PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Fidel Castro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Benny Bishop (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Castro
vs
Bishop

190 cm
23
160 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

181 cm
22
159 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Inexperienced

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Fidel Castro!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Benny Bishop!
The judges for this bout are Sandra Marshall, David Hoff and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Castro moves into the clinch.
The referee calls for Bishop to work.

Castro is fighting off a takedown attempt but Bishop is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Castro to the mat. Castro regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Bishop working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Bishop stops Castro from standing up.
Bishop throwing strikes but missing.
Bishop looking to sit in guard and control but Castro gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Castro trying to stand up but can't free himself from Bishop's guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Castro slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castro wants to control from the top but Bishop keeps moving.
Castro sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Castro has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Bishop has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Castro is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
Castro tries to pull guard but Bishop holds him up against the cage and eventually Castro drops back down to his feet.
Castro is trying to stall.
Bishop doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Bishop drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Castro is trying to pull guard but Bishop turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Castro managing to block the knees to the body from Bishop.
Castro definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.

Bishop gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Bishop working Castro over with strikes.
Castro is trying to stand back up but Bishop is controlling him
Castro is looking for a sweep. Bishop is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bishop throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Castro is looking to improve his position.
Bishop trying to control from half guard but Castro is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Castro keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Bishop lands a nice short elbow.

Bishop is looking for a kimura but Castro is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Bishop to get the leverage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bishop seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Bishop is looking to advance position but Castro won't allow it.
Castro wants to get back to full guard.
Bishop content to control rather than advance.

Bishop is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Castro defends it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Bishop is looking for a kimura but Castro is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Bishop to get the leverage.

Bishop wants to work for an arm triangle but Castro is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Bishop throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Bishop wants to lay and pray for a moment but Castro keeps working.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Bishop throwing shots but Castro is blocking nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Bishop dives in for a single leg takedown but Castro sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Castro misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Castro displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Bishop.

Bishop shoots in and bounces Castro off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Bishop throws a big elbow that misses.
Castro wants to stand but Bishop is controlling the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Castro keeping moving, preventing Bishop from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bishop cracks Castro with a solid left hand.
Bishop trying to control but Castro is working from the bottom.
Bishop throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Castro wants to sweep but no luck.

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

Castro moves into range and clinches up with Bishop.
Castro is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Bishop pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Castro is trying to push Bishop away but Bishop has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Castro is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Bishop doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Bishop has Castro pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Castro manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Fidel Castro has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Benny Bishop.
Castro tries to pull guard but Bishop holds him up against the cage and eventually Castro drops back down to his feet.
Bishop swings wildly with an uppercut but Castro uses good head movement to avoid it.
Bishop is looking for a takedown.

Bishop has Castro pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Bishop pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Castro tumbling to the mat - Bishop dives into Castro's guard.
Bishop lands a couple of elbows.

Bishop thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Castro working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Bishop.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bishop drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Bishop jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Bishop with a flurry of punches that miss.
Bishop trying to control the position from guard on top but Castro is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bishop sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Bishop wants to pass the guard but Castro is keeping the position.
Bishop throwing strikes from guard but Castro blocks nicely.

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.
Bishop is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Castro trying to control the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Castro misses with a body shot.
Bishop looks for a takedown but Castro sprawls well.
As Bishop looks to move away, Castro throws a big counter combo bu Bishop just gets out of the way.
Fidel Castro is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Bishop is looking to clinch.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Castro.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Castro misses with a series of wild punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Benny Bishop showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Castro instigates a clinch.
Bishop manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Castro is pressed up against the cage. Bishop has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Castro down to the mat. Castro avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Castro really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Bishop has a takedown stuffed.
Bishop throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Castro's waist but Castro gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Bishop off to one side.
Fidel Castro has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Benny Bishop.

Bishop decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Castro tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Castro looks like he's trying to stand up.

Bishop is trying to work for a kimura but Castro is defending well.
Castro blocking the ground and pound attempt from Bishop.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bishop is taking a breather. Castro says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

Castro is defending against the submission attempts here by Bishop.
Bishop is thwarting Castro's attempts to control the position.
Bishop throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Castro wants to get back to full guard.
Benny Bishop is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Bishop is taking a breather. Castro says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Bishop's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Bishop tries to clinch up but Castro circles away and keeps his distance.
Castro tries to counter with a takedown but Bishop is quick to defend against it.

Castro instigates a clinch.
Bishop keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Castro's efforts to push away.
Bishop has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Castro after a bit of a struggle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bishop has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Castro after a bit of a struggle.
Castro stalling in the clinch but Bishop improves position.
Castro is trying to pull guard but Bishop has him pressed against the cage.
Bishop is pressed up against the cage. Castro has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Bishop down to the mat. Bishop avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Bishop wants to clinch.

Bishop manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Castro on his heels. He'll look to pass Castro's guard now, I'm sure.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bishop sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Bishop wants to control from the top but Castro keeps moving.
Castro working a defensive guard here.
Bishop tries to free his leg and advance position but Castro is retaining full guard.
Benny Bishop has got the better of the ground game so far.
Bishop controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Castro is trying to control the position but Bishop postures up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Benny Bishop comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Bishop 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 Sandra Marshall scores the fight 27:30
Judge David Hoff scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Benny Bishop!