PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Loren Castillo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Stephen Barett (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Loren Castillo has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Castillo
vs
Barett

199 cm
24
140 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

179 cm
22
145 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Loren Castillo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Stephen Barett!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, James Atkins and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Barett drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Barett trying to control the position from guard on top but Castillo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Barett slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barett wants to get up but he can't break Castillo's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Barett wants to control from the top but Castillo keeps moving.
Castillo trying to control the position.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barett engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

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

Barett rushes Castillo and presses him up against the cage.
Castillo managing to block the knees to the body from Barett.

Barett gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.

Castillo makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

Barett throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Castillo tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Barett is in Castillo's guard.

Castillo manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Barett avoids the elbow strike from Castillo, against the cage.

Barett pulls guard.
Castillo is stalling in the full guard.
Barett bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Castillo's guard.
Castillo utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Barett accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Barett is pushing down on Castillo's leg trying to pass to half guard. Castillo is fighting to maintain full guard but Barett has managed to sneak the leg through.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Castillo is looking to control Barett's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Castillo avoid being mounted?
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Barett trying to control from half guard but Castillo is working away.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Barett moves into range and clinches up with Castillo.
Castillo trying to control the position but instead, Barett has worked for underhooks and has pushed Castillo into the cage.

Barett has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Castillo regains guard immediately.
Castillo will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Barett is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Castillo is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Castillo has escaped and now he's on top!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Castillo wants to control from the top but Barett keeps moving.
Barett can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Castillo controls the pace.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Barett trying to keep a closed guard but Castillo is proving a slippery customer.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stephen Barett dominated that 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.

Barett tries to close the distance and clinch but Castillo swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
A jab from Barett finds it's way through Castillo's defenses.
Barett throws a head kick but Castillo moves out of range.
Castillo really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Barett tries to close the distance and clinch up but Castillo swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Castillo closes this distance looking for a takedown but Barett circles away.

Castillo closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Castillo has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Barett breaks the clinch.
Barett moves into range and connects with a jab.

Castillo is rocked!
Castillo wants to clinch.
Oh Castillo is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!

Barett has Castillo up against the cage in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Barett decides to pull guard.
Barett wants to sweep here but Castillo controlling him for the moment.

Barett working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Castillo doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Castillo manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Barett keeping moving, preventing Castillo from controlling successfully.
Barett tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Castillo seems to have got his legs back now.
Castillo looking to sit in guard and control but Barett gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Barett wants to get up but he can't break Castillo's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Barett stands up and waves to Castillo to follow him.

Barett looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barett perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Barett not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Barett trying to pass the guard but Castillo defending well.
Barett scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Barett works his way into side control.
Barett working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Castillo is not content to let Barett control the position.
Barett working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Castillo tries to bench press Barett off him but Barett keeps the position.
Stephen Barett has got the better of the ground game so far.

Barett is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Castillo is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Castillo avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Barett.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Barett shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Barett showed some decent athleticism there.
Barett drops an elbow to the side of Castillo's head.
Barett is trying to control the action in half guard but Castillo is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Castillo blocking the ground and pound attempt from Barett.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stephen Barett 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!

Barett throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Castillo tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Barett is in Castillo's guard.
Barett working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Barett throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Barett with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Castillo working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Barett.
Barett working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Barett not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barett tries to free his leg and advance position but Castillo is retaining full guard.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Barett drives through with a takedown into guard.

Castillo scrambles and gets back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Castillo enables Barett to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Castillo manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Castillo wants to get back to his feet but Barett passes into half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Barett wants to pass to mount but Castillo is defending the position.
Castillo is looking for a sweep. Barett is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

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.

Barett is working for a kimura from half guard. He's really concentrating on the hold and it's allowed Castillo to slip a leg under and get back to full guard.
Barett must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Barett is stalling in the full guard.
Barett working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Barett not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Castillo is working an open guard so Barett takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Barett closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Castillo is in trouble now - Barett has advanced to mount!
Castillo is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

Barett moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Castillo has worked his arm free - good work by Castillo!

That's four 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.
Barett just content to control the position.
Castillo is looking for a sweep.
Barett controlling the position from side mount.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Barett working the ground and pound.

And that's the end of the fight!
Stephen Barett comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Barett 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 Andrew Berry scores the fight 27:30
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Stephen Barett!