PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Fernando Castello (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Patricio Freire (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Castello
vs
Freire

177 cm
18
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

166 cm
18
154 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

(T.H.C) BlackOut Supplements
(T.H.C) BlackOut Supplements

Gilop®

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Fernando Castello!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Patricio Freire!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Edson Gomes and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Freire feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

Castello pushes Freire off and scrambles back to his feet.

Freire closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Freire lands in his opponent's guard.
Castello controlling Freire's posture.
Freire sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Castello's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Freire takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Castello tries to get to full guard but Freire has control of the leg.
Freire stops Castello from getting back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castello wants to improve his position but Freire is controlling well.
Freire thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Castello's head.
Castello is looking to improve his position.
Castello tries to kick Freire off but Freire keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Freire controlling the pace.
Castello is looking to control Freire's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Castello avoid being mounted?

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Freire drives through with a takedown into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Castello trying to keep a closed guard but Freire is proving a slippery customer.
Castello controlling Freire's posture.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Castello striking off his back but it's not causing Freire any problems.
Castello wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Castello is breathing heavily.

Castello working for submissions but it's allowed Freire to get to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Freire takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Freire not doing much here.
Freire trying to control from half guard but Castello is working away.
Freire perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Freire decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Freire keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Castello trying to control from the bottom.
Freire not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Freire tries to pass to full mount but Castello defends it.
Freire wants to control but Castello is keeping him busy.
Freire is pressing down on Castello's thigh, looking to free his foot. Castello is holding on for now.
Freire trying to control the action but Castello is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Patricio Freire dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Freire doesn't manage to clinch there - Castello circles away.

Castello closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Freire quickly recovers to half guard.
Freire is trying to maintain the position but Castello is very close to passing his half guard.
Castello wants to control but Freire is keeping him busy.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Castello is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Freire doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Castello.
Castello will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Freire is trying to maintain the position but Castello is very close to passing his half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castello wants to lay and pray for a moment but Freire keeps working.
Freire slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Castello drops back, looking for a kneebar! Freire looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Freire looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Freire!

Freire decides to stand back up.

Freire closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Freire sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Castello defending well though.
Castello is refusing to be controlled, as Freire sits in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Freire takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

Freire is working for a submission of some sort.
Castello misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Castello trying to control here.
Freire missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Freire is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Castello is trying to get back to full guard.
Patricio Freire has got the better of the ground game so far.
Freire trying to mount his opponent but Castello defends it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Castello trying to hold on to Freire's head to control him but Freire postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Patricio Freire 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! This is the final round!

The fight stays on the outside here - Freire looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Castello.
Freire is looking to reverse the position.
Castello moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Castello wants to control but Freire is keeping him busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Freire's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Castello trying to control the position but Freire is working away.
Castello postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Freire gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Freire trying to control here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Freire wants to get back to full guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Freire pushes Castello off looking to stand but Castello dives back in and keeps control.
Freire wants to improve his position but Castello is controlling well.
Freire won't allow Castello to pass to mount.
Freire gets back to full guard.
Freire wants to sweep here but Castello controlling him for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Castello wants to control from the top but Freire keeps moving.
Freire is adopting a defensive guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Fernando Castello.

Freire shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Castello is trying to defend but Freire finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Freire is pressing down on Castello's thigh, looking to free his foot. Castello is holding on for now.

Freire is working for a submission of some sort.
Freire thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Patricio Freire.
Well Freire has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 27:30
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Patricio Freire!