keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Pudzianowski wants to get back to his feet.
Castro sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Castro prevents Pudzianowski from standing back up.
Castro controlling the pace.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Pudzianowski bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Pudzianowski throws a leg kick but Castro checks it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Pudzianowski lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.

Castro darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Pudzianowski is looking to get back to is feet but Castro passes into side control.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Pudzianowski walks into a left hand.
A low kick from Pudzianowski is predictable there

and Castro counters with a shoot takedown. Pudzianowski fights it but they end up in guard.
Castro is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Castro is working Pudzianowski over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Marcelo Castro overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Castro is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Further stalling from Castro.
If it seems like I'm not saying a lot, it's just because Castro is stinking the place up with his stalling.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castro distracts Pudzianowski with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Pudzianowski controls Castro momentarily but Castro frees himself.
Pudzianowski really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Castro. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Castro looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Pudzianowski is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Castro with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Castro postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Castro sitting in guard here, content to control.
Castro working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Castro might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Castro slips nicely into half guard.
Castro works his way into side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pudzianowski is working to avoid the ground and pound but Castro connects with a decent elbow.
Castro is working Pudzianowski over with some ground and pound from side control.
Castro moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Castro lands a nice forearm strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Castro is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Pudzianowski's shoulder. That is not cool.

Castro tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Castro has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Pudzianowski is being controlled here.
Castro is working Pudzianowski over with some ground and pound from side control.
Castro controlling the position from side mount.
Pudzianowski looking for a sweep but Castro has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Castro takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Marcelo Castro dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Castro tries to clinch up.

Castro scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Castro seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Nice strikes from Castro there.
Castro performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Castro passes the guard and advances to mount!
Castro controlling his opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Castro with shots to the head and body - Pudzianowski looks very uncomfortable down there.

It looks like Mariusz Pudzianowski has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Pudzianowski defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Castro.
Castro tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Pudzianowski is bucking up trying to escape but Castro cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Castro is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Pudzianowski can do to turn this around?
A nice elbow there by Castro.

Pudzianowski is rocked!

That has opened up Mariusz Pudzianowski's cut even more.
Castro looking to control and managing it successfully.
Pudzianowski is still in real trouble! Can Castro finish him?
Castro lands a heavy elbow.

The cut above Mariusz Pudzianowski's eye is starting to cause him problems now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Castro controlling the position easily from mount.
Pudzianowski seems to have recovered his senses.
Oooh a big shot lands for Castro! Pudzianowski is out! The ref dives in to save him from more punishment!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:42 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Marcelo Castro!
After the fight, Marcelo Castro was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.