PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Frank Shamrock (ranked 5816 p4p, 5004 weight class) and Demian Castro (ranked 598 p4p, 557 weight class). Shamrock comes to the cage accompanied by The Next Episode. Demian Castro will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Shamrock
vs
Castro

178 cm
22
185
1 - 1 - 0

192 cm
19
185
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Frank Shamrock!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Demian Castro!
The judges for this bout are Jorge Garcia, Eddie Farnsworth and Joseph Jones.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shamrock throws a right and a left that both miss.
Castro unleashes a big counter combination but Shamrock bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Nice sprawl there from Shamrock as Castro shoots in.
Sloppy strikes from Shamrock. Those never looked like landing.
Castro unleashes a big counter combination but Shamrock bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Castro dodges the punch combination from Shamrock.
Castro throws a counter combo.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
No joy there for Shamrock, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Despite the aggression on Castro's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Shamrock misses with the combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shamrock misses with the combination.
Shamrock misses with a two punch combination.
Castro let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Shamrock misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Castro lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Shamrock tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Castro paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Frank Shamrock seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Castro slips a jab and a cross from Shamrock.
As Shamrock backs off Castro throws a huge counter combo but Shamrock manages to avoid it all.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Shamrock takes the fight into the clinch.
A knee to the head by Shamrock.
Shamrock is pushing Castro up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Shamrock is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Shamrock pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Castro wants a takedown but no success here.
Shamrock misses with an elbow over the top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Shamrock breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Shamrock throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Castro drives through with a takedown into guard.
Castro scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Shamrock avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Castro postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Shamrock is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Castro landing some decent shots from guard.
Castro lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Shamrock wants to get back to his feet but Castro is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shamrock knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Castro on the ground.
Castro lands a couple of elbows.
Castro with a nice head shot there.
Castro pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Shamrock is keeping the position for now.
Shamrock wants to stand and escape but Castro is having none of it.
Castro lands a couple of digs.
Castro throws a big elbow that misses.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Castro landing some decent shots from guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Castro lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Shamrock might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Castro with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Shamrock wants to get back to his feet but Castro is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Castro lands a couple of elbows.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Castro prevents Shamrock from getting back to his feet.
Shamrock is breathing heavily.
Shamrock keeping full guard, as Castro tries to pass.
Shamrock wants to get back to his feet but Castro is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Castro distracts Shamrock with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Frank Shamrock will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Shamrock lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Sloppy strikes from Shamrock. Those never looked like landing.
Shamrock lands a glancing blow to the side of Castro's head.
Shamrock moves in looking to clinch but Castro pushes him off.
Castro lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Castro shoots in and drives through. Shamrock sprawls well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shamrock is looking to clinch but Castro is avoiding it.
Shamrock throws a series of punches but Castro moves out of range.
Castro is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shamrock will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Shamrock misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Shamrock moves into range and connects with a jab.
Shamrock throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Castro.
Castro is looking for the big counter here.
A punch lands to the side of Castro 's head but he takes it in his stride.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shamrock misses with a series of wild punches.
Shamrock throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Castro.
As Shamrock backs off Castro throws a huge counter combo but Shamrock manages to avoid it all.
Shamrock tries to clinch there but Castro circles away.
Shamrock tries to clinch there but Castro circles away.
Castro is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Shamrock throws a series of punches but Castro avoids them all with ease.
Castro is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Castro closes the distance and clinches up with Shamrock, looking for a takedown. Castro pushes Shamrock against the cage but Shamrock circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Shamrock swinging wildly here.
Castro throws a counter combo.

Shamrock closes the distance and clinches.
Castro is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Shamrock pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Frank Shamrock has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Demian Castro.
Shamrock throws an elbow but it misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shamrock pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Shamrock lands a nice elbow.
Castro tries to score a body lock takedown but Shamrock shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Shamrock's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Shamrock throws a series of punches but Castro moves out of range.
Shamrock fails to land with a series of punches.
Castro unleashes a big counter combination but Shamrock bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Shamrock misses with a wild combination.
As Shamrock backs off Castro throws a huge counter combo but Shamrock manages to avoid it all.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Shamrock throws a right and a left that both miss.
Castro throws a counter combo.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Frank Shamrock dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Shamrock catches Castro with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Shamrock tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Castro manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Frank Shamrock is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Shamrock throws a right hand that Castro ducks under and follows up with a left that Castro also avoids with ease.
As Shamrock backs off Castro throws a huge counter combo but Shamrock manages to avoid it all.
Shamrock misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Shamrock is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Castro can do to turn this around?
Shamrock looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Castro tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Shamrock swivels and escapes.
Shamrock throws a right hand that Castro ducks under and follows up with a left that Castro also avoids with ease.
Castro is looking for the big counter here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castro misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Shamrock throws a looping overhand right but Castro ducks down to avoid it.
Shamrock throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Castro has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Shamrock misses with a hook. Castro ducked under it nicely.
Despite the aggression on Castro's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A big right from Shamrock misses.
Castro is looking for the big counter here.

Castro closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Shamrock taking a bit of punishment here - Castro scoring with strikes.
Castro working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Shamrock is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Castro has hold of Shamrock's arm here. He's working for an Americana. It looks like he might have it! Shamrock tries to escape but he's just digging himself in deeper - Castro cranks the arm and Shamrock screams in pain! The ref makes a decision and ends the fight before the tap - no complains from Shamrock, who is just happy to have his arm attached to his body.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Americana). Demian Castro!