PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Frank Castle (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Royce Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Castle's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, In Time. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Castle
vs
Gracie

188 cm
24
224 lbs
11 - 4 - 0

183 cm
25
224 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very strong

ADCC Champion
Counter striker
Granite chin

[†CoE†]Terror Trition[†CoE†]

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 11 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Frank Castle!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Royce Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Chris Downing and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Castle scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Castle connects with a single shot there.
Castle scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Castle tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Gracie paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Gracie moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Castle scores with a leg kick.
Nice sprawl there from Castle as Gracie shoots in.
Castle dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Gracie takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Gracie looks gassed!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Castle scores with a body shot.
Gracie drops his hands momentarily and Castle takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
A jab from Castle finds it's way through Gracie's defenses.
Castle digs a good body shot into Gracie's ribs.
Castle punishes Gracie's body with a nice straight punch.
Gracie on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Castle lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Gracie backs up against the cage.
Castle throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Gracie.

Castle moves into the clinch.
A short right from Castle.
Castle landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Gracie takes an elbow to the forehead.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Castle lands with a light punch inside.
Gracie takes an elbow to the temple.
Castle creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Gracie's defenses.

It looks like Royce Gracie has been cut.
Castle using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Gracie has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Castle avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Castle digs a right hand into Gracie's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Gracie's gas tank.
Castle digs a right hand into Gracie's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Gracie's gas tank.
Good body shot from Castle.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Castle lands a nice elbow.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Castle.
Castle lands a damaging elbow.
Castle scores with a hook to the body.
Castle landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Castle creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Castle gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Knees in the clinch landing for Castle.
Castle lands with a short shot to the head.
Castle lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Gracie backwards.
Castle lands an elbow inside.
Castle unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Knees in the clinch landing for Castle.
Castle lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie takes an elbow to the temple.
Castle creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Gracie's defenses.
Nice elbow from Castle.

Gracie pulls guard successfully.
Gracie looking for a sweep. Not yet Gracie, not yet.

Castle gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Gracie lands a nice shot to the body.
Gracie misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Castle.
Castle throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Castle lands with a straight right. Gracie didn't see that one coming.
Frank Castle is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Gracie tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Gracie walks into a jab.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Castle sprawls well. Castle wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Gracie gets slowly back to his feet.
Frank Castle has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Royce Gracie.
Castle digs a good body shot into Gracie's ribs.
Castle scores with a slapping inside leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Castle misses the shot to the body.
Gracie drops his hands momentarily and Castle takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Castle fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Gracie.
Gracie shoots in but no luck this time.
Castle comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Frank Castle seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Castle scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Gracie takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Castle paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Castle stalks Gracie and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Gracie's face. Gracie staggers backwards, shaken.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Gracie tries to pull guard but Castle won't allow it.
Castle lands with a short shot to the head.
Castle gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Castle lands a nice knee to the body.
Castle digs a right hand into Gracie's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Gracie's gas tank.
Gracie takes an elbow to the temple.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Castle lands a nice elbow.
Castle landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Castle lands a body shot in the clinch.
Castle lands an elbow just above Gracie 's eye.
Castle lands a knee to the body.
Castle throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Castle swings away with an uppercut that misses.

Gracie jumps into guard, dragging Castle to the mat.
Gracie trying to control the position.
Gracie wants to improve his position but instead Castle has moved into half guard.
Castle prevents Gracie from improving his position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Castle decides to return to a standing position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frank Castle dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Royce Gracie's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Gracie takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Gracie shoots in but no luck this time.
Good exchange - Castle coming out on top.
Castle scores with the left hand. Gracie knows he should have avoided that one.
Castle throws a nice outside leg kick.
Castle looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Castle lunges at Gracie with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Gracie's hand.
Gracie blocks a head kick by Castle.
Frank Castle is winning the standup battle so far.
Gracie gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Gracie keeps the fight on the outside.
Castle throws a jab but it's blocked by Gracie.
Gracie throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Gracie takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Castle scores with a decent looking hook.
Castle thows a body shot but no joy.
Castle ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Gracie tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Castle was well out of range. Poor timing from Gracie.
Gracie fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Castle manages to avoid it.
Gracie misses the shot to the body.
Castle with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Castle scores with a jab.
Castle with a hook.

