PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Tony Castro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nick Larson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Larson has chosen Here To Stay by Korn as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Castro
vs
Larson

184 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

181 cm
18
185 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Tony Castro!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Nick Larson!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, Steve Montenegro and Franklyn Lucas.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Castro has managed to clinch.

Castro pulls Larson into guard.
Larson tries to stand but Castro is controlling from the bottom.
Larson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Castro is keeping the position for now.

Larson drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Larson jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Larson drops back looking for a leg! Castro is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Castro manages to kick Larson off! Larson jumps back into Castro's guard.
Castro wants to get back to his feet but Larson is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Larson decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Castro, up you get!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Larson throws a right and a left that both miss.
Larson fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Nick Larson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Larson shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Larson looks gassed!

Castro drops Larson with a beautiful combination! Larson stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Castro is looking for the KO!

Larson is rocked!

It looks like Nick Larson has been cut.

Castro closes the distance and pushes Larson back into the cage.
Larson is still on wobbly legs! Can Castro finish him?

Castro turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Castro manages to end up in side control.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Castro grinds an elbow into Larson's temple.
Castro controls the position.
Larson seems to have recovered his senses.
Castro in side control lands a decent elbow.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Castro is putting a hurting on Larson here, landing some big shots from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Larson manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Larson has hold of Castro's hands but Castro slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Castro uses his free foot to push down on Larson's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Larson.
Castro scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Larson is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Castro controlling from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Castro postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Larson looks a forlorn figure.

Castro is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Larson to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Larson shrugs it off.

That's four 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.
Castro punishing his opponent with strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Castro lands with some strikes.
Castro landing strikes from the mount and Larson is in trouble!
Larson slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Castro stands up out of the half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tony Castro dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Nick Larson's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Larson fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Castro avoids it really well and circles away.
Larson looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Castro.
Larson shoots in looking for a takedown. Castro tries to sprawl out of it but Larson keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Castro manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Tony Castro has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nick Larson.

Castro shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Larson napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Castro is looking to take a break and control but Larson is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Castro working the ground and pound.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Larson is not content to let Castro control the position.
Larson tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Castro wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Castro wants to control for a moment but Larson uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.

Castro decides to return to a standing position.
Larson misses with a takedown attempt

and Castro counters with a nice double leg into side control. Larson won't be happy with that.
Castro working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Castro controls the position.
Castro in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Larson wants to control but Castro postures up.
Castro tries to get to his feet but Larson is in the middle of advancing position himself and ends up with Castro in his guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Larson is on top in guard.

That's four 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.

Larson is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Larson wants to stand but Castro is controlling his posture from full guard.
Castro is looking to stand up but Larson isn't so interested in that idea.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tony Castro dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Nick Larson's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Larson misses with a takedown

and Castro counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Larson!
Larson tries to hold on but Castro pushes him away.
Castro tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

Castro swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Larson is now in Castro's guard. A big mistake from Castro there, giving up the dominant position!
Castro manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Larson manages to get himself to full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Larson working a defensive guard here.

Castro is sitting in close to Larson's body. Larson has gone for a guillotine from the bottom. Oh damn, that looks pretty tight! Castro is panicking - it looks like this one could be all over! Yes, Castro is tapping! That was a very nice submission by Larson.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:05 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Nick Larson!