PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Fidel Castro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cubensis Azul (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Castro comes to the cage accompanied by Carlos Puebla - Y En Eso Llego Fidel. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Castro
vs
Azul

180 cm
27
170 lbs
14 - 10 - 0

174 cm
30
156 lbs
24 - 10 - 2

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

- - - - - All Nutrients 160 - - - - -

Brute
- - - - - All Nutrients 160 - - - - -

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Fidel Castro!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 10 - 2, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Cubensis Azul!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, Steve Smith and Yves DeLean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Azul misses with a straight left.
Azul throws a push kick but Castro slaps the foot to one side.
Azul lands a jab to the nose.
Castro scores with a jab. Azul acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Azul scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Castro doesn't seem bothered though.
Castro slaps away a takedown attempt from Azul, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Castro throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Castro fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Castro pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

Castro closes the distance and clinches.
Nice body punch from Castro - that landed with a thud.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Castro lands with a short shot to the head.
Azul tries to stall but Castro uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Azul tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Castro lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Castro scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Castro misses with a knee strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castro lands with a right to the head.
Azul wants to break free but Castro has control.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Castro.

Azul breaks the clinch.
Azul uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Castro.
Azul tries to land a front kick but Castro steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Azul lunges at Castro with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Castro's hand.
Azul has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Castro.
A slapping leg kick lands for Castro.
Azul avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Castro throws a solid leg kick but Azul takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Castro.
Castro lands a glancing blow to the side of Azul's head.
Azul uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Castro.
Castro throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Azul counters with a left to the body.
Castro ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Azul misses with a double jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Azul swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Castro.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A solid body kick from Castro.
Azul throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
A clash of legs there as Castro blocks the low kick.
Castro looks to land a body kick but Azul moved away.
Castro takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Azul enables Castro to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Azul manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Castro advances position into side control!
Castro trying to control the action but Azul is working from the bottom.
Castro throws an elbow but Azul slips to the side and avoids it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Castro working the body and head with strikes.
Azul is not content to let Castro control the position.
Castro working the ground and pound.
Azul can't do much from the bottom here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Castro is looking to take a break and control but Azul is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Castro lands some shots froms side control.
Castro working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Azul tries to bench press Castro off him but Castro keeps the position.
Castro lands a few punches from side control.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Castro in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Castro throws an elbow but Azul slips to the side and avoids it well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Castro misses with the ground and pound.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Castro controls the position.
You can see the frustration on Azul's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Azul tries to bench press Castro off him but Castro keeps the position.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Azul parries the strikes from Castro easily there. Castro is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Azul to escape.
Castro lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Azul down.
Castro throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fidel Castro dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

A big left from Castro misses.
Castro cracks Azul with a good jab.
A jab lands there for Castro.
Castro throws a series of punches but Azul avoids them all with ease.
Castro throws an off balance right hand
and Azul counters with a nice uppercut.
Castro throws a hook but Azul blocks it.
Azul lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Azul throws a head kick that misses.
Castro throws a hook to the side of Azul's head but Azul sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Castro misses the shot to the body.
Azul fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
An inside leg kick from Azul misses.
Azul digs a good body shot into Castro's ribs.
Azul throws a body kick that misses.
Azul throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Azul misses with a looping right.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Azul works Castro's body with a nice hook.
Fidel Castro is winning the standup battle so far.
Azul connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Fidel Castro seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A slow jab from Azul misses its intended target.
Azul moves out of range as Castro strikes.
A lazy left from Azul finds it's target.

Castro has closed the distance and engaged Azul in a clinch.
Azul trying to control the position but instead, Castro has worked for underhooks and has pushed Azul into the cage.
Azul is trying to force a seperation but Castro has the dominant position.
Azul is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Azul has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Castro using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Castro lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Castro tries for a takedown. No joy.

Azul breaks from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Castro dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Azul. That did some damage!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Azul lands a nice hook to Castro's body. Castro takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Azul keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Castro.
Castro misses the shot to the body.
Castro displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Azul.
Castro scores with a push kick.
Castro dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

Castro closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Azul.
Azul avoiding damage as Castro throws knees to the body.
Castro lands a left hand that snaps the head of Azul backwards.
Azul managing to block the knees to the body from Castro.
Castro lands a shoulder strike.
Castro has Azul pressed against the cage, preventing Azul from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Castro lands a right hand that snaps the head of Azul backwards.
Castro throws a knee to the head but misses.
Azul is trying to maintain a safe position but Castro gets an underhook and turns Azul into the cage.

Castro lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Castro winds up and cracks Azul with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Azul wants to get back to full guard.
Castro seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Azul does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Azul moves into full guard.
Castro pushes down on Azul's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Azul is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Castro is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Castro is looking to advance position but Azul won't allow it.
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!
Castro passes the guard and advances to mount!
Castro prevents Azul from getting the reversal.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Castro lands with some strikes.
Castro with good strikes from the mount here!
Castro looking to finish Azul with some ground and pound. This is bad for Azul!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fidel Castro dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Castro uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Azul.
Castro takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Castro throws a jab when Azul was well out of range.
Castro avoids a kick to the body.
Castro fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Azul manages to avoid it.
Castro misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Azul misses with a body shot.
Azul avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Azul stuns Castro with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Castro works the jab nicely.
Castro throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Azul stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Castro jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Castro shoots in looking for a takedown. Azul tries to sprawl out of it but Castro keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Azul manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Azul shoots in but Castro avoids the takedown attempt easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Azul misses with a straight left.
Castro checks a low kick from Azul.
Castro fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Azul checks it well.
Castro throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Azul uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Castro.
Azul thumps Castro with a low kick.
Castro ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Castro throws a jab but it's blocked by Azul.

Castro clinches up against the cage.
Castro lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Castro lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Azul jumps guard but Castro turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Castro lands a knee to the body.
Cubensis Azul has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Azul misses with a hook to the ribs.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Castro misses with a punch on the inside.
Castro misses with a punch to the body.
Azul wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Fidel Castro has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Castro keeps control of Azul as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Castro with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Azul lands a body shot in the clinch.
Azul is trying to drag Castro to the mat but Castro just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Fidel Castro has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cubensis Azul.
Castro misses with a knee strike.
Castro working Azul over with knees to the body.
Azul takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Castro lands a body shot in the clinch.
Castro with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

Azul breaks the clinch.

Castro manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Azul on his heels. He'll look to pass Azul's guard now, I'm sure.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Azul avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Azul keeping full guard, as Castro tries to pass.
Castro cracks Azul with a solid left hand.
Castro trying to control the position from guard on top but Azul is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Castro passes Azul's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Castro trying to control the action but Azul is working from the bottom.

Azul looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Fidel Castro is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Azul is staying active underneath Castro, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Castro controlling the action here.

Azul actively working from the bottom here.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Castro in particular looking to stall.
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 fight!
Fidel Castro showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Castro has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Alec Ball scores the fight 30:27
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Fidel Castro!
Fidel Castro thanked the fans post fight for their support.