PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight kickboxing rules bout between James Harden (ranked 6688 p4p, 675 weight class) and Frank Castiglione (ranked 6678 p4p, 674 weight class). Harden comes to the ring accompanied by "Enter Sandman" - Metallica. The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Harden
vs
Castiglione

185 cm
18
192 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

185 cm
18
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Excellent MT
Granite chin

Excellent MT
Tends to cut

Freebok (85% Laundry)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, James Harden!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Frank Castiglione!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Don Winkell and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Harden wants to clinch up but Castiglione keeps it at a distance.
Harden shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Castiglione ducks down and throws a hook to the body.

Harden darts in and clinches Castiglione up against the ropes.
Harden stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Our sources have told us that Harden has been working on his knees in the buildup to the fight.
Harden misses with some punches.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Castiglione blocking some punches.
Harden tries to throw a body punch but Castiglione avoids it by throwing Harden back against the ropes.
Castiglione misses with a punch on the inside.
Castiglione tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Harden blocking some punches.
Castiglione fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harden's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Castiglione wants to break free but Harden has control.
Harden misses with a punch on the inside.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Harden.
Castiglione misses with a hook from the clinch.
Harden misses with the head strike.
Castiglione is looking to control Harden's arms but Harden gets an underhook and turns him. Now Castiglione has his back to the ropes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harden takes a shot to the head.
Harden misses with the head strike.
Harden throws a punch but it's blocked by Castiglione.
Castiglione cracks Harden with a nice body shot.

Castiglione escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Harden throws a leg kick but Castiglione moved away.
Harden on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Castiglione tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Harden throws a front kick aimed at Castiglione's knee but Castiglione avoids it well.
Harden takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Castiglione blocks a head kick by Harden.
Harden stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Castiglione.
Castiglione throws a low kick but Harden avoids it.
Castiglione looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Harden throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Nice cross by Castiglione.

It looks like James Harden has been cut.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Castiglione checks the leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harden misses with a leg kick
and Castiglione counters with a leg kick.
A nice leg kick lands there from Castiglione.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Castiglione.
Harden throws a sloppy head kick and Castiglione moves out of range easily.
Castiglione throws a solid leg kick but Harden takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Castiglione.
Harden is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Castiglione.
Harden gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Harden needs to keep his hands up - Castiglione had a free shot at his head there.
Harden takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
A leg kick checked by Castiglione.
Castiglione pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Harden misses with a low kick.
Castiglione cracks the inside of Harden's front leg.
Harden walks into a straight right hand from Castiglione.
Castiglione is looking to land body kicks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harden has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Castiglione.
Harden throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Castiglione raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Harden.
Castiglione only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Castiglione with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Castiglione throws a quick inside leg kick.

Harden gets a clinch.
Harden misses with a short punch on the inside.
Castiglione misses with a punch to the body.
Castiglione blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Harden misses with a hook from the clinch.
Harden misses with a short punch on the inside.
Harden tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Castiglione's elbow.
Harden misses with the head strike.
Harden is trying to stall.
A head punch on the inside from Castiglione fails to land.
A frustrated look appears on Castiglione's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Harden throws a head punch that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harden has a couple of punches blocked by Castiglione.
Harden throws a punch but it's blocked by Castiglione.
The fighters are pressed against the ropes, as the pace of the fight slows.
Harden blocking some punches.

Castiglione breaks from the clinch.
Harden wants to land a leg kick but Castiglione is out of range.
Castiglione thumps Harden with a low kick.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Castiglione scores with a jab to the head.

James Harden's cut is getting worse.
A nice inside leg kick there by Castiglione. That's going to slow Harden down.
Castiglione scores with a nice body kick.
Castiglione misses with a low kick.

Harden darts in and clinches Castiglione up against the ropes.
Harden misses with a punch on the inside.
Castiglione working aggressively here.
Harden tries a body shot but Castiglione blocks it.
Harden tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frank Castiglione dominated that round.
The cut man is working on James Harden's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Harden misses with a leg kick.
Castiglione has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Castiglione throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Harden tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Castiglione manages to circle out of the way.
Harden takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Castiglione misses with a low kick.
Castiglione just misses with a punch to the body.
Castiglione throws a body shot but no joy.
Frank Castiglione seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Castiglione throws a front kick aimed at Harden's knee but Harden avoids it well.
Harden fires out a quick counter leg kick but Castiglione just manages to avoid it.
Castiglione plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Harden tries to clinch up
and Castiglione counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Harden thinking.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Castiglione connects with a body shot.
Harden looks to land a body kick but Castiglione moved away.
Castiglione checks the leg kick.
Castiglione walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Harden checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Castiglione throws a low kick, looking for Harden's leg but Harden calmly moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harden blocks the body kick.
Harden misses with an attempted mid kick.
Castiglione connects with an inside leg kick.
Castiglione slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Castiglione feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Harden's calf.
Castiglione fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Castiglione throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Good work by Castiglione as he checks the leg kick.
Castiglione misses with a leg kick.
Harden misses with a low kick.
Harden is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Harden fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Castiglione checks it well.
Castiglione swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Harden swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Castiglione let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Castiglione throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Harden holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Castiglione lands a nice uppercut.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Castiglione blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Harden misses with the head strike.
Harden working aggressively here.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Harden has a couple of punches blocked by Castiglione.

