PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Derrick Kelly (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Muhammed Castro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kelly's entrance music is Land of Make Believe by From Ashes to New. A fine choice. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Kelly
vs
Castro

183 cm
22
185 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

187 cm
23
186 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Derrick Kelly!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Muhammed Castro!
The judges for this bout are Dmitry Maklakov, Vladimir Khabensky and Aleksandr Martynov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kelly throws a combination that misses

and Castro counters by clinching up.
Castro softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Kelly looking to slow down the pace here.
Castro scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Castro lands a right hand.
Kelly misses with a hook from the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Castro lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Kelly backwards.
Castro looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Kelly is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Castro is keeping busy.
Castro with an attempt at a knee that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castro misses with a hook from the clinch.
Castro misses with a short punch on the inside.
Kelly prevents a takedown attempt there.
Castro scores with a shot to the side of Kelly's head.
Castro misses with a short punch on the inside.
Castro pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Castro misses with a hook from the clinch.
Kelly throws a punch but it's blocked by Castro.
A head punch on the inside from Castro fails to land.
Castro has a couple of punches blocked by Kelly.
Kelly stops a takedown attempt from Castro.
Castro tries to score a body lock takedown but Kelly shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Derrick Kelly has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Muhammed Castro.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kelly is trying to stall.
Castro will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Kelly up against the cage.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Castro.

Castro has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Kelly clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Castro punches the canvas rather than the man.
Castro is working the ground and pound here and the referee is taking a close look at Kelly. He must escape soon or this one will be stopped.
Castro slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Castro is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Kelly has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
Castro scores with strikes from the back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Castro really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Kelly.

Castro is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Castro doesn't have the hooks in and Kelly manages to turn into his guard.
Kelly throws a strike but Castro rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Castro is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Kelly working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Castro.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Muhammed Castro dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Castro moves out of range of the strikes.
Castro has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Kelly is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Kelly closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Kelly thows a leg kick but Castro checks it
and Castro counters with a body kick.
Kelly scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Castro avoids a punch combination nicely.
Castro lands with an uppercut that bounces Kelly off the cage and back into range.
Derrick Kelly seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Castro closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Castro lands in his opponent's guard.
Castro has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Castro sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castro stands up over Kelly, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Castro sitting in guard here, content to control.
Castro with a flurry of punches that miss.
Kelly is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Castro engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Castro throws a strike but Kelly rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Castro looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Castro preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Castro managing to control the position.
Kelly throws an elbow that misses. Castro uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Kelly's guard. Nice move by Castro!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Castro works over Kelly with some ground and pound from guard.
Castro advances position into side control!
Castro creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Kelly sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Castro wants to lay and pray for a moment but Kelly keeps working.
Castro throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The referee asks Castro politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Castro prefers to stall for the moment though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Castro is continuing to stall.
Castro lands some shots froms side control.
Castro is looking to take a break and control but Kelly is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Castro working the ground and pound from side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Muhammed Castro showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Kelly's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Kelly blocks the body kick.
Kelly throws a combination that misses
letting Castro counter with a right hand.
Kelly takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Castro moves out of range as Kelly throws a body kick.
Kelly throws a leg kick

and Castro counters with a shoot takedown. Kelly fights it but they end up in guard.
Kelly can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Castro controls the pace.
Castro wants to control from the top but Kelly keeps moving.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Castro drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Castro jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Castro content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castro stands up over Kelly, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Castro wants to pass the guard but Kelly is keeping the position.
Castro controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Castro postures up and lands a big shot to Kelly's brow.
Castro showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Kelly keeping full guard, as Castro tries to pass.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's two 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.
Castro slips a jab and a cross from Kelly.
Castro is looking to land body kicks.
Castro fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Kelly swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Kelly moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromCastro.
Castro misses with an attempted mid kick.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Kelly.
Kelly throws a series of punches but Castro avoids them all with ease.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Castro.
Castro lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Kelly down.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Castro lands a decent elbow from side control.
A lull in the action here.
Castro trying to control the position but Kelly is working away.
Kelly on the wrong end of some ground and pound.

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.
Castro cracks Kelly with a big elbow.
Castro looks up at the clock and then as Kelly takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Castro smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Castro trying to control the action but Kelly is working from the bottom.
Muhammed Castro is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Castro in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Castro lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

And that's the end of the fight!
Muhammed Castro comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Castro 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 Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 27:30
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Muhammed Castro!