PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Frank Castle (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Samual Powers (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Powers's choice of entrance music: Saved by the Bell. Samual Powers has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Castle
vs
Powers

185 cm
23
200 lbs
5 - 11 - 0

179 cm
25
192 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Counter striker
Very strong

Powerful takedowns
Solid Muay Thai
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 11 - 0, fighting out of New York, Frank Castle!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Samual Powers!
The judges for this bout are Joseph Jones, Anthony Taglia and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Powers throws a head kick but Castle moves out of range.

Powers scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Powers is controlling the pace.
Powers blocks the strikes from Castle.
Powers slows the pace down in half guard.
Powers frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castle wants to control but Powers is having none of it.

Powers is working for a guillotine from mount but Castle frees his head quite easily.
Powers can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Castle is looking to escape.
Powers with some aggressive grappling here, looking for the finish.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Castle is squirming around, avoiding Powers's attempts to control the action.

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.

Powers swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Castle is now in Powers's guard. A big mistake from Powers there, giving up the dominant position!

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Samual Powers.

Powers fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Castle sprawls well initially but Powers persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Castle is not content to let Powers control the position.
Castle trying to control from the bottom.
Powers passes into side control, despite Castle's attempt to control the position.
Castle manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

Castle looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Castle tries to get to full guard but Powers has control of the leg.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Castle is trying to control but can't.
Powers trying to control the action but Castle is working from the bottom.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Castle tries to roll over but Powers keeps him under control.
Castle is working hard here to advance position.
Powers is trying to control the action in half guard but Castle is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Powers looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Powers trying to control but Castle is working from the bottom.
Castle keeping full guard, as Powers tries to pass.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Powers trying to control the position from guard on top but Castle is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Powers is pushing down on Castle's leg trying to pass to half guard. Castle is fighting to maintain full guard but Powers has managed to sneak the leg through.
Powers sitting and controlling from the half guard.

Castle has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Powers escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Powers!
Powers taking a breather here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Samual Powers dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Powers fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Castle.
Powers shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Castle as he jumps to the side.
Powers throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Castle.
Powers fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Castle.
A nice inside leg kick there by Powers. That's going to slow Castle down.
Castle doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Powers counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Powers.
Castle is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Powers wants to control from the top but Castle keeps moving.

Castle looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Powers got a little sloppy there for a moment and Castle has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Powers has managed to get both his arms back between Castle's legs - danger averted.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Castle has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Powers is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Castle.
A lull in the action here as Powers stalls from top position.
Castle is not content to let Powers control the position.

Powers working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Castle tries to bench press Powers off him but Powers keeps the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Powers thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Castle sneaks back into half guard.
Powers seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Powers trying to control the action but Castle is working from the bottom.
Castle won't allow Powers to pass to mount.
Castle strikes from the bottom but Powers passes into mount!
Powers content just to control the position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Powers can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Castle is looking to escape.
Powers looking to control and managing it successfully.

Powers is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Castle can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Powers is looking to work his way around to Castle's back. He needs to be careful though, as he's in danger of losing this dominant position.
Castle is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Powers wants to control the pace but Castle is squirming around nicely.
Castle is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Powers with some aggressive grappling here, looking for the finish.
Powers controlling from mount.
Powers wants to control the pace but Castle is squirming around nicely.

Despite being in the dominant position, Samual Powers just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A nice leg kick lands there from Powers.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Samual Powers showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Castle's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Powers throws a push kick but Castle slaps the foot to one side.
Powers lands a head kick!
Castle doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Powers counters with a shoot takedown. Castle fights it but they end up in guard.
Castle keeping moving, preventing Powers from controlling successfully.
Powers pushing down on Castle's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Powers wants to lay and pray for a moment but Castle keeps working.

Castle looking for submissions off his back.

Powers is working for a kimura but Castle is defending it quite comfortably.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Castle actively working from the bottom here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Powers is looking for a kimura here.
Powers passes to full mount!
Powers trying to control but Castle is having none of it.
Powers controlling his opponent.
Samual Powers is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Samual Powers has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two 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.
Castle can't escape the position.
Powers controlling the pace for now.
Castle tries to reverse the position but Powers maintains control.
Powers seems to be looking to move to his opponent's back but Castle is holding on tight.
Powers looking to control and managing it successfully.
Powers trying to control but Castle is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Powers works his way to his opponent's back.
Castle wants to control his opponent's hands but Powers gets his hands free.
Castle is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Powers.
Castle manages to reverse the position and now he's in Powers's guard. Nice work there by Castle.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Samual Powers.

Powers shoots in and bounces Castle off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Castle working for submissions but it's allowed Powers to get to half guard.
Powers slows the pace down in half guard.
Powers trying to pass the guard but Castle defending well.
Powers looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

Castle actively working from the bottom here.
Frank Castle has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Castle actively working from the bottom here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Samual Powers comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Powers 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 Joseph Jones scores the fight 27:30
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Samual Powers!