PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Paul Natonni (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Randy Castro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Natonni
vs
Castro

170 cm
18
150 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

198 cm
19
155 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Paul Natonni!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Randy Castro!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Natonni shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Castro as he avoids it easily.
Castro pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Castro throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Natonni.
Natonni takes a head kick and keeps coming.

Natonni fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Castro sprawls well initially but Natonni persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Natonni not doing much here.
Natonni prevents Castro from improving his position.

Natonni is working for a submission of some sort.
Castro pushes Natonni off looking to stand but Natonni dives back in and keeps control.
Castro is refusing to be controlled, as Natonni sits in half guard.
Natonni trying to control the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castro looks like he's trying to stand up.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Natonni swings for the body but Castro moves out of range.
Castro misses with a two punch combination.

Natonni bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Castro tries to bench press Natonni off him but Natonni keeps the position.
Natonni is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Castro's shoulder. That is not cool.

Natonni decides to stand up, so the ref orders Castro to his feet.
Natonni lands a jab to Castro's midsection.
Castro throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Castro closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Natonni lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Castro backwards.
Castro is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Castro throws a punch but it's blocked by Natonni.
Natonni fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Castro pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Castro misses with a head kick.
Castro throws a sloppy head kick and Natonni moves out of range easily.
Castro closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Natonni throws a jab when Castro was well out of range.
Castro lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Natonni circles away quickly and effectively.

Castro closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Natonni blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Natonni lands a nice shot to the body.
Castro doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

Castro breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Natonni scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Castro looks gassed!
Castro fails with an attempt to clinch.
Natonni just misses with a punch to the body.
Castro looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Natonni ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Castro moves away.
A head kick misses from Castro.
Natonni shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Castro but Castro pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Paul Natonni. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Natonni tries for a takedown but Castro sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Randy Castro seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Natonni shoots in looking for a takedown. Castro tries to sprawl out of it but Natonni keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Castro manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Castro looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Randy Castro is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Castro tries to clinch up but Natonni circles away and keeps his distance.
Castro throws a series of punches but Natonni avoids them all with ease.
Some wild striking there from Castro.
Castro tries to clinch up but Natonni circles away and keeps his distance.

Natonni gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Castro lands a left hand.
Castro drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Castro has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Natonni is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Natonni.
Natonni lands a body punch.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
A head punch on the inside from Castro fails to land.
Castro tries to break the clinch but Natonni is controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Natonni takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Natonni.
Natonni tries to pull guard but Castro holds him up against the cage and eventually Natonni drops back down to his feet.
Natonni lands with a short shot to the head.
Natonni keeps control of Castro as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
A right hook to the body lands for Natonni.
Natonni is looking to control Castro's arms but Castro gets an underhook and turns him. Now Natonni has his back to the cage.
Castro misses with a short punch on the inside.
Natonni can't get the takedown.
Natonni blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Natonni blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Castro misses with a short punch on the inside.

Natonni pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Castro has taken the fight to the clinch.
Natonni lands a left hand.

Natonni's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
The fight stays on the outside here - Natonni looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Good shot there by Natonni.
Castro tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Castro tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Castro tries to close the distance and clinch up but Natonni swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Randy Castro is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Natonni keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Natonni tries to clinch there but Castro circles away.
Castro throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Natonni's head.
Castro uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Natonni.
Natonni comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Natonni showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Castro.
Natonni blocks a head kick by Castro.
Castro closes the distance but Natonni moves to the side
and Castro takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Natonni tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Castro misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Castro tries to clinch there but Natonni circles away.
Castro is breathing heavily.

Natonni gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Castro misses with some punches.
Castro misses with some punches.
Natonni is trying to stall.
Castro fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Castro doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castro fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Castro misses with a hook from the clinch.

Natonni pulls Castro into guard.
Natonni is trying to keep Castro in close.
Castro wants to pass the guard but Natonni is keeping the position.
Natonni looking to control.
Natonni seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Castro stopping the sweep attempt from Natonni.
Castro stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Natonni swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Natonni trying to control the position here.

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 avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Natonni looking for a sweep. Not yet Natonni, not yet.
Castro trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Castro decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Natonni, up you get!
Castro tries to clinch but Natonni moves out of range.

Natonni pushes Castro up against the cage in a clinch.
Castro tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Natonni is pushing Castro up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

Castro manages to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Castro fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Castro throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Natonni.
A right-left combo lands from Castro.
Natonni closes this distance looking for a takedown but Castro circles away.
Natonni is looking to wear down Castro with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Castro throws a series of punches but Natonni moves out of range.
Castro misses with a double jab.
Castro will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Natonni tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Castro misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Castro wants to clinch up but Natonni keeps it at a distance.
Natonni shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Castro pinned against the cage. Castro gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Good shot there by Natonni.
Natonni misses with a wild body shot.
Castro throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
No joy there for Castro, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Castro lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Natonni circles away quickly and effectively.

Natonni scores a takedown into full mount!
Castro trying desperately to get to his feet.
Natonni trying to control but Castro is having none of it.
Natonni controlling the pace for now.
Castro is looking to improve his position but Natonni isn't that keen on the idea.
Castro is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul Natonni 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!

Castro is looking to clinch.
Castro lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Castro fails in his attempt to clinch.
Natonni misses with a body shot.
A head kick by Castro misses
and Natonni counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Castro is looking to clinch but Natonni is avoiding it.
Castro closes the distance looking to clinch

and Natonni counters with a single leg into guard. Castro didn't expect that.
Castro wants to stand but Natonni is controlling the position.
Natonni trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Natonni passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Natonni looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Natonni is looking to take a break and control but Castro is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castro tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Natonni wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Castro manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
The fighters are battling for position here. Natonni manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Natonni has his foot on Castro's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Castro works his way back into a safe position though.
Castro passes into half guard.
Natonni is looking to improve his position.
Natonni keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Natonni is pressing down on Castro's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Castro tries to free his leg and advance position but Natonni is retaining full guard.
Natonni controlling the position.
Castro distracts Natonni with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Natonni keeping full guard, as Castro tries to pass.

Natonni has his foot on Castro's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Castro works his way back into a safe position though.
Natonni controls Castro momentarily but Castro frees himself.
Castro won't allow Natonni to sweep him here.
Castro has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Natonni is proving hard to escape from.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Natonni pushes Castro up against the cage in a clinch.
Castro throws a punch but it's blocked by Natonni.
Castro fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Castro tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Natonni tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Natonni is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Castro is keeping busy.
Castro working aggressively here.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Natonni.
Nice body punch from Natonni - that landed with a thud.
Natonni blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Natonni is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.

Castro works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Castro wants to get up but he can't break Natonni's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Natonni is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Castro looks like he's trying to stand up.
Paul Natonni is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Natonni not doing much here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Castro is not content to let Natonni control the position.
Natonni is looking to advance position but Castro won't allow it.
Castro looks like he's trying to stand up.
Castro wants to get back to full guard.
Natonni sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Castro is looking for a sweep. Natonni is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Randy Castro has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Castro throws a right hand that Natonni ducks under and follows up with a left that Natonni also avoids with ease.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paul Natonni showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Natonni 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Paul Natonni!