PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jesus Castillo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gilbert Burns (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Castillo's entrance music is Ave Maria. A fine choice. Jesus Castillo could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Gilbert Burns's chin.

Castillo
vs
Burns

173 cm
21
149 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

193 cm
22
290 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter fighter
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the super heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jesus Castillo!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Gilbert Burns!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Luis Engracia and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Castillo darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Burns is refusing to be controlled, as Castillo sits in half guard.
Burns is looking for a sweep. Castillo is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Castillo wants to control but Burns is keeping him busy.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Castillo trying to control from Burns's half guard. Burns has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Castillo trying to control but Burns is working from the bottom.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

That's one minute gone in the round.

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

You can see the frustration on Castillo's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Castillo is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Burns off and has taken his back!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Castillo has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Burns has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!

Burns defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Castillo's arms.

Castillo is looking for a rear naked choke here but Burns reverses the position brilliantly into Castillo's guard!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Castillo looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burns postures up.

Castillo throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Burns escapes and throws Castillo's legs to the side, diving into side control!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Castillo tries to control but Burns manages to take his back.

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.
Castillo tries to escape the position.
Castillo wants to control his opponent's hands but Burns gets his hands free.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Castillo tries to roll but Burns sticks to his back.
Castillo is working hard here to advance position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Gilbert Burns will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Castillo drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Burns pulls Castillo in close to his closed guard and prevents Castillo from doing any damage or advancing position.
Castillo tries to free his leg and advance position but Burns is retaining full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Castillo trying to control but Burns is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Castillo shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Burns napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Castillo is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Burns can do to turn this around?
Burns struggling a bit here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Castillo has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Burns has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.

Castillo shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Burns napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Jesus Castillo overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Castillo goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Burns rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Castillo's guard! Nice work there by Burns!

Castillo throws his legs up looking for a submission but Burns uses it to pass to side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Burns is continuing to stall.
Burns advances to full mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Castillo tries to lock up and control but Burns gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Castillo is desperately trying to improve his position but Burns has a good base and remains in mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jesus Castillo dominated that second 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.

Castillo looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Castillo trying to control the position from guard on top but Burns is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Castillo looking to sit in guard and control but Burns gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Burns stays in close to Castillo's body and controls the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Castillo has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Burns is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Castillo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castillo tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Burns presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Burns tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Castillo is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

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 tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Castillo tries to hold on but Burns pushes him away.
Castillo might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burns takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Castillo is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

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.
Burns controlling from mount.
Castillo tries to hold on but Burns postures up.
Burns sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Burns avoids the attempt from Castillo to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gilbert Burns really dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Burns gets caught napping as Castillo dives in and scores a takedown. Burns manages to retain guard.
Castillo is looking to pass into half guard but Burns pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Burns is in guard.

Burns seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Castillo controls Burns momentarily but Burns frees himself.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Castillo looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Burns passes into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castillo is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Burns is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Castillo is desperately trying to improve his position but Burns has a good base and remains in mount.
Castillo tries to hold on but Burns pushes him away.
Burns prevents Castillo from getting the reversal.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.
Burns looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Let's hope that Burns has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Burns prevents Castillo from getting the reversal.
Burns avoids the attempt from Castillo to control.
Castillo manages to regain half guard. Good work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Castillo tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Burns has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Castillo tries to hold on but Burns pushes him away.
Burns content just to control the position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Castillo really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Castillo tries to lock up and control but Burns gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Castillo tries to get back to half guard but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gilbert Burns dominated that fourth round.
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!

Burns tries to sprawl but Castillo drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Castillo seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Burns does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Castillo stalling away here and it's allowed Burns to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Castillo has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Castillo wants to control from the top but Burns keeps moving.
Castillo tries to free his leg and advance position but Burns is retaining full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Burns is pulling down on Castillo's head. It's preventing any offense from Castillo, at least for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castillo trying to control but Burns is working from the bottom.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Castillo stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Burns swivels though and keeps the full guard.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Castillo drives through with a takedown into Burns's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Burns has control of Castillo's left arm, preventing Castillo from doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Castillo trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Burns manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Castillo working a defensive guard but Burns manages to pass into side control anyway.
Castillo wants to control but Burns postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Castillo tries to control but Burns manages to take his back.
Castillo can't escape the position.
Burns avoiding Castillo 's attempts to control his hands.
Castillo wants to get back to his feet.
Both of our modern day gladiators look out of it here - a gruelling 5 rounds of action taking it's toll on them, no doubt.
Burns is not going to allow Castillo to sit and survive in this position.

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.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Castillo is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Burns is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Gilbert Burns.
Well Burns 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 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 48:47
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 48:47
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 48:47

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jesus Castillo!
Jesus Castillo is the new super heavyweight champion!
A relieved looking Jesus Castillo thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.