PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kevin Kastle (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Marx (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Marx comes into a darkened arena with his song building. S.O.S kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Kastle
vs
Marx

200 cm
18
255 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

204 cm
18
265 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Kevin Kastle!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, John Marx!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Lombardi, Jorge Garcia and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Marx wants to clinch up but Kastle keeps it at a distance.
John Marx seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Marx.
Kastle keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Marx shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Kastle is trying to defend but Marx finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Kastle is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Marx's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Marx's back!
Kastle thows a strike but Marx uses the opportunity to reverse the position! Great move by Marx as he ends up in Kastle 's guard!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Marx is stalling in the full guard.
Kastle trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Marx has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Kastle is proving hard to escape from.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marx controlling from the top position.
Kastle looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Kastle manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Marx is working to get back to half guard.
Kastle looking to finish with strikes here!

Kastle has hold of Marx's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Marx manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kastle throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Kastle controlling his opponent.

Kastle is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Marx is surviving well by controlling Kastle's body position as best he can.
Kastle tries to control but Marx wriggling away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kastle throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Marx is squirming around, avoiding Kastle's attempts to control the action.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Marx avoids a series of strikes thrown by Kastle.
Kastle looking to control and managing it successfully.
Kastle has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marx tries to hold on but Kastle postures up.
Kastle controlling from the full mount.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Kevin Kastle just wasn't active enough.
Kastle closes the distance and clinches up with Marx, looking for a takedown. Kastle pushes Marx against the cage but Marx circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Horrible takedown by Marx or perhaps it was just good defense by Kastle which made him look bad.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

A telegraphed takedown attempt from Marx is defended easily by Kastle.
Kastle fails with the takedown.
Kastle goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Kastle fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Horrible takedown by Marx or perhaps it was just good defense by Kastle which made him look bad.
No luck for Marx with that takedown attempt.
Kevin Kastle has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Marx.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Kastle.
Marx fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marx has a takedown stuffed.
Marx is breathing heavily.
Marx shoots in looking for a takedown but Kastle manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Marx's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Marx displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Kastle.
Marx stuffs the takedown.
Kastle shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Marx pinned against the cage. Marx gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Marx fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Kastle sprawls well initially but Marx persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Marx is pressing down on Kastle's thigh, looking to free his foot. Kastle is holding on for now.
Kastle is pressing down on Marx's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kastle trying to keep a closed guard but Marx is proving a slippery customer.
Kastle is really struggling to control Marx but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Marx prevents Kastle from getting back to his feet.
Marx wants to get up but he can't break Kastle's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marx tries to free his leg and advance position but Kastle is retaining full guard.

Kevin Kastle has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Kastle moves into the clinch successfully.
Kastle has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Marx after a bit of a struggle.
Marx taking a breather.

Kastle decides to pull guard.

Marx is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Kastle is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Kastle has escaped and now he's on top!

Marx looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Kastle has picked Marx up and slammed him! Marx can't keep hold of the triangle and Kastle manages to pass to side control!

Kastle tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Kastle has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marx can't do much from the bottom here.

Kastle wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Marx, who protects the arm well.
Marx tries to buck Kastle off but Kastle is having none of it.
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 Kevin Kastle will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Marx throws a head kick that Kastle semi-blocks.
Kastle tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Marx swivels and escapes.
Kastle fails to land the takedown.
Marx feints and then cracks Kastle's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Kastle down.
Kevin Kastle is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Marx lands with a thumping leg kick.

Marx moves into the clinch successfully.
Marx throws a knee to the head but misses.
Kastle wants to break the clinch but can't.
Marx is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Kastle gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Marx is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Kastle pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Marx softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

Kastle successfully pulls guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marx looking to pass the guard.
Kastle looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Marx puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Marx is looking to take a break and control but Kastle is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Marx is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Marx might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Kastle kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Kastle is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Kastle is looking to control Marx's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Kastle avoid being mounted?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marx trying to mount his opponent but Kastle defends it.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by John Marx.

Kastle gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Marx is trying to pull guard but Kastle has him pressed against the cage.
Kevin Kastle has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Marx.
Kastle working hard to break the clinch.
Marx is trying to stall.
Kastle looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Marx is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marx jumps guard but Kastle stands there with Marx around his waist. Marx gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Marx with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Kastle fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Marx working hard to break the clinch.
Kastle holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Kastle wants a takedown but no success here.
Marx prevents Kastle from breaking the clinch.
Kastle fails to pull the fight into his guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kastle is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Marx has picked Kastle up - he's going for a ride! Marx dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Marx is thwarting Kastle's attempts to control the position.
Marx missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Marx is looking to take a break and control but Kastle is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Kastle is doing well to control the position and prevent Marx from advancing to side control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kastle is refusing to be controlled, as Marx sits in half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Marx comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Kastle has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 29:28
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 29:28
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kevin Kastle!