PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Cullen Castrello (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dixie Small (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cullen Castrello had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Castrello
vs
Small

185 cm
28
156 lbs
14 - 4 - 1

167 cm
25
155 lbs
9 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Great elbows
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Granite chin

Milwaukee's Best Nutrition

Voodoo Nutrition
MayheM sportswear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 4 - 1, fighting out of New York, Cullen Castrello!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dixie Small!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, George Francis and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Small throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Castrello sees it coming and avoids it easily.

Small instigates a clinch.
Small wants a takedown but no success here.
Castrello lands a nice knee to the body.
Small has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Castrello after a bit of a struggle.
Small blocks an uppercut.
Castrello swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Castrello can't find room to land a body shot as Small controls the action.
Castrello missing with knees to the body.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Castrello.
Castrello swings away with an uppercut that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Small has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Castrello regains guard immediately.
Castrello wants to get back to his feet but Small is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Castrello avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castrello is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Small is controlling him.
Castrello keeping moving, preventing Small from controlling successfully.
Small trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Castrello 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.
Small controls from within his opponent's guard.
Small wants to control from the top but Castrello keeps moving.
Small stops Castrello from standing up.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Castrello circles away from the clinch attempt
and Small takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's two 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.
Small throws a hook but Castrello blocks it.
An attempted straight right counter from Castrello misses the target.
Small misses with a double jab.
Small fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
We've been informed that Small has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Small lands a glancing blow to the side of Castrello's head.
Castrello swings for the body but Small moves out of range.
Small misses with a straight left.
Small throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Small tries to clinch up but Castrello circles away and keeps his distance.
Small throws the left hand but Castrello avoids the punch easily.
Both fighters circling a little - Castrello finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Castrello really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Small closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Castrello regains half guard there - taking advantage of Small's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
Castrello pushes Small off looking to stand but Small dives back in and keeps control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Small tries to pass to full mount but Castrello defends it.
Castrello is not content to let Small control the position.

Castrello manages to create a bit of space in order to work his way back to his feet. Small keeps hold of his opponent and drives him back against the cage.

Castrello is fighting off a takedown attempt but Small is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Castrello to the mat. Castrello regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Castrello wants to stand up but Small is controlling him.
Castrello trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Castrello keeping moving, preventing Small from controlling successfully.
Castrello utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Small trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Castrello utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Small tries to free his leg and advance position but Castrello is retaining full guard.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Castrello steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Small.
Small avoids the body shot from Castrello.

Small closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Small lands a nice forearm strike.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Small lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Dixie Small will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Small swats away the attempt to clinch by Castrello.
Castrello lands a nice shot to the body.

Small tries to keep at a distance but Castrello has taken the fight into the clinch.
Castrello throws a punch but it's blocked by Small.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Small goes for a takedown attempt but Castrello pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Castrello closes the distance and clinches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Small drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Castrello scores with a knee to the head.

It looks like Dixie Small has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Small breaks from the clinch.
Castrello fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Small manages to avoid it.

Castrello clinches with his opponent.
A shot in the inside from Castrello.
Small on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Small blocks an elbow strike.
Castrello misses with the head strike.
Castrello prevents a takedown attempt there.
Cullen Castrello has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dixie Small.
Small goes for a takedown in the clinch but Castrello prevents it.
Small prevents a body shot from Castrello.
Castrello tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Castrello throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Small goes for a takedown in the clinch but Castrello prevents it.
Small is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Small blocks an elbow strike.
Small looking for a takedown.
Castrello lands an elbow just above Small 's eye.
Small on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Small blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Small wants a takedown but no success here.
Castrello lands an elbow inside that Small shrugs off.
With the fighters up against the cage, Castrello throws an elbow but misses.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Castrello is struggling to control the position.
Small is looking for a takedown.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Castrello misses with a hook from the clinch.
Small blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Small changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Castrello fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Small feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Castrello wants to stand and escape but Small is having none of it.
Small trying to control the position from guard on top but Castrello is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Small throws a strike but Castrello rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Castrello would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cullen Castrello dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Dixie Small's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Castrello throws a shot to the body.
Small misses with a looping left.
Castrello on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Castrello scores with a kick to the body.
Castrello uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Castrello tries to bum rush Small with a series of wild strikes but Small uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Small throws a looping overhand right but Castrello ducks down to avoid it.
Small throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Castrello scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Small lands a head shot.
Small connects with a nice looking jab.
Small displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Castrello throws out the jab.
Castrello misses with a wild body shot.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Castrello with a nice cross.
Castrello is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castrello misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Small counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Castrello throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Castrello is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Small can do to turn this around?
Castrello thows a leg kick but Small checks it

and Small counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Small has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Still in half guard, Small seems content to control.
Small landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Small thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Castrello's head.
Small throwing shots but Castrello is blocking nicely.
Small landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Castrello wants to get back to his feet.
Small looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Castrello is trying to stand.
Small lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Castrello pushes Small off looking to stand but Small dives back in and keeps control.
Castrello avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Small.
Castrello blocking the ground and pound attempt from Small.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Small sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Castrello defending well though.
Small sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Castrello defending well though.
Castrello is trying to stand.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Small on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Castrello connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Small momentarily.
Small might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Small misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Castrello.
Small throws a hook but Castrello avoids it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Small stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Castrello.
Castrello lands with a kick to the ribs.
Castrello throws a head kick but Small moves out of range.
A nice side step and Small releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Castrello is looking to wear down Small with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Small defending well as Castrello loads up on a big left hand.
Small throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Castrello's waist but Castrello gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Small off to one side.

Small shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Castrello manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Castrello will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Small with a nice head shot there.
Small loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Castrello wants to stand up but Small is controlling him.

Castrello manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.
Small has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Castrello is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Castrello misses with an elbow strike.
Castrello tries to land knees in the clinch but Small avoids the damage to the body.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Castrello landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Castrello lands an uppercut.
A short right from Castrello on the inside.
Castrello lands a good knee to the midsection. Small won't want to take too many of those.
Small takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Castrello lands an elbow inside.
Small takes an elbow to the temple.
Small tries for a takedown. No joy.
Cullen Castrello has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dixie Small.
Small tries to score a body lock takedown but Castrello shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Castrello gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Small.
Castrello lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cullen Castrello showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Castrello has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Chris Downing scores the fight 29:28
Judge George Francis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cullen Castrello!
A very excited looking Cullen Castrello made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.
Dixie Small was interviewed post fight and said 'It was a good win, but nevertheless, I'll still be bringing home my opponent's girl . Don't feel left out man. And as usual, we'll be making a pov video for all you fans out there. Sayonara'.