PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Nakki Fakiiri (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cullen Castrello (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fakiiri's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Arch Enemy - You Will Know My Name. Cullen Castrello told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Fakiiri
vs
Castrello

182 cm
35
167 lbs
28 - 10 - 1

185 cm
33
156 lbs
26 - 11 - 3

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Aspire Clothing
Bullet Proof System

Milwaukee's Best Nutrition

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 28 - 10 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nakki Fakiiri!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 26 - 11 - 3, fighting out of New York, Cullen Castrello!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, Richard Clark and Donald Grub.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Castrello throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Fakiiri 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.
Castrello is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Castrello throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Castrello slips under a jab.
Castrello throws a nice outside leg kick.
Castrello pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Castrello jabs Fakiiri to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Castrello chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Fakiiri can pounce on him.
Fakiiri cracks the inside of Castrello's front leg.
Fakiiri displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Castrello throws out the jab.
Castrello throws a nice looking combination but Fakiiri bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Fakiiri throwing a counter right hand but Castrello manages to avoid it.
Castrello throws a wild body kick that Fakiiri sees coming a mile off.
Fakiiri is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Castrello lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Fakiiri scores with a leg kick.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Castrello fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Fakiiri.
Castrello misses with a head kick.
Castrello walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Fakiiri checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Fakiiri feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Castrellos jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Castrello throws a hook to the side of Fakiiri's head but Fakiiri sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Cullen Castrello seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Castrello throws a leg kick which misses Fakiiri's front leg but catches the back leg as Fakiiri tries to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fakiiri displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Castrello throws out the jab.
Good exchange - Fakiiri coming out on top.
Fakiiri moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Fakiiri takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Fakiiri pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Castrello throws a looping overhand right but Fakiiri ducks down to avoid it.
Fakiiri fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Castrello moves out of range as Fakiiri throws a body kick.
Castrello swinging wildly here.
Fakiiri avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Castrello throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
An inside leg kick lands from Fakiiri.
Fakiiri takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Fakiiri connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Castrello momentarily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Castrello throws a right hand that misses
and Fakiiri counters with an outside leg kick.
Castrello 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.
A lazy left from Fakiiri finds it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Castrello misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Fakiiri.
Castrello walks into a stiff left hand from Fakiiri.
Castrello pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Fakiiri waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Castrello.
Castrello feints and then cracks Fakiiri's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Fakiiri down.
Fakiiri closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Fakiiri 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 tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Fakiiri throws a hook to the side of Castrello's head but Castrello sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Fakiiri's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Castrello connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Fakiiri scrambles back to his feet.
Castrello connects with a nice looking jab.
Fakiiri avoids the body shot from Castrello.
Castrello cracks Fakiiri with a good jab.
Fakiiri fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Fakiiri misses with a leg kick.
Fakiiri slips a straight right by Castrello.
Fakiiri quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.
Castrello looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fakiiri lands a nice leg kick that just misses Castrello's sensitive parts.
Castrello throws a sloppy head kick and Fakiiri moves out of range easily.
Fakiiri is looking to counter with a body kick.
An inside leg kick lands from Fakiiri.
Castrello swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Fakiiri counters with a straight right hand.
Castrello misses with a wild combination.
Fakiiri doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Fakiiri cracks Castrello with a good jab.
Castrello connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Fakiiri connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Castrello momentarily.
Fakiiri needs to keep his hands up - Castrello had a free shot at his head there.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Castrello fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Fakiiri.
Castrello throws a lazy uppercut
and Fakiiri counters with a stiff right hand.
The fighters circling - Castrello throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Fakiiri throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Castrello throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Castrello tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Fakiiri paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Fakiiri misses with a left hand

and Castrello moves into the clinch.
Castrello stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Castrello lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
A short right from Fakiiri on the inside.
Castrello unloads a knee to the mid-section. Fakiiri lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Fakiiri has had enough of the clinch but Castrello keeps him there for the moment.
Castrello scores a nice knee to the body.
Fakiiri tries to break the clinch but Castrello is controlling the position.
Fakiiri working hard to break the clinch.
Castrello's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Fakiiri tries to circle away but Castrello has him pinned against the cage.
Castrello lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Fakiiri backwards.

Fakiiri breaks from the clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Castrello scores with a hook.
Castrello moves away from the strike by Fakiiri.
Castrello connects with a good right hand that stumbles Fakiiri. Fakiiri circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Fakiiri is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Castrello throws the left hand but Fakiiri avoids the punch easily.
It looked like Fakiiri was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Castrello.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cullen Castrello dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Castrello misses with a low kick.
Castrello throws a jab when Fakiiri was well out of range.
A cross from Castrello lands.

