PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight kickboxing rules bout between Jack McCracken (ranked 8491 p4p, 367 weight class) and Mario Castolgni (ranked 9236 p4p, 395 weight class). McCracken comes to the ring accompanied by Blood. Castolgni has chosen Pure Rock Fury as his entrance music. Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

McCracken
vs
Castolgni

150 cm
19
135 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

150 cm
19
133 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

Excellent MT
Cardio machine

Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Project Mayhem

Helsinki Xtreme Fightwear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jack McCracken!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mario Castolgni!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, George Francis and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
McCracken misses with a jab to the body
and Castolgni counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
We've been informed that Castolgni 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.
Castolgni is looking to clinch.
Jack McCracken seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
McCracken missing with a left hand there. Castolgni was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Castolgni let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
McCracken misses with a straight left.
McCracken lands a nice shot that snaps Castolgni's head back.
McCracken misses with a shot to the body
and Castolgni counters with a lovely shot to the body.
McCracken looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
McCracken lands with a good body shot.
McCracken misses with a wild body shot.
Castolgni is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
McCracken throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
McCracken works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Castolgni tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Good standup being displayed there by McCracken as he connects with a hook.
Castolgni tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but McCracken paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castolgni avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
McCracken loads up on a big right hand but Castolgni slips the punch.
Jab, jab by McCracken - just one landing.

Castolgni moves into the clinch.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
McCracken misses with a shot to the kidneys.
McCracken doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Castolgni wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but McCracken has him pressed against the ropes.

McCracken manages to break the clinch.
Castolgni takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
McCracken throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Castolgni swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
McCracken swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Castolgni.
Castolgni tries to close the distance and clinch but McCracken swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
McCracken avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
It looked like McCracken was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
McCracken throws a jab but it's blocked by Castolgni.
Castolgni swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Castolgni takes a jab right on the kisser.
McCracken throws a hook but Castolgni blocks it.
Castolgni tries to close the distance and clinch up but McCracken swats him away and circles back towards the center.
McCracken misses with a looping left.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Castolgni tries to close the distance and clinch but McCracken swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
McCracken swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Castolgni uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from McCracken.
McCracken tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Castolgni was well out of range. Poor timing from McCracken.
Castolgni throws a fast counter high kick but McCracken manages to duck under it in time.
McCracken swings for the body but Castolgni moves out of range.
Castolgni tries to clinch but McCracken is having none of it.
Castolgni slips a straight right by McCracken.
Castolgni tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. McCracken manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Castolgni blocks a jab.
A jab from McCracken misses.
Castolgni doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Castolgni goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jack McCracken dominated that round.
That's time! McCracken's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

McCracken throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Castolgni is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
McCracken misses with a straight right.
Castolgni is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
McCracken bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Castolgni's head backwards.
McCracken misses with a right hand
and Castolgni counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Castolgni wants to clinch up but McCracken keeps it at a distance.
Castolgni scores with a nice head shot.
McCracken connects with a looping right hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Castolgni keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from McCracken.
Castolgni is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Castolgni tries to clinch up.
Jack McCracken is winning the standup battle so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castolgni misses with a few strikes there.
Castolgni with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Castolgni moves in looking to clinch but McCracken pushes him off.
McCracken throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Castolgni counters by moving into the clinch.
Castolgni is trying to break free.

McCracken breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
McCracken thows a left - swing and a miss!
McCracken loads up on a big right hand but Castolgni slips the punch.
Castolgni tries to clinch up
letting McCracken counter with a right hand.
McCracken keeps the fight on the outside.
McCracken throws an overhand right that lands on Castolgni's shoulder, as Castolgni tries to avoid the shot.
Castolgni will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Castolgni clinches with his opponent.

McCracken escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A bone on bone clash there as McCracken blocks the leg kick.
McCracken avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Castolgni staying out of range there.
McCracken lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Castolgni at a distance.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
McCracken lands with an overhand left.
McCracken lands with a cross.
McCracken swinging wildly here.
Castolgni tries to close the distance and clinch up but McCracken swats him away and circles back towards the center.
McCracken tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Castolgni was well out of range. Poor timing from McCracken.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jack McCracken dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

McCracken misses with a jab to the body
and Castolgni counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
McCracken swings widly with a right hand
enabling Castolgni to counter with a crisp jab.
Castolgni moves in looking to clinch but McCracken pushes him off.
McCracken fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Castolgni manages to avoid it.
McCracken looks to land a left hand but Castolgni moved out of range nicely.
Castolgni throws a one two combo.

It looks like Jack McCracken has been cut.
Castolgni tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. McCracken manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Castolgni tries to clinch up but McCracken circles away and keeps his distance.
McCracken misses with a wild body shot.
Castolgni tries to clinch but McCracken is having none of it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Castolgni scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
McCracken tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Castolgni was well out of range. Poor timing from McCracken.
Castolgni takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Castolgni takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from McCracken. Castolgni does a little dance to reset his feet.
McCracken looks to score with a jab to the body but Castolgni is just out of range.
Mario Castolgni is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
McCracken throws a shot from downtown. Castolgni moves away and avoids it.
A slow jab from McCracken misses its intended target.
McCracken misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Castolgni.
McCracken uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Sloppy strikes from Castolgni. Those never looked like landing.
Castolgni walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
McCracken ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Castolgni moves away.
McCracken throws a body punch but Castolgni moves out of range.
Castolgni tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
McCracken with a jab.
Castolgni tries to clinch there but McCracken circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jab, jab by McCracken - just one landing.
Castolgni moves in looking to clinch but McCracken pushes him off.
A head kick by Castolgni misses
and McCracken counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Castolgni fails with an attempt to clinch.
McCracken fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Castolgni manages to avoid it.
Castolgni is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Castolgni uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from McCracken.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Castolgni! But no joy.
McCracken avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Castolgni staying out of range there.
Castolgni looks like he wanted to counter with a high kick but didn't throw it.
McCracken lands a nice shot that snaps Castolgni's head back.
Castolgni moves in looking to clinch but McCracken pushes him off.
Castolgni tries to clinch up.
McCracken changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Mario Castolgni has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Jack McCracken is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Castolgni moves out of range as McCracken strikes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jack McCracken showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for McCracken, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Alan Glass scores the fight 30:27
Judge George Francis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jack McCracken!
After winning the bout, Jack McCracken thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.