PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cullen Castrello (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). al-Baghdadi comes to the cage accompanied by Till I Collapse - Eminem Feat. Nate Dogg. Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Bakr al-Baghdadi
vs
Castrello

178 cm
33
155 lbs
24 - 18 - 0

185 cm
30
156 lbs
19 - 7 - 2

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

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 24 - 18 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 7 - 2, fighting out of New York, Cullen Castrello!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Frank Antenori and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Castrello connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
al-Baghdadi comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Castrello misses with a low kick.
Castrello sizes up al-Baghdadi with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
A lazy left from al-Baghdadi finds it's target.
Castrello misses the body punch
and Castrello takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Castrello misses with a head kick.
Castrello lands with a shot to the body.
al-Baghdadi lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
al-Baghdadi throws out a loose jab but Castrello uses good head movement to avoid it.
Castrello pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Castrello doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
al-Baghdadi connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
al-Baghdadi takes a shot to the body in his stride.
al-Baghdadi has been working on his boxing with his coaches at LOD: Ground Zero in the buildup to the fight.
al-Baghdadi keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
al-Baghdadi looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
al-Baghdadi looks to score with a jab to the body but Castrello is just out of range.
Castrello misses with a left hand
and al-Baghdadi counters with a nice leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castrello does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
al-Baghdadi feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Castrello moves into range and connects with a jab.
Castrello moves out of range of the strikes.
al-Baghdadi throws a jab when Castrello was well out of range.
Castrello throws a solid leg kick but al-Baghdadi takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Castrello.
al-Baghdadi appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Castrello throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Castrello has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Castrello there as he acknowledges the shot.
Castrello fakes high and swings low for a body shot but al-Baghdadi manages to avoid it.
al-Baghdadi misses with a hook.
al-Baghdadi ducks under a wild hook from Castrello.
al-Baghdadi throws a jab but it's blocked by Castrello.
Despite the aggression on Castrello's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Castrello misses with an uppercut
and al-Baghdadi counters with a left and a right that stings Castrello.
Castrello uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
al-Baghdadi thuds a left hand into Castrello's body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
al-Baghdadi moves out of range of the body kick from Castrello.
al-Baghdadi turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Castrello throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Castrello lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Castrello walks into a straight right hand from al-Baghdadi.
Castrello goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
al-Baghdadi scores with a jab to the jaw.
al-Baghdadi fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
al-Baghdadi tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
al-Baghdadi walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
al-Baghdadi uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Castrello.
al-Baghdadi was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Castrello fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt al-Baghdadi.
Castrello fakes high and swings low for a body shot but al-Baghdadi manages to avoid it.
al-Baghdadi ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Castrello moves away.
al-Baghdadi throws a low kick but Castrello avoids it.
Castrello lands with a straight right. al-Baghdadi didn't see that one coming.
Castrello tries to score with a low kick but al-Baghdadi moves his leg out of the way.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice uppercut there from al-Baghdadi.
Castrello tries a low kick but al-Baghdadi avoids it.
al-Baghdadi is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
al-Baghdadi lunges at Castrello with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Castrello's hand.
Castrello connects with a right hand. al-Baghdadi shakes it off.
A head kick misses from Castrello.
Good leg kick by al-Baghdadi there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Castrello misses with a lunging right hand
and al-Baghdadi counters with a stiff right hand.
Castrello is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
al-Baghdadi lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
al-Baghdadi throws a big shot that misses.
Castrello swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
al-Baghdadi blocks a jab.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as al-Baghdadi checks a leg kick.
al-Baghdadi appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
al-Baghdadi fails to land with a series of punches.
al-Baghdadi misses with a body shot.
Castrello avoids the body shot from al-Baghdadi.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
al-Baghdadi misses with an uppercut. Castrello saw that one coming.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Good leg kick by al-Baghdadi there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
al-Baghdadi jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Castrello tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but al-Baghdadi was well out of range. Poor timing from Castrello.
A head kick misses from Castrello.
Castrello throws a head kick but al-Baghdadi moves out of range.
Castrello lands a glancing blow to the side of al-Baghdadi's head.
Castrello connects with a leg kick. al-Baghdadi looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Castrello misses with an attempted mid kick.
al-Baghdadi swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Castrello thuds a left hand into al-Baghdadi's body.
al-Baghdadi throws a body shot but no joy.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
al-Baghdadi closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Castrello checks a leg kick nicely.
al-Baghdadi connects with a good right hand that stumbles Castrello. Castrello circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi dominated that 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.