Fakiiri is rocked!
Castrello on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Fakiiri takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Oh Fakiiri is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Castrello misses the jab.
Castrello has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Castrello there as he acknowledges the shot.
Castrello misses with a double jab.
Fakiiri is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Castrello wants to clinch up but Fakiiri keeps it at a distance.
Fakiiri seems to have got his legs back now.
Fakiiri misses with a body shot.
Fakiiri jabs Castrello to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Castrello throws the kick towards the body but Fakiiri avoids it.
Fakiiri throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Castrello on the side of the head.
A jab from Castrello finds it's way through Fakiiri's defenses.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Castrello misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Fakiiri looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Castrello feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Fakiiri's calf.
Castrello fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Fakiiri.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters circle momentarily. Castrello darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Castrello tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Fakiiri thinks about countering with a body kick.
Fakiiri missing with a left hand there. Castrello was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Castrello bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Fakiiri lands a nice shot that snaps Castrello's head back.
Fakiiri misses with a kick to the body.
Fakiiri keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Cullen Castrello seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A punch lands to the side of Castrello 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Castrello connects with a single shot there.
A solid body kick from Castrello.
Castrello swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Castrello stuns Fakiiri with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Castrello tries a low kick but Fakiiri avoids it.
Fakiiri throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Castrello fails in his attempt to clinch.
Castrello uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Fakiiri.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Castrello waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Fakiiri.
Castrello fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Fakiiri is out of range.
Fakiiri on the wrong end of a nice hook.
A jab lands there for Castrello.
A jab from Fakiiri misses.
Castrello takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Fakiiri keeps the fight on the outside.
A left lands for Castrello.
Fakiiri takes a swing at Castrello's ribcage but misses.
An inside leg kick from Castrello misses.
Castrello scores with a jab.
Castrello misses with the combination.
Fakiiri takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Castrello throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Fakiiri stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fakiiri defending well as Castrello loads up on a big left hand.
An inside leg kick from Castrello misses.
Decent striking displayed by Castrello there.
Castrello throws a hook but Fakiiri avoids it easily.
Fakiiri avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Fakiiri throws a lazy right hand but Castrello sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Castrello is looking to clinch but Fakiiri is avoiding it.
Castrello works Fakiiri's body with a nice hook.
Castrello tries to land a leg kick but Fakiiri saw it coming and moves away.
Castrello throws a quick inside leg kick.
Castrello connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Fakiiri momentarily.
Fakiiri throws a jab when Castrello was well out of range.
Fakiiri 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.
Castrello slips a jab from Fakiiri.
Castrello throws a lazy head kick
and Fakiiri counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Castrello lands with a thumping leg kick.
Fakiiri fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Castrello has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Fakiiri, right into the meat.
Fakiiri moves out of range of the body kick from Castrello.
Castrello uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Fakiiri.
Fakiiri missing with a left hand there. Castrello was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Castrello tries to clinch there but Fakiiri circles away.
Fakiiri tries to land a leg kick but Castrello saw it coming and moves away.
Castrello missing with a left hand there. Fakiiri was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Fakiiri was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Fakiiri defending well as Castrello loads up on a big left hand.
Castrello throws a big shot that misses.
Castrello's corner calls for a 1-2. Castrello obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Castrello has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Castrello wants to clinch.
Fakiiri looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Fakiiri ducks under a wild hook from Castrello.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cullen Castrello showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Castrello connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Fakiiri lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Castrello scores with a nice right hand.
Castrello tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Fakiiri paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A jab from Castrello does it's job there.
Castrello takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.

Castrello closes the distance and clinches.
Castrello throws a punch but it's blocked by Fakiiri.
Castrello lands a hook to the side of the head.
A short right from Castrello on the inside.
Castrello misses with a punch to the body.
Castrello lands a body punch.
Castrello working Fakiiri over with knees to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Castrello keeps control of Fakiiri as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Fakiiri blocks a body shot from Castrello.
Nice elbow from Castrello.
Castrello lands with a short shot to the head.
Fakiiri wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fakiiri blocks an elbow strike from Castrello.
Castrello scores a nice knee to the body.

Fakiiri pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Castrello connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Fakiiri misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Castrello.

Castrello moves into the clinch.
Fakiiri avoiding damage as Castrello throws knees to the body.
Fakiiri has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Castrello lands a right hand that snaps the head of Fakiiri backwards.
Cullen Castrello seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Castrello lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

Fakiiri breaks from the clinch.
Castrello tries to bum rush Fakiiri with a series of wild strikes but Fakiiri uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Fakiiri misses with a straight left.
Castrello uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Fakiiri.
Fakiiri swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Castrello lunges at Fakiiri with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Fakiiri's hand.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Castrello scores with a body shot.
Nakki Fakiiri has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Castrello keeps Fakiiri at a distance using the push kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Castrello scores with a nice head shot.
Fakiiri throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Fakiiri throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Castrello unleashes a big counter combination but Fakiiri bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Castrello fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Castrello tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Fakiiri paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Castrello fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Fakiiri on the side of the head.

Castrello takes the fight into the clinch.
Fakiiri takes an elbow to the temple.
Castrello lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Fakiiri or not.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Castrello obliges.
Fakiiri tries to throw a body punch but Castrello avoids it by throwing Fakiiri back against the cage.
A short right from Castrello.
A frustrated look appears on Fakiiri's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Castrello lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fakiiri lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Fakiiri tries to circle away but Castrello has him pinned against the cage.
Castrello misses with a punch on the inside.
Fakiiri wants to break the clinch but can't.
Castrello tries to work over Fakiiri's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Fakiiri misses with a body punch.
Fakiiri avoids a wild elbow strike from Castrello.

Fakiiri breaks from the clinch.
Fakiiri throws a shot from downtown. Castrello moves away and avoids it.
Castrello throws a leg kick that is checked
enabling Fakiiri to counter with a crisp jab.
Castrello lands a jab to the nose.
Castrello throws a nice looking combination but Fakiiri bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Castrello wants to clinch.
Fakiiri walks straight into a right hand from Castrello - that's dropped him! Castrello jumps into mount and starts pounding away - can he finish?! More strikes go undefended and the referee has to dive in to save Fakiiri from any more punishment! Fakiiri complains about the stoppage but falls over as he tries to stand back up, so it was clearly a good stoppage.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Cullen Castrello!
Cullen Castrello decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.
Nakki Fakiiri was interviewed post fight and said 'eating out at the "Y" later...'.