PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Shalako Carlin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Clay Castro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Carlin
vs
Castro

178 cm
18
183 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

177 cm
25
180 lbs
2 - 3 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

MERKIN FIGHTWEAR

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Shalako Carlin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Clay Castro!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Alan Glass and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Carlin showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Castro.

Carlin gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Carlin tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Castro avoids it.
Carlin tries to pull guard but Castro won't allow it.
Carlin on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

Carlin breaks from the clinch.

Castro shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Carlin is looking to improve his position.
Castro trying to pass the guard but Carlin defending well.

Carlin actively working from the bottom here.
Castro throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Carlin looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Carlin is looking for a sweep. Castro is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Castro seems to be looking for submissions.

Carlin actively working from the bottom here.
Carlin tries to roll over but Castro keeps him under control.
Castro working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Castro trying to pass the guard but Carlin defending well.
Carlin wants to control but Castro is keeping busy.
Castro trying to control the pace.
Carlin is trying to control but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Castro trying to control from Carlin's half guard. Carlin has other ideas though and has regained full guard.

Carlin working for submissions but it's allowed Castro to get to half guard.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Carlin controlling the position for now.

Carlin actively working from the bottom here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Castro is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Carlin tries to get to full guard but Castro has control of the leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Castro stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Carlin to get to his feet.
Castro will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Carlin throws a combination. Castro tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

Castro forces Carlin back against the cage and clinches.
Carlin stalling.
Carlin misses with a knee strike.
Carlin lands a nice elbow.
Carlin prevents Castro from breaking the clinch.
Carlin is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Castro gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Castro blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Carlin stops a takedown attempt from Castro.

Castro's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Carlin shoots in and drives through. Castro sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Shalako Carlin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Carlin misses with a takedown attempt

and Castro counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Carlin is breathing heavily.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Carlin keeping moving, preventing Castro from controlling successfully.

Carlin is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Castro is aware though and is defending well.
Castro chips away with some ground and pound.
Castro postures up and lands a big shot to Carlin's brow.
Castro with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Castro trying to control the position from guard on top but Carlin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Castro makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Castro postures up and lands a big shot to Carlin's brow.
Castro stands up over Carlin, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Carlin escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Castro gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Castro landing some decent shots from guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Clay Castro dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Castro changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Carlin looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Castro has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Carlin is looking to reverse the position.
Castro scores with a couple of short elbows.
Carlin manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Castro is trying to stand.
Carlin not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Castro works his way to full guard. Good work.
Castro utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Castro keeping moving, preventing Carlin from controlling successfully.

Castro uses the cage to get back to his feet.

Castro darts in and clinches Carlin up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carlin wants a takedown.
The referee calls for Carlin to work.
Castro jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Carlin walks away with a smile on his face. Castro gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Castro clinches up with Carlin and pushes him back against the cage.
Carlin gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Carlin looking to stall.
Castro gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Carlin.
Carlin effectively controlling the action here.
Carlin tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Castro tries to circle away but Carlin has him pinned against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Carlin trying to land knees to the body.
Castro tries to pull guard but Carlin forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Carlin lands an elbow that stopped Castro in his tracks for a moment.
Carlin slows down the pace here.
Castro wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Castro wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Castro managing to block the knees to the body from Carlin.
Castro takes an elbow to the temple.
Castro lands with a light punch inside.

Carlin turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Carlin tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Carlin has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Carlin working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Castro wants to get back to his feet.
Check out the look on Carlin's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
You can see the frustration on Castro's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Castro regains half guard.
Castro is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Carlin throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Carlin prevents Castro from improving his position.
Castro slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Carlin drops back, looking for a kneebar! Castro looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Castro looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Castro!
Carlin on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Carlin can't do much from the bottom here.
Castro working the body and head with strikes.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Carlin looking for a sweep but Castro has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Castro tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Clay Castro will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Carlin gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Castro managing to block the knees to the body from Carlin.
Castro wants to break free but Carlin has control.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Carlin.
Castro has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Carlin escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Carlin misses with a takedown attempt

and Castro counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Carlin!
Castro in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Clay Castro has got the better of the ground game so far.
Castro with the ground and pound from mount.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Castro looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Carlin wants to try and get back to his feet.

Castro looking for a guillotine from mount but Carlin is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castro can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Carlin is looking to escape.
Castro pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Castro postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Carlin looks a forlorn figure.
Carlin is trying desperately to improve position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Castro lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Carlin tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee warns Carlin that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Castro lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Carlin hang on?
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Castro lands a big shot there that rocks Carlin but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Castro lands a nice shot to the head.
Carlin in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Castro postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Carlin looks a forlorn figure.
Carlin taking shots to the head.
Castro unloading with bombs!
Carlin is looking to get to half guard.
Carlin is working hard here to advance position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Castro with good strikes from the mount here!
Castro with the ground and pound from mount.

Castro is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Carlin can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Castro punishing his opponent with strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Castro lands a big shot there that rocks Carlin but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Carlin is trying desperately to improve position.
Castro putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Carlin is wriggling around trying to escape.
Carlin tries to hold on but Castro pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Castro lands a big shot there that rocks Carlin but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Castro landing strikes from the mount and Carlin is in trouble!
Carlin is working to get back to half guard.
Castro is landing with some decent strikes but Carlin is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Castro working Carlin over with strikes here.
Castro tries to control but Carlin wriggling away.
Castro landing strikes from the mount.
Carlin is in a horrible position here. Castro smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Carlin is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Carlin tries to reverse the position but Castro maintains control.
Shalako Carlin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Clay Castro is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Castro controlling the position easily from mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Clay 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 27:30
Judge George Francis scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Clay Castro!
Jumping up and down and very excited, Clay Castro waved his t-shirt featuring MERKIN FIGHTWEAR's logo in front of the cameras.