Castrello misses with a shot to the body
and al-Baghdadi counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Castrello scores with a push kick.
Castrello throws the kick towards the body but al-Baghdadi avoids it.
al-Baghdadi tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Castrello was well out of range. Poor timing from al-Baghdadi.
Castrello tries a head kick but it misses.
Castrello connects with an inside leg kick.
Castrello throws a sloppy head kick and al-Baghdadi moves out of range easily.
Castrello bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Castrello throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
al-Baghdadi throws a head kick that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Castrello rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and al-Baghdadi counters with a slapping leg kick.
Castrello lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Castrello swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by al-Baghdadi.
Castrello takes a shot to the body in his stride.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
al-Baghdadi missing with a left hand there. Castrello was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castrello keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from al-Baghdadi.
Castrello moves out of range of the body kick from al-Baghdadi.
al-Baghdadi throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Castrello throws a sloppy head kick and al-Baghdadi moves out of range easily.
al-Baghdadi connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
al-Baghdadi avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
al-Baghdadi wants to slow Castrello down by chopping away at his legs.
A cross from al-Baghdadi lands.
Castrello looking to land some kicks to the body here.
al-Baghdadi throws a jab but it's blocked by Castrello.
And Castrello responds with a good body kick, but al-Baghdadi manages to step out the way in time.
Castrello scores with a nice strike.
Castrello turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Castrello lands a right hook to the body.
al-Baghdadi moves out of range of the leg kick from Castrello.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
al-Baghdadi looks to land a right hand but Castrello moved out of range.
Decent striking displayed by al-Baghdadi there.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Castrello lands a straight punch to the body, keeping al-Baghdadi at a distance.
al-Baghdadi bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
al-Baghdadi digs a good hook to Castrello's body.
al-Baghdadi misses with a straight left.
Castrello is clearly trying to counter these attacks from al-Baghdadi with a body shot.
al-Baghdadi lands a jab to the head.
A big right from Castrello misses.
al-Baghdadi swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is winning the standup battle so far.
al-Baghdadi throws a leg kick
and Castrello counters with a two punch combo.
Castrello connects with a solid leg kick.
al-Baghdadi throws a body shot but no joy.
Castrello swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Castrello avoids the head kick by al-Baghdadi.
Castrello throws a leg kick but al-Baghdadi sees it coming and moves out of range.
Castrello feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to al-Baghdadi's calf.
A slow jab from al-Baghdadi misses its intended target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Castrello throws a low kick but it's checked well by al-Baghdadi.
al-Baghdadi throws a body shot but no joy.
Castrello tried to score with a low kick but al-Baghdadi checks it.
al-Baghdadi fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Castrello checks it well.
Castrello misses with a body kick.
Castrello swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
al-Baghdadi throws a shot from downtown. Castrello moves away and avoids it.
Castrello keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A nice side step and Castrello releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
al-Baghdadi misses with a body kick.
al-Baghdadi throws a jab when Castrello was well out of range.
Castrello wants to clinch.
al-Baghdadi throws a poor cross that misses
and Castrello counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
al-Baghdadi keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Castrello ducks under a wild hook from al-Baghdadi.
Castrello with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Castrello pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Castrello falls off balance throwing a combination
and al-Baghdadi counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Castrello.
al-Baghdadi lands a lovely overhand right.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Castrello takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Castrello throws an ugly left hook that misses
and al-Baghdadi makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Castrello lands a lovely overhand right.
Castrello throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Castrello misses with a body shot.
al-Baghdadi throws a hook to the side of Castrello's head but Castrello sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
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 Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Castrello throws a good cross that connects.
Castrello turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Castrello takes a swing at al-Baghdadi's ribcage but misses.
