PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Paolo Castrogiovanni (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Frank Cox (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Castrogiovanni's entrance music is Dean Martin - That's Amore. A fine choice. Paolo Castrogiovanni has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Castrogiovanni
vs
Cox

168 cm
19
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
21
155 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Paolo Castrogiovanni!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Frank Cox!
The judges for this bout are Paulsen Ambrosius, Patrick Alders and Saam Ante.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Castrogiovanni tries a low kick but Cox avoids it.
Cox doesn't manage to clinch there - Castrogiovanni circles away.
No luck for Cox with that takedown attempt.

Cox shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Castrogiovanni is trying to defend but Cox finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Castrogiovanni is trying to maintain the position but Cox is very close to passing his half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Cox missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Castrogiovanni trying to control from the bottom.
Castrogiovanni wants to get back to full guard.
Castrogiovanni is refusing to be controlled, as Cox sits in half guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Castrogiovanni misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Cox.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cox has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Castrogiovanni.
Castrogiovanni shoots and misses

and Cox counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Cox must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Cox wants to pass the guard but Castrogiovanni is keeping the position.

Castrogiovanni is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

Cox breaks from the clinch.
A chopping leg kick lands by Cox.
Castrogiovanni throws a left and a right that both miss
and Cox makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Castrogiovanni is breathing heavily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Cox lands with a good body shot.

Cox shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Cox was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Cox scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Castrogiovanni?
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cox looking to finish Castrogiovanni with some ground and pound. This is bad for Castrogiovanni!
Cox takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Castrogiovanni taking shots to the head.
Cox sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Cox is in the full mount, landing strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cox tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Castrogiovanni tries to hold on but Cox pushes him away.
Cox takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Castrogiovanni is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

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.
Cox controlling the pace for now.
Castrogiovanni tries to hold on but Cox postures up.
Castrogiovanni in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Cox takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cox scores with a couple of good head shots there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frank Cox dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Castrogiovanni moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Cox throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Castrogiovanni's waist but Castrogiovanni gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Cox off to one side.

Cox closes the distance and clinches.
Cox looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Castrogiovanni manages to break the clinch.
Castrogiovanni throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Castrogiovanni keeps the fight on the outside.
Good leg kick by Castrogiovanni there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Castrogiovanni misses with a lunging right hand

so Cox counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Castrogiovanni might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Castrogiovanni looking to control.
Castrogiovanni wants to sweep here but Cox controlling him for the moment.
Cox sitting in guard here, content to control.
Cox is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castrogiovanni looking to hit a scissor sweep but Cox is one step ahead there.
Cox stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Castrogiovanni swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Cox trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Castrogiovanni manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Cox has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Castrogiovanni has passed into side control.

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.
Cox looking for a sweep but Castrogiovanni has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Castrogiovanni can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Cox is looking to escape.
Castrogiovanni with the ground and pound from mount.
Castrogiovanni avoids the attempt from Cox to control.
Castrogiovanni thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cox is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Castrogiovanni trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Castrogiovanni controlling from the full mount.
Cox wants to hold on but Castrogiovanni pushes him away.
Frank Cox has got the better of the ground game so far.

Castrogiovanni is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Cox can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Cox is looking to get to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Castrogiovanni unloading with bombs!
Cox tries to lock up and control but Castrogiovanni gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Castrogiovanni scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Cox?
Cox is trying desperately to improve position.
Castrogiovanni wants to control the pace but Cox is squirming around nicely.
Castrogiovanni working Cox over with strikes here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Paolo Castrogiovanni will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Castrogiovanni scores with a head kick.
Castrogiovanni throws a body punch but Cox moves out of range.
Cox gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Castrogiovanni counters with a big head kick but Cox shrugs it off.
Castrogiovanni throws a head kick but Cox moves out of range.
Cox tries to score a power double leg takedown but Castrogiovanni sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Cox somewhat.
A telegraphed right hand from Castrogiovanni misses the target.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cox tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Castrogiovanni counters with a big head kick but Cox shrugs it off.
Castrogiovanni has a takedown stuffed.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Castrogiovanni changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castrogiovanni looks for the body kick but Cox saw that one coming.
Castrogiovanni throws a wild body kick that Cox sees coming a mile off.
Cox shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Paolo Castrogiovanni has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Frank Cox.
Castrogiovanni lands with a slapping head kick.
Castrogiovanni connects with a body shot.
Castrogiovanni misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Castrogiovanni misses with a wild body shot.
A head kick by Castrogiovanni misses

and Cox counters with a takedown into side control.
Castrogiovanni is looking to regain half guard here but Cox keeps moving and retains side control.
Cox working the ground and pound.
Cox working the strikes but Castrogiovanni uses the opportunity to regain half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cox working the head and body with strikes.
Cox trying to control from half guard but Castrogiovanni is working away.
Castrogiovanni wants to get back to full guard.
Cox moves nicely into side control.
Castrogiovanni struggling a bit here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Castrogiovanni is looking for a sweep.

Cox decides to stand back up. Cox steps back and let's Castrogiovanni get back to his feet.
Cox is looking to clinch but Castrogiovanni is avoiding it.
Castrogiovanni is looking to wear down Cox with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Castrogiovanni fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Cox shoots in and drives through. Castrogiovanni sprawls well.
Cox moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Cox looks to score with a jab to the body but Castrogiovanni is just out of range.
Cox moves out of range of the strikes.
Cox avoids a punch combination nicely.

Cox fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Castrogiovanni sprawls well initially but Cox persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cox takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Castrogiovanni regains full guard. Nicely done.
Cox trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Castrogiovanni has Cox pulled in close to control his posture.
Castrogiovanni is trying to keep Cox in close.
Castrogiovanni looking to hit a scissor sweep but Cox is one step ahead there.
Cox tries to free his leg and advance position but Castrogiovanni is retaining full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Frank Cox comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Cox has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 27:30
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 28:29
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 28:29

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