PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Guillermo Castillo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Casey Cullen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). 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.

Castillo
vs
Cullen

184 cm
25
171 lbs
8 - 5 - 0

177 cm
22
184 lbs
8 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Great elbows
Good gas tank

•‡• LION Clothing •‡• [CBK]

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 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Guillermo Castillo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Casey Cullen!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Emerson Jorge and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Castillo pivots, looking for a leg kick but Cullen is out of range and Castillo settles back down.
Castillo tries to land a front kick but Cullen steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Cullen leaves Castillo with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Cullen leaves Castillo with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Cullen blocks a low kick nicely.
Castillo throws a half hearted mid kick.
Castillo throws a body kick that misses.
Cullen ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Cullen takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Castillo tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Castillo is looking to slow Cullen down with leg kicks.
Castillo looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Cullen is fending him off so far but Castillo persists. Nope, Cullen circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Guillermo Castillo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cullen throws a right and a left that Castillo avoids nicely.
Castillo staying out of range there.
The fighters circle momentarily. Cullen darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Cullen avoids a low kick by using good footwork.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cullen tries to close the distance and clinch but Castillo swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Cullen scores with a crisp jab that stopped Castillo in his tracks.
Cullen dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Castillo shoots in but no luck this time.
Castillo is looking to score with low kicks.
Castillo keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Cullen scores with a crisp jab that stopped Castillo in his tracks.

Castillo scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Cullen wants to get back to full guard.
Cullen trying to control here.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Castillo throwing shots but Cullen is blocking nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Castillo not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Cullen trying to control from the bottom.
Castillo wants to pass the guard but Cullen is defending well.
Castillo is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Cullen not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Castillo throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Cullen looking to hit a scissor sweep but Castillo is one step ahead there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Castillo postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Castillo slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

Castillo is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Castillo thows a big elbow that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Castillo trying to control but Cullen is working from the bottom.
Castillo engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Cullen is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Castillo wants to pass the guard but Cullen is keeping the position.
Castillo throws a big right hand that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Casey Cullen dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Castillo has a takedown stuffed.
Cullen lands a nice looking body shot.
Cullen is looking to clinch but Castillo is avoiding it.

Cullen gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Castillo creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

Castillo breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Cullen tries to clinch there but Castillo circles away.
Cullen scores with a nice head shot.
A jab from Cullen does it's job there.
Castillo avoids the body shot from Cullen.
Cullen ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Castillo moves away.
Cullen fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Castillo manages to avoid it.
Castillo fails with a takedown attempt.
Castillo misses with a takedown attempt - Cullen sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Guillermo Castillo. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cullen misses with a lunging right hand
and Castillo counters with a nice body kick.
Cullen looks to land a combination. Castillo sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Cullen misses with an uppercut.
Cullen misses the shot to the body.
Castillo tries for a takedown but Cullen circles away easily
and Cullen counters with a series of strikes. Castillo will be more careful next time no doubt.
Castillo keeps the fight on the outside.
Castillo shoots in for a takedown but Cullen shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Casey Cullen is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Castillo throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Castillo has a takedown stuffed.
Cullen takes a swing at Castillo's ribcage but misses.
Castillo is looking to score with low kicks.
Cullen fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Castillo looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cullen wants to clinch

and Castillo decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Cullen's guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Castillo with a flurry of punches that miss.
Castillo landing some decent shots from guard.
Castillo pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Cullen is keeping the position for now.
Castillo stands and throws Cullen's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Castillo wants to control but Cullen is keeping him busy.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cullen wants to control but Castillo postures up.
Castillo working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Castillo with the ground and pound but Cullen regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Castillo uses his free foot to push down on Cullen's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Cullen.
Castillo with shots to the head and body - Cullen looks very uncomfortable down there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Castillo is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Cullen has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Cullen!
Castillo is trying to control the position from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Casey Cullen will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Cullen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Cullen misses with a straight left.
Castillo walks into a left hand.
Cullen swings widly with a right hand
and Castillo makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Castillo throws a body punch but Cullen moves out of range.
Castillo lands with a nice body kick.

Castillo drives through with a takedown into guard.
Castillo loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Cullen keeping moving, preventing Castillo from controlling successfully.
Castillo working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Castillo throws and elbow that misses. Cullen uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Castillo's guard. Nice move by Cullen!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cullen preventing the sweep.
Castillo is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Guillermo Castillo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Castillo is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Castillo keeping moving, preventing Cullen from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cullen stopping the sweep attempt from Castillo.
Castillo manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Castillo putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Castillo throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Castillo throwing strikes here but Cullen is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Castillo thowing shots but they're missing.
Castillo has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Castillo looking to finish with strikes here!

Castillo is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Cullen has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Cullen!
Cullen wants to control from the top but Castillo keeps moving.

And that's the end of the fight!
Guillermo Castillo showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Cullen 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 29:28
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 28:29
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Casey Cullen!