Castiglione breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Castiglione has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Harden.
A head kick misses from Castiglione.
Castiglione scores with the left hand. Harden knows he should have avoided that one.
Castiglione checks a low kick from Harden.
Castiglione steps in looking to counter with the mid kick but it doesn't connect.
Castiglione lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Castiglione with a jab.

James Harden's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
Castiglione blocks a low kick nicely.
Harden stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Castiglione.
Castiglione lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Harden backs up against the ropes.
Harden tries to score with a low kick but Castiglione moves his leg out of the way.
Castiglione looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Castiglione fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Harden is out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Castiglione connects with an inside leg kick.
Castiglione throws a wild body kick that Harden sees coming a mile off.
Castiglione throws a wild body kick that Harden sees coming a mile off.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Harden lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Castiglione has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Castiglione and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Castiglione. Harden shrugs it off though.
Harden tries to clinch but Castiglione is having none of it.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Castiglione - that will leave a mark!
Castiglione connects with an inside leg kick.
Harden avoids the head kick by Castiglione.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Castiglione, right into the meat.
Harden throws out a leg kick but Castiglione moves out of range and Harden only half commits.
Harden on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Castiglione. Castiglione obviously looking to wear him down.
Castiglione is looking to slow Harden down with leg kicks.
Harden misses with a low kick as Castiglione jumps back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Castiglione digs a good body shot into Harden's ribs.
The fighters circle momentarily. Castiglione darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Castiglione throws a front kick that sends Harden stumbling back into the ropes.
Castiglione throws a body shot but no joy.
Castiglione just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromHarden.
Castiglione goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Castiglione misses with a leg kick.
Harden walks into a straight right hand from Castiglione.

Jeez, James Harden's cut is really nasty now. The referee must be thinking about getting that checked.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Castiglione.
Harden lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
A nice leg kick lands there from Castiglione.
Harden will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Castiglione lands a leg kick that knocks Harden off balance momentarily.
Harden finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Castiglione throws a leg kick but Harden sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Castiglione blocks the body kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frank Castiglione showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on James Harden's cut.
That's time! Harden's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Castiglione throws a leg kick which misses Harden's front leg but catches the back leg as Harden tries to avoid it.
Harden walks into a left hand.
Castiglione misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
An inside leg kick lands from Castiglione.
Castiglione checks a leg kick.
Harden will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Castiglione appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Castiglione throws a right hand that Harden ducks under and follows up with a left that Harden also avoids with ease.
An inside leg kick from Harden misses.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Castiglione checks a leg kick.
Harden takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harden scores with a head kick.

It looks like Frank Castiglione has been cut.
Castiglione keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Harden tries to land a leg kick but Castiglione saw it coming and moves away.
Castiglione looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Harden throws a quick inside leg kick.
Harden cracks the inside of Castiglione's front leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harden fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Castiglione is out of range.
Harden tries to close the distance and clinch but Castiglione swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Harden throws a nice inside leg kick.
Castiglione cracks the inside of Harden's front leg.
A solid leg kick lands there for Harden.
Harden throws a chopping leg kick but Castiglione manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
The fight stays on the outside here - Harden looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Harden tried to score with a low kick but Castiglione checks it.
Harden tries to score with a low kick but Castiglione moves his leg out of the way.
Harden drops his hands momentarily and Castiglione takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Castiglione throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Castiglione lands with a good body shot.
Harden tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Castiglione is able to avoid easily.
James Harden has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harden on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Harden swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Castiglione appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Castiglione thumps Harden with a low kick.
Castiglione scores with a kick to the midsection.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Castiglione lands a front kick.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Castiglione, right into the meat.
Castiglione fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Harden.
Harden takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Castiglione tests Harden's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Castiglione connects with a crisp jab.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at James Harden's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:53 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Frank Castiglione!
James Harden was interviewed post fight and said 'Back to the drawing board for me folks, this is just a bump in the road. I'll be back better than before soon!'.