Castle moves into the clinch.
Gracie is trying to break the clinch but Castle is controlling him.
Castle works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Castle gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Castle lands an elbow that stopped Gracie in his tracks for a moment.
Castle lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Frank Castle has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Castle lands a left hand that snaps the head of Gracie backwards.
Castle lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Castle as Gracie tries to tie him up.
A right hand to the body from Castle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Castle using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
A right hook to the body lands for Castle.
Castle lands a nice elbow.
Nice elbow from Castle.
Castle unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Castle comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Castle is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Gracie can do to turn this around?
Castle works on Gracie's body with a couple of short punches.
Castle landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Castle lands a damaging elbow.
Castle connects with a knee to the head.
Gracie blocks the elbow strike.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Gracie.
Gracie tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Castle tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Gracie works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Castle is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gracie pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Castle is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Castle has his hands on Gracie's head, controlling the position.
Gracie trying to control but Castle is working from the bottom.
Castle looking for a sweep. Not yet Castle, not yet.
Castle pulls Gracie in close to his closed guard and prevents Gracie from doing any damage or advancing position.
Castle is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Castle throws a body punch but Gracie moves out of range.
Gracie takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Castle fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Castle jabs Gracie right on the nose. Gracie blinks but takes it well.
A chopping leg kick lands by Castle.
Gracie checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Gracie misses the jab.
Gracie slips under a jab from Castle.
Gracie's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Castle fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Gracie.
Castle stuffs the takedown attempt from Gracie. Gracie gets slowly back to his feet.
Frank Castle has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Royce Gracie.
Gracie avoids the head kick by Castle.

Castle takes the fight into the clinch.
Gracie tries to pull guard but Castle won't allow it.
Castle lands an elbow inside that Gracie shrugs off.
Still in the clinch, Castle scores with a nice short uppercut.
Gracie has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Castle lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Gracie wants to get back to striking at distance but Castle won't allow it.
Gracie jumps guard but Castle stands there with Gracie around his waist. Gracie gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frank Castle dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Royce Gracie's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Castle lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.

Castle clinches up against the cage.
Castle prevents Gracie from breaking the clinch.
Castle lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Gracie or not.
Castle scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Castle is leaning against Gracie and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Castle lands a shoulder strike.
Castle crunches a lovely knee into Gracie's ribcage.
Castle scores a nice knee to the body.
Castle comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Castle unloads a knee to the mid-section. Gracie lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Castle lands on the inside with an uppercut.
A nice right hand lands inside from Castle.
Castle works on Gracie's body with a couple of short punches.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Castle lands an elbow that stopped Gracie in his tracks for a moment.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Castle landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Castle crunches a lovely knee into Gracie's ribcage.
A short body shot lands from Castle as the two fighters clinch.
Castle throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Gracie on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Gracie drags the fight down to the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie is trying to keep Castle in close.
Castle content to stall in guard here.
Castle wants to control from the top but Gracie keeps moving.

Castle avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Castle stands and steps away. Gracie gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Gracie is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Castle rather than just go for the knockout.
Castle works Gracie's body with a nice hook.
No luck for Gracie with that takedown attempt.
Castle throws a front kick that sends Gracie stumbling back into the cage.
Frank Castle is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Castle moves into the clinch.
Castle utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
A nice left hand lands by Castle.
Gracie managing to block the knees to the body from Castle.
Gracie trying to stall but Castle improves his position.
Royce Gracie has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A frustrated look appears on Gracie's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Castle is pressed up against the cage. Gracie has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Castle down to the mat. Castle avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Castle fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Gracie, pushing him back against the cage.
Castle lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Gracie is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Castle is keeping busy.
Castle comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
A right hook to the body lands for Castle.
Castle lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Gracie tries to break free but Castle pushes him back against the cage.
Castle gets through Gracie's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie can't find room to land a body shot as Castle controls the action.
Castle lands a nice uppercut.
Gracie taking a breather.
Castle digs a right hand into Gracie's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Gracie's gas tank.
Castle comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Knees in the clinch landing for Castle.
Castle lands a damaging elbow.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Castle.
Castle lands with a short shot to the head.
A left hand lands to the body for Castle.
Castle lands a damaging elbow.
Castle landing knees to the head.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Castle creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Castle comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Gracie tries to pull guard but Castle won't allow it.
Frank Castle has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Royce Gracie.
Gracie's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Castle creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Gracie's defenses.
Gracie wants a takedown but no success here.
Castle gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Castle lands a left hand.
Castle lands an elbow that stopped Gracie in his tracks for a moment.
Gracie tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Castle smiles and moves away.
Gracie throws a hook but Castle avoids it easily.
Castle cracks the inside of Gracie's front leg.
Gracie walks into a jab.
Gracie takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Castle scores with a shot to the body.
Gracie walks into a left hand.
Nice body punch from Castle.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Castle lands with an overhand left.
Castle scores with a hook to the body. Gracie takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Castle swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Gracie.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Castle!

And that's the end of the fight!
Frank Castle showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Castle, 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 30:26
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 30:26
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 30:26

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