PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Ranii Yahyaa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Urjh Castle (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Yahyaa has a slight injury, which hopefully won't affect the fight too much. Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Yahyaa
vs
Castle

168 cm
22
135 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

169 cm
23
138 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

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 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ranii Yahyaa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Urjh Castle!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Paulo Santos and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yahyaa closes this distance looking for a takedown but Castle circles away.
Yahyaa looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
A jab from Castle finds it's way through Yahyaa's defenses.

Castle shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Castle working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Castle thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Yahyaa avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Castle.
Castle tries to pass the half guard into mount. Yahyaa knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Yahyaa tries to roll over but Castle keeps him under control.
Castle is keen to just control but Yahyaa is a slippery customer.
Castle sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Yahyaa defending well though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Yahyaa blocking the ground and pound attempt from Castle.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Castle closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Yahyaa did well to prevent Castle getting side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castle missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Castle seems to be working for a kimura but Yahyaa defends the submission attempt.

Castle stands up out of the half guard.

Castle shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Castle working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Castle connects with a couple of short punches.
Castle trying to control the position from guard on top but Yahyaa is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Castle controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Castle postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Castle trying to control but Yahyaa is working from the bottom.
Castle is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Castle is in close to Yahyaa's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Castle must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Castle not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Yahyaa wants to get back to his feet but Castle is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Castle stands up from Yahyaa's guard - Castle perhaps looking for a knockout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Castle fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Yahyaa sprawls well initially but Castle persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Castle wants to free his trapped foot but Yahyaa is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Castle controlling the action here.
Yahyaa is looking for a sweep. Castle is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Castle controlling the action here.
Castle tries to pass to full mount but Yahyaa defends it.
Yahyaa trying to hold on to Castle's head to control him but Castle postures up.
Yahyaa tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Castle has advanced to mount. Uh oh.

Castle looking for a guillotine from mount but Yahyaa is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Urjh Castle dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Castle drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Yahyaa has momentary wrist control but Castle slips an elbow through the middle.
Castle postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

Yahyaa looking for a guillotine here but Castle defends easily.
Yahyaa keeping moving, preventing Castle from controlling successfully.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Castle might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Yahyaa kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yahyaa looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Castle stands up over Yahyaa, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Castle trying to control the position from guard on top but Yahyaa is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Castle shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Castle gets to his feet - Yahyaa follows without any prompting.

Castle feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Castle works over Yahyaa with some ground and pound from guard.
Castle stopping the sweep attempt from Yahyaa.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Castle scoring with some ground and pound.
Castle working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Yahyaa's head.
Castle looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Castle has gone for a leg lock! Yahyaa slips out almost immediately though and dives into Castle's guard.
Yahyaa trying to control the position from guard on top but Castle is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yahyaa is on the wrong end of a couple of strikes there.
Castle avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Yahyaa trying to control the position from guard on top but Castle is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Castle escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Yahyaa gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Castle throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Yahyaa wants to stand but Castle is controlling his posture from full guard.
Castle is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Castle holds on and takes a little breather.
Castle manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Yahyaa manages to get himself to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Urjh Castle showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Castle bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Yahyaa regains half guard there - taking advantage of Castle's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
Castle passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Yahyaa!
Yahyaa is trying to reverse the position but instead Castle has taken his back - oops!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Oooh a big shot gets through from Castle. Many more shots like that and the referee will have to think about stepping in!
Castle trying to control.

Castle looking for the choke but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Yahyaa is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.

Castle is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Yahyaa tries to break free.
Yahyaa looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Castle has the hooks in. Yahyaa is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.

Yahyaa is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
I really don't envy Yahyaa right now.
Castle has good solid back control here.
Castle avoiding Yahyaa 's attempts to control his hands.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yahyaa covers up after taking a massive shot to the side of the head.
Yahyaa staying busy and making it hard for Castle to control.

Castle has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Yahyaa has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
Yahyaa is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Yahyaa has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.
Castle lands a punch to the side of the head from the back.
Castle wants to control the position but Yahyaa frees himself and scrambles - Castle manages to regain control in side control.
Yahyaa looking for a sweep but Castle has passed into full mount! Oh no!

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.
Yahyaa is controlling an arm, preventing Castle from taking his back. Although keeping him in mount is no better to be honest.
Castle lands a big shot there that rocks Yahyaa but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Castle working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Yahyaa working to try and regain half guard.
Yahyaa bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Yahyaa missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Ranii Yahyaa has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Urjh Castle is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Yahyaa loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

And that's the end of the fight!
Urjh Castle comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Castle has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Daniel Cesar scores the fight 26:30
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 26:30
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Urjh Castle!