al-Baghdadi swats away the attempt to clinch by Castrello.
Castrello misses with a wild body shot.
Castrello throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
al-Baghdadi tried to score with a low kick but Castrello checks it.
Castrello misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from al-Baghdadi.
Castrello misses the shot to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Castrello avoids the head kick by al-Baghdadi.
A good leg kick by al-Baghdadi.
Some bone on bone action there as al-Baghdadi checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts al-Baghdadi, as that shot connected.
A punch combination from Castrello misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castrello displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as al-Baghdadi throws out the jab.
Castrello throws a body shot but no joy.
A head kick misses from Castrello.
al-Baghdadi jabbing away but nothing is landing.
al-Baghdadi misses the jab.
Castrello tries a head kick but it misses.
Castrello connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
al-Baghdadi keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
al-Baghdadi looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Castrello has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Castrello goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Castrello's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
al-Baghdadi scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
A jab from Castrello finds it's way through al-Baghdadi's defenses.
Castrello throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent al-Baghdadi stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
al-Baghdadi scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Cullen Castrello has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Castrello defending well as al-Baghdadi loads up on a big left hand.
Castrello throws a leg kick
and al-Baghdadi counters with a nice uppercut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
al-Baghdadi blocks a head kick by Castrello.
al-Baghdadi throws a push kick but Castrello slaps the foot to one side.
al-Baghdadi fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Castrello throws a head kick but al-Baghdadi moves out of range.
Castrello tries to work over al-Baghdadi's front leg with a kick but al-Baghdadi checks it.
al-Baghdadi throws a body kick that misses.
al-Baghdadi throws a sloppy head kick
and Castrello counters with a good, hard body kick but al-Baghdadi shrugs it off.
Castrello on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Good work by al-Baghdadi as he checks the leg kick.
Castrello tries to land a leg kick but al-Baghdadi saw it coming and moves away.
al-Baghdadi connects with a jab.
Castrello misses with a head kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
al-Baghdadi dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Castrello checks the leg kick nicely there.
al-Baghdadi throws a hook but Castrello blocks it.
al-Baghdadi paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
al-Baghdadi throws a sloppy head kick and Castrello moves out of range easily.
al-Baghdadi chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Castrello can pounce on him.
Nice defenses there by Castrello.
al-Baghdadi tries to land a leg kick but Castrello saw it coming and moves away.
al-Baghdadi throws a body punch but Castrello moves out of range.
al-Baghdadi loads up on a big right hand but Castrello slips the punch.
Castrello looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Castrello misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from al-Baghdadi.
Castrello throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
A head kick misses from al-Baghdadi.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Castrello throws a right and a left that al-Baghdadi avoids nicely.
Castrello misses with an attempted mid kick.
al-Baghdadi throws a leg kick that misses.
Castrello tries to counter with a clinch but al-Baghdadi shakes him off and moves away.
Castrello lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Castrello swings widly with a right hand
and al-Baghdadi counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Castrello is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Castrello is rocked!
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!
al-Baghdadi misses with a kick to the body
and Castrello cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Castrello is still on wobbly legs! Can al-Baghdadi finish him?
al-Baghdadi avoids the head kick by Castrello.
al-Baghdadi gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Castrello seems to have recovered his senses.
al-Baghdadi throws a leg kick
and al-Baghdadi takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Castrello getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
al-Baghdadi is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
al-Baghdadi takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Castrello thows a leg kick but al-Baghdadi checks it
and al-Baghdadi counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
al-Baghdadi lunges at Castrello with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Castrello's hand.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Cullen Castrello.
Well al-Baghdadi has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:29
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:29
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:28

The fight is ruled a draw!