PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Eric Castle (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Johnny Rain (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Castle comes to the cage accompanied by Demon Hunter - Storm The Gates Of Hell. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Castle
vs
Rain

184 cm
27
197 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

190 cm
26
195 lbs
9 - 2 - 0

Good takedowns
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Eric Castle!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Johnny Rain!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Chris Downing and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Castle throws a combination that misses
and Rain cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Rain throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Castle counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Castle is keen to just control but Rain is a slippery customer.
Castle missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Rain is refusing to be controlled, as Castle sits in half guard.
Castle thows a huge punch but Rain dodges it nicely.
Rain is doing well to control the position and prevent Castle from advancing to side control.
Castle tries to pass to full mount but Rain defends it.
Castle has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castle is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Castle is thwarting Rain's attempts to control the position.

We're going to have a standup here because Eric Castle wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
A head kick misses from Castle.

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.
Rain misses with an uppercut.
Rain throws a looping overhand right but Castle ducks down to avoid it.
Rain pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Rain connects with a nice looking jab.

It looks like Eric Castle has been cut.
Rain dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Rain tries a low kick but Castle avoids it.
Rain falls off balance throwing a combination

so Castle counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Rain wants to sweep but no luck.
Rain managing to control the position.
Rain keeping full guard, as Castle tries to pass.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rain is trying to control the position from the bottom.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Castle is looking to work some ground and pound but Rain has wrist control.
Rain is adopting a defensive guard.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Johnny Rain wasn't active enough on the ground.
Castle looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rain throws a right hand that misses

so Castle counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Rain is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Castle throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Rain works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Rain is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Johnny Rain will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Eric Castle's cut.
That's time! Castle's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Castle closes the distance but Rain moves to the side
and Rain counters with a nice uppercut.
Castle throws a sloppy head kick and Rain moves out of range easily.
Rain lunges at Castle with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Castle's hand.
Rain takes a swing at Castle's ribcage but misses.
Nice uppercut there from Rain.
Castle shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Rain misses with a hook
and Castle counters with a straight right hand.
Rain throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Castle counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Rain!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Rain controls the position.
Rain tries to lock up and control but Castle gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castle is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Rain can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Rain tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Rain holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Castle tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Castle lands a big shot there that rocks Rain but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Rain is looking to get to half guard.
Rain really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Castle. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Castle cracks Rain with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Rain keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Castle tries to control but Rain wriggling away.
Poor strikes thrown by Castle there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Castle thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Rain is squirming around, avoiding Castle's attempts to control the action.
Castle is really struggling to control Rain but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Castle controlling from mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

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.
A nice elbow there by Castle.
Castle sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Castle postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Rain looks a forlorn figure.

It looks like Johnny Rain has been cut.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rain can't escape the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eric Castle dominated that second round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Rain is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Castle.
Rain scores with a jab. Castle acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Rain throws a poor cross that misses
and Castle counters with a slapping leg kick.
Johnny Rain seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Rain slaps away a takedown attempt from Castle, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Castle missing with a left hand there. Rain was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Rain throws a big shot that misses.
Eric Castle seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Castle wants to clinch.
Castle throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Rain waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Castle.
Castle misses with a double jab
and Rain counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rain looks to land a right hand but Castle moved out of range.
Castle misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Rain throws a hook but Castle avoids it easily.
Castle catches Rain with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Rain walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Rain misses with a hook

and Castle counters with a takedown into side control.
Rain is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Rain wants to control but Castle postures up.
Castle in side control, throwing shots but Rain defends.
Rain struggling a bit here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Castle controlling the position.
Rain manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Castle is controlling Rain's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Castle is looking to control Rain's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Castle avoid being mounted?
Castle wants to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rain wants to stand up but Castle has a hold of him and won't allow it.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Castle throws a combination that misses
and Rain counters with a left to the body.
Castle uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Rain.
Rain ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Castle moves away.
Rain throws a poor cross that misses

and Castle decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Rain's guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Rain can do anything to dispel that myth.
Castle preventing the sweep.
Rain not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Rain has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Castle with a flurry of punches that miss.
Castle sitting in guard, not really doing much.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Johnny Rain hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Castle smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Castle walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Rain feints with a jab and clips Castle right behind the ear with a massive overhand right! Castle is sent crashing into the canvas and Rain leaps in for the kill! Castle tries to get to his feet but Rain is just battering him from every conceivable angle. The ref decides that Castle is in need of a savior and steps in!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Johnny Rain! Johnny Rain retains his middleweight title!