PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Joe Masseria (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vj Castillo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Masseria
vs
Castillo

185 cm
18
218 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

180 cm
19
205 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 Helsinki, Joe Masseria!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Vj Castillo!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Johanna Lukiainen and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Masseria forces Castillo back against the cage and clinches.
Castillo tries to break free but Masseria pushes him back against the cage.

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

Masseria clinches up against the cage.
Masseria keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Castillo's efforts to push away.
Masseria landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

Masseria turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Castillo struggling a bit here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Castillo looks gassed!
Masseria staying calm.
Castillo should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castillo pushes Masseria away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Masseria gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
The ground and pound from Masseria seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Castillo can't do much from the bottom here.
Masseria working the ground and pound.
Masseria controls the position.
Masseria misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Masseria cracks Castillo with a big right hand but Castillo just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Masseria in side control, throwing shots but Castillo defends.
Masseria is looking to take a break and control but Castillo is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Castillo is working to avoid the ground and pound but Masseria connects with a decent elbow.
Masseria working the head with strikes.
Castillo takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Masseria is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Castillo will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Masseria connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Castillo some visible discomfort.
Castillo is looking to regain half guard here but Masseria keeps moving and retains side control.
Masseria tries to score with some ground and pound. Castillo controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
A lull in the action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Joe Masseria just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Castillo ducks under a wild hook from Masseria.
Masseria looks to land a combination but Castillo avoids it well.
A cross from Masseria lands.

It looks like Vj Castillo has been cut.
Masseria lands a nice leg kick that just misses Castillo's sensitive parts.
The fighters circling - Masseria throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

Masseria instigates a clinch.

Masseria breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Masseria closes the distance and clinches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Masseria tries to work over Castillo's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Masseria manages to break the clinch.
Masseria throws a nice head kick!
Castillo checks a low kick from Masseria.
Castillo shoots in looking for a takedown. Masseria tries to sprawl out of it but Castillo keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Masseria manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Masseria rushes Castillo and presses him up against the cage.
Masseria misses with a body punch.
Masseria misses with a hook to the ribs.

Masseria manages to break the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Masseria thows a left - swing and a miss!
Masseria ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Castillo moves away.

Masseria moves into the clinch successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Masseria dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Vj Castillo's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Castillo closes the distance and clinches up with Masseria, looking for a takedown. Castillo pushes Masseria against the cage but Masseria circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Masseria clinches.

Masseria manages to break the clinch.
Masseria throws a push kick but Castillo slaps the foot to one side.
Masseria throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Castillo moves out of range as Masseria strikes.
Masseria pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Masseria pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Castillo tries for a takedown but Masseria sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Masseria moves into the clinch successfully.
Masseria tries to land knees in the clinch but Castillo avoids the damage to the body.

Masseria breaks from the clinch.

Masseria shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Castillo's guard.
Castillo is breathing heavily.
Masseria wants to control from the top but Castillo keeps moving.
Masseria controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castillo trying to control the position.
Castillo keeping full guard, as Masseria tries to pass.
Masseria working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Castillo's head.
Masseria passes Castillo's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Masseria takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

That's two 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.
Castillo blocking the ground and pound attempt from Masseria.
Masseria sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Castillo defending well though.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Castillo is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Castillo blocking the ground and pound attempt from Masseria.
Castillo is refusing to be controlled, as Masseria sits in half guard.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Joe Masseria just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Masseria lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Masseria misses with a body kick.
Masseria throws a nice looking combination but Castillo bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Castillo slips a jab and a cross from Masseria.
Castillo walks into a jab.
Masseria will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Masseria throws a combination. Castillo tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

Masseria drives through and clinches with Castillo against the cage.
Masseria tries a body shot but Castillo blocks it.
Masseria is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Castillo can do to turn this around?

Masseria pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Castillo misses with an attempted mid kick.

Masseria clinches up with Castillo and pushes him back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Masseria gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Castillo regains guard.
Castillo being controlled here, momentarily.
Masseria's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Masseria throwing strikes but missing.
Masseria wants to control from the top but Castillo keeps moving.
Masseria controlling from the top position.
Masseria working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Masseria dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Vj Castillo's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Masseria throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Castillo takes a body punch but keeps moving.

Masseria rushes Castillo and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
A shot in the inside from Masseria.
Masseria with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Masseria has picked Castillo up - he's going for a ride! Masseria dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Masseria thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Masseria is controlling the pace.
Castillo avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Masseria.
Castillo takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Masseria keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Masseria working Castillo over with strikes.
Masseria sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Castillo defending well though.
Masseria keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Masseria has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Joe Masseria just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Masseria misses with a low kick as Castillo jumps back.
Joe Masseria is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Joe Masseria is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's two 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.
A clash of legs there as Castillo blocks the low kick.
Masseria pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Joe Masseria is winning the standup battle so far.
Masseria misses with a kick to the body.
Castillo doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.

Masseria gets a clinch.
Masseria throws a punch but it's blocked by Castillo.
Masseria avoiding damage.

Masseria escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Masseria throws a head kick but Castillo moves out of range.
Masseria throws a head kick but Castillo moves out of range.
Masseria thows a body shot but no joy.
Castillo throws a left and a right that both miss

and Masseria moves into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Masseria escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Masseria punishes Castillo's body with a nice straight punch.

Masseria has taken the fight to the clinch.
Masseria throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Masseria misses with a punch to the body.
Masseria lands a body shot in the clinch.

Masseria has picked Castillo up - he's going for a ride! Masseria dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Masseria wants to pass the guard but Castillo is defending well.
Still in half guard, Masseria seems content to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Masseria thows a huge punch but Castillo dodges it nicely.
Joe Masseria overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Masseria scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Castillo is trying to stand.
Masseria performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Masseria wants to pass the guard but Castillo is defending well.
Masseria seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Masseria throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Vj Castillo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Masseria not landing any meaningful shots this time.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joe Masseria showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Masseria 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:24
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:24
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 30:24

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joe Masseria!