PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Giovani Castro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vesa Sykk (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sykk is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Rage Against The Machine - Killing In The Name . Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Castro
vs
Sykk

170 cm
32
162 lbs
27 - 15 - 1

172 cm
32
163 lbs
24 - 14 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Museum of Monsters & Madmen
Mohito Fightwear

Museum of Monsters & Madmen
Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 27 - 15 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Giovani Castro!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 14 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Vesa Sykk!
The judges for this bout are Steven Brown, Colin Fotheringham and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Castro misses the shot to the body.
Castro misses with a looping left.
Castro takes one on the chin but seems OK.
We've been told by Castro's head coaches at Turbo Gym that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Castro feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Sykk's calf.
Castro connects with a body shot.
Sykk tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Castro was well out of range. Poor timing from Sykk.
Castro punishes Sykk's body with a nice straight punch.
Castro throws a series of punches but Sykk moves out of range.
Castro scores with a nice strike.
Castro uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Sykk.
Sykk chopping away at his opponent's legs.
A bone on bone clash there as Castro blocks the leg kick.
Castro lands a slapping body shot.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Castro ducks under a wild hook from Sykk.
Castro is looking to counter punch.
Castro lands a two punch combo.

It looks like Vesa Sykk has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sykk shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.

Sykk is rocked!
Sykk lands with a straight right. Castro didn't see that one coming.
Sykk is still on wobbly legs! Can Castro finish him?
Giovani Castro seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Castro waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Sykk.
Sykk seems to have recovered his senses.
Castro takes a swing at Sykk's ribcage but misses.
Sykk chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Castro can pounce on him.
Sykk slips a jab from Castro.
Castro scores with a leg kick.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Castro!
Castro throws a hook but Sykk blocks it.
Sykk has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Castro misses with the combination.
Sykk scores with a hook to the body. Castro takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Castro throws out a powerful jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Castro scores with a jab. Sykk acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Sykk takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Castro throws the left hand but Sykk avoids the punch easily.
Sykk is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Castro with a body shot.
Castro connects with a good right hand that stumbles Sykk. Sykk circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Sykk lands with a kick to the ribs.
Sykk fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Castro is looking to counter punch.
Castro misses with a hook
and Sykk connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Castro misses with a low kick.
A big right from Castro misses.
A good leg kick by Castro.
Sykk throws the kick towards the body but Castro avoids it.
Sykk lands a nice shot to the body.
Sykk works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.

Sykk closes the distance and pushes Castro back into the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Castro throws a punch but it's blocked by Sykk.
Sykk is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Castro is keeping busy.
Sykk blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Sykk scores with a shoulder strike.
Castro swings wildly with an uppercut but Sykk uses good head movement to avoid it.
Sykk working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Castro misses with a punch on the inside.
Castro swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Castro with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Sykk creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Castro dodges an elbow strike from Sykk.
Castro scores with a shot to the side of Sykk's head.
Sykk works on Castro's body with a couple of short punches.
Castro misses with a hook from the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Castro.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Castro.
Sykk managing to block the knees to the body from Castro.
Castro with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
A short right from Sykk on the inside.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Castro fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A head punch on the inside from Castro fails to land.
Castro lands a nice uppercut.
Castro misses with the head strike.
Sykk gets through Castro's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Sykk lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Castro with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Castro breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Sykk throws a quick inside leg kick.
Sykk slips under a jab from Castro.
Sykk scoring well with a low kick there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Giovani Castro dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Vesa Sykk's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Sykk slips a straight right by Castro.
Castro ducks under a wild hook from Sykk.
Castro scores with a jab. Sykk acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
The fight stays on the outside here - Castro looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Castro gets a clinch.
Sykk lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Castro.
A head punch on the inside from Sykk fails to land.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Castro obliges.
Sykk takes a shot to the head.
Sykk managing to block the knees to the body from Castro.
Castro makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Castro.
Sykk misses with a short punch on the inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sykk misses with a punch on the inside.
Castro blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Castro throws a punch but it's blocked by Sykk.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Sykk.
Sykk looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Castro lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Castro lands with a left to the head.
Castro blocks an uppercut.
Sykk lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Castro backwards.
Castro misses with a punch on the inside.
Castro lands with a short shot to the head.
Castro lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Sykk backwards.
Castro blocks an uppercut.
Castro tries a knee to the head but Sykk blocks it.
Castro tries to land a knee to the head but Sykk blocks with his arms.
Sykk lands with a left to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sykk working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Castro is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Sykk can do to turn this around?
Castro tries to land a knee to the head but Sykk blocks with his arms.
Castro swings wildly with an uppercut but Sykk uses good head movement to avoid it.
Castro takes a shot to the head.

