PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Fedor Emperor (ranked 2386 p4p, 5198 weight class) and Fidelity Castro (ranked 335 p4p, 583 weight class). Emperor's entrance music is Enae Volare Mezzo. A fine choice. Fidelity Castro has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Emperor
vs
Castro

183 cm
34
223
10 - 13 - 1

191 cm
37
201
16 - 11 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

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 10 - 13 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Fedor Emperor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 11 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Fidelity Castro!
The judges for this bout are Radbod Blank, Wagner Zegers and Nard Betker.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A telegraphed right hand from Castro misses the target.
Castro throws a head kick that Emperor semi-blocks.

It looks like Fedor Emperor has been cut.
Castro doesn't manage to clinch there - Emperor circles away.
Emperor is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Castro.
Emperor throws a lazy uppercut
and Emperor takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Castro is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Emperor.
Emperor takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Emperor just misses with a punch to the body.
Emperor keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Castro.
Emperor throws a big shot that misses.
Castro scores with a hook to the body. Emperor takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Castro ducks under a wild hook from Emperor.
Castro connects with a single shot there.

Emperor is rocked!

Castro moves into the clinch.
Oh Emperor is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Castro controlling the action here for a moment.
Emperor seems to have got his legs back now.

Castro breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A jab from Emperor misses.
Emperor misses with a right hand
enabling Castro to counter with a crisp jab.
Castro slips under a jab from Emperor.
Emperor misses with a wild body shot.
Emperor on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Castro tries to close the distance and clinch up but Emperor swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Castro lands a body shot.
Castro tries to clinch up.
Castro slips a jab from Emperor.
Emperor throws a right hand that misses
letting Castro counter with a right hand.
Emperor throws a hook but Castro blocks it.
Emperor ducks under a wild hook from Castro.
Emperor wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Castro blocks a jab.
Castro unleashes a big counter combination but Emperor bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Emperor throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Castro counters with a nice low kick that buckles Emperor's knee momentarily.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Emperor swings for the body but Castro moves out of range.
Castro lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Emperor misses with a hook
and Castro cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Emperor uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Castro.

Castro drives through and clinches with Emperor against the cage.
Castro swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Castro digs a right hand into Emperor's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Emperor's gas tank.
Emperor is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Castro's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
Castro is pushing Emperor 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 just leaning against Emperor, taking a breather.
Castro blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Castro tries to work over Emperor's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Emperor.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Castro tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Emperor blocks a body shot from Castro.
Emperor throws a punch but it's blocked by Castro.
Emperor effectively controlling the action here.
I was talking to Emperor's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Emperor wants to stall.
Castro misses with a punch to the body.
Emperor with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Emperor.
Emperor effectively controlling the action here.
Castro content to slow the pace in the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Castro manages to break the clinch.
Emperor throws a right hand that misses
and Castro counters with a three punch combo that has Emperor backing up. Emperor nods at Castro to acknowledge the strikes.
Emperor misses with a right hand
enabling Castro to counter with a crisp jab.

Fedor Emperor's cut is getting worse.
Emperor misses with a lunging right hand
and Castro counters with a crisp right that sends Emperor to the canvas! Castro follows up with punches from the mount and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:19 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Fidelity Castro!