PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between George Castanza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mahomet Zuradov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Castanza
vs
Zuradov

163 cm
25
142 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

165 cm
25
145 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, George Castanza!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mahomet Zuradov!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Anni Minnemäki and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zuradov will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Zuradov loads up on a big right hand but Castanza slips the punch.

Castanza clinches with his opponent.

Zuradov is fighting off a takedown attempt but Castanza is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Zuradov to the mat. Zuradov regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Castanza is stalling in the full guard.
Zuradov trying to control the position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Castanza accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Castanza not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Castanza working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Castanza keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Zuradov's head.
Zuradov preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castanza with a flurry of punches that miss.
Castanza is looking to work some ground and pound but Zuradov has wrist control.
Castanza has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Zuradov controls Castanza momentarily but Castanza frees himself.
Zuradov is looking to stand up but Castanza isn't so interested in that idea.
Zuradov trying to keep a closed guard but Castanza is proving a slippery customer.
Zuradov is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Castanza stopping the sweep attempt from Zuradov.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Castanza wants to pass the guard but Zuradov is keeping the position.
Castanza with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Castanza postures up and lands a big shot to Zuradov's brow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Zuradov wants to stand up but Castanza is controlling him.
Castanza trying to control but Zuradov is working from the bottom.
Castanza lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Zuradov looking to control.
Castanza trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Zuradov is looking to stand up but Castanza isn't so interested in that idea.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Mahomet Zuradov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Castanza slips a jab and a cross from Zuradov.
Zuradov thows a left - swing and a miss!
A jab from Zuradov misses.
Zuradov uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Castanza has time to react.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zuradov misses with a few strikes there.
A swing and a miss from Zuradov.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Zuradov enables Castanza to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Zuradov manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Zuradov trying to control the position.
Castanza looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Castanza loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Castanza lands a couple of elbows.
Castanza landing some decent shots from guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zuradov keeping moving, preventing Castanza from controlling successfully.
Castanza lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Castanza trying to control but Zuradov is working from the bottom.
Zuradov wants to sweep but no luck.
Castanza working some strikes from top position.
Zuradov is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Castanza is controlling him.
Castanza working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Zuradov is trying to hold Castanza in close to prevent damage but Castanza has managed to pass into half guard.
Zuradov trying to control here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nice strikes from Castanza there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

George Castanza 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.

Zuradov misses with a straight left.
Zuradov misses with a left hand
and Castanza counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Zuradov throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Zuradov throws out a loose jab but Castanza uses good head movement to avoid it.
Zuradov misses with a left hand

and Castanza counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Castanza not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Castanza prevents Zuradov from standing back up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zuradov wants to control but Castanza is keeping busy.
Castanza tries to pass the half guard into mount. Zuradov knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Castanza drops an elbow to the side of Zuradov's head.
Castanza 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zuradov looks like he's trying to stand up.
Zuradov on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Castanza sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Zuradov defending well though.
Zuradov makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Zuradov.
Zuradov working a defensive guard here.
Castanza working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Zuradov's head.
Castanza trying to control the position from guard on top but Zuradov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Zuradov working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Castanza.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Castanza throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Zuradov works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Castanza wants to control from the top but Zuradov keeps moving.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Zuradov throws a hook but Castanza blocks it.
Zuradov throws a body punch but Castanza moves out of range.
Zuradov swings widly with a right hand

and Castanza counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Castanza.
Castanza trying to control the position from guard on top but Zuradov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Castanza stops Zuradov from standing up.
Castanza keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Zuradov's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Castanza stopping the sweep attempt from Zuradov.
Zuradov keeping moving, preventing Castanza from controlling successfully.
Castanza stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Zuradov swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Zuradov has momentary wrist control but Castanza slips an elbow through the middle.
Castanza is pushing down on Zuradov's leg trying to pass to half guard. Zuradov is fighting to maintain full guard but Castanza has managed to sneak the leg through.
Castanza is trying to control. Zuradov wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Castanza not doing much here.
Castanza looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Castanza content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Zuradov is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Castanza throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Castanza drops an elbow to the side of Zuradov's head.
Castanza looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Zuradov with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Castanza is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Zuradov is trying to escape back to his feet but Castanza uses the scramble to pass into side control.
Zuradov is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Zuradov tries to escape but Castanza is in control.
Castanza looks up at the clock and then as Zuradov takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Castanza smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

George Castanza dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Castanza rushes Zuradov and presses him up against the cage.
Zuradov swings wildly with an uppercut but Castanza uses good head movement to avoid it.
A head punch on the inside from Zuradov fails to land.

Castanza turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Zuradov struggling a bit here.
Castanza lands some shots froms side control.
Castanza landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Castanza scoring with punches and elbows.
Castanza looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Zuradov is avoiding damage well.
Zuradov is trying to buck Castanza off.
Castanza scores with punches from side control.
Zuradov takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castanza wants to control but Zuradov is keeping him busy.
Zuradov wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Zuradov is trying to escape the position but Castanza is controlling the position.
You can see the frustration on Zuradov's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Zuradov is looking to get back to his feet here but Castanza is keeping cool and he's managed to take Zuradov's back.
Castanza lands a punch to the side of the head from the back.
Zuradov is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Castanza is throwing punches to the body, looking to soften Zuradov up.
Zuradov rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Mahomet Zuradov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zuradov is trying to stand back up but Castanza is controlling him
Castanza perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Castanza not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
George Castanza overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Castanza is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Zuradov!
Castanza is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Castanza in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

Zuradov is rocked!
Castanza with a couple of short strikes.
Zuradov is still in real trouble! Can Castanza finish him?
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Castanza connects with a bit shot that sees Zuradov covering up! More strikes from Castanza and the referee jumps in to stop the fight! Castanza is our winner by TKO!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:51 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). George Castanza!