Castro breaks the clinch.
Nice shot by Castro.
The fighters circling - Sykk throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
A slapping body kick lands there for Sykk.
Giovani Castro is winning the standup battle so far.
Castro misses with a looping right.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Sykk, as that shot connected.
Castro fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Sykk is out of range.
Sykk throws a leg kick but Castro moved away.

Castro moves into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Castro misses with a punch on the inside.
Sykk letting Castro take a breather here.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Sykk's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Sykk lands with a light punch inside.
Castro is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Sykk is defending well for now.
Sykk misses with the head strike.
Sykk working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Sykk misses with a punch on the inside.
Sykk scores with a shoulder strike.
Sykk has a couple of punches blocked by Castro.
Castro swings wildly with an uppercut but Sykk uses good head movement to avoid it.
Sykk blocking some punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Castro swings wildly with an uppercut but Sykk uses good head movement to avoid it.
Castro fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Castro looking to stall.
Castro swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Sykk lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Sykk lands with a right to the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sykk pushes off an throws an elbow but Castro leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Castro is struggling to control the position.
Castro utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Castro misses with some punches.
Castro misses with some punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Giovani Castro will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Vesa Sykk's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Castro bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Castro misses with a wild body shot.
As Castro backs off Sykk throws a huge counter combo but Castro manages to avoid it all.
A solid leg kick lands there for Sykk.
Castro connects with a leg kick. Sykk looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Castro wants to clinch.
Castro cracks Sykk with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sykk throws out a leg kick but Castro moves out of range and Sykk only half commits.
Castro uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Sykk.
Castro connects with a body shot.
Nice straight punches there by Sykk. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Sykk.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A cross from Sykk lands.
Castro thuds a left hand into Sykk's body.
Castro misses with a looping left.
A little jabbing left from Sykk on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Sykk ducks under a wild hook from Castro.
Sykk is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Castro connects with a body shot.
Sykk throws a hook but Castro blocks it.
Castro throws the left hand but Sykk avoids the punch easily.

A big head kick from Sykk and Castro is sent sprawling to the canvas!

Castro is rocked!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sykk postures up and lands a big shot to Castro's brow.
Oh Castro is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Castro working a defensive guard here.
Sykk throwing strikes from guard but Castro blocks nicely.
Sykk wants to pass the guard but Castro is keeping the position.
Castro looking to control.
Sykk stands up over Castro, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Sykk working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Castro seems to have got his legs back now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sykk trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Castro utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Sykk postures up.
Sykk loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sykk is looking to work some ground and pound but Castro has wrist control.
Sykk scoring with some ground and pound.
Sykk wants to control from the top but Castro keeps moving.
Castro pulls Sykk in close to prevent any damage.
Sykk trying to control the position from guard on top but Castro is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sykk scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sykk loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Sykk scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Castro working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Sykk.
Sykk missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Castro avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Sykk trying to control the position from guard on top but Castro is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Castro controlling the position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Castro scores with a head kick. Sykk tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sykk lands a lovely overhand right.
Castro tried to score with a low kick but Sykk checks it.
Castro avoids the body shot from Sykk.
Sykk bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Castro's head.
Castro gets clipped by a big right hand and goes down spinning to the canvas! Sykk gets the back mount and begins to drop bombs on his rocked foe! Castro is too out of it to defend against the strikes and the referee jumps in to save him from the beatdown!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:25 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Vesa Sykk!
A relieved looking Vesa Sykk thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.