PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Tito Castro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Korpi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Castro
vs
Korpi

180 cm
25
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

177 cm
24
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Great low kicks
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Tito Castro!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, John Korpi!
The judges for this bout are , Jack Bonds and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Castro lands a nice leg kick that just misses Korpi's sensitive parts.
Castro scores with a nice body kick.
Korpi will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Castro shoots in for a takedown and gets 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 lands with a punch from half guard.
Castro working Korpi over with strikes.
Castro not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Castro is trying to control. Korpi wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Korpi is trying to stand back up but Castro is controlling him
Korpi looks gassed!
Korpi gets full guard.
Castro looking to pass the guard.
Castro is working Korpi over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Korpi utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Castro keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Korpi's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Korpi trying to control the position.
Castro pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Korpi is keeping the position for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Korpi throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Castro working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Korpi is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Castro keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Castro looks like he's trying to stand up.
Castro on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Castro tries to get out of the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Korpi is looking to stall here but Castro recovers full guard.
Korpi trying to control but Castro is working from the bottom.
Castro wants to stand and escape but Korpi is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Castro managing to control the position.
Korpi wants to get up but he can't break Castro's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Korpi trying to control but Castro is working from the bottom.
Korpi looking to sit in guard and control but Castro gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Korpi has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Castro off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Korpi doesn't manage to clinch there - Castro circles away.
Castro throws a nice inside leg kick.
Castro has his takedown stuffed

and Korpi holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Castro wants a takedown.

Castro gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Castro is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Korpi!
Castro blocks Korpi's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Castro lands a heavy elbow.
Korpi tries to hold on but Castro pushes him away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Korpi taking shots to the head.
Korpi tries to hold on but Castro postures up.
Korpi taking shots to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tito Castro dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Korpi tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Korpi moves out of range as Castro strikes.
Castro throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Castro missing with a left hand there. Korpi was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Castro has a takedown stuffed.

Castro scores with a takedown into Korpi's guard.
Korpi looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Korpi is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Tito Castro overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Castro preventing the sweep.
Korpi is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Castro lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castro postures up.
Castro trying to control the position from guard on top but Korpi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Castro working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Korpi's head.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Castro's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Castro trying to move into half guard but instead Korpi has managed to sweep!
Korpi wants to get up but he can't break Castro's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Korpi 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.
Korpi wants to control from the top but Castro keeps moving.

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 is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Castro scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Castro winds up and cracks Korpi with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Castro working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Korpi makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Korpi.
Castro has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Castro postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Korpi is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Castro wants to pass the guard but Korpi is keeping the position.
Castro with a nice head shot there.
Korpi utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Castro content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Castro is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Castro is working Korpi over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Korpi avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Castro throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Korpi works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Korpi trying to control the position.
Castro distracts Korpi with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Castro lands a couple of elbows.
Castro distracts Korpi with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Korpi not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Castro landing with the ground and pound.
Castro working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Castro's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Korpi is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Castro is pushing down on Korpi's leg trying to pass to half guard. Korpi is fighting to maintain full guard but Castro has managed to sneak the leg through.
Korpi makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Korpi.
Korpi keeping moving, preventing Castro from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tito Castro dominated that second round.
That's time! Castro's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Castro tries to clinch but Korpi is having none of it.

Korpi fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Castro sprawls well initially but Korpi persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Castro trying to hold on to Korpi's head to control him but Korpi postures up.
Castro knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Korpi on the ground.
Korpi is looking to pass Castro's guard but actually Castro recovers to full guard.
Korpi trying to stand up but can't free himself from Castro's guard.
Korpi wants to control from the top but Castro keeps moving.
Korpi takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Korpi accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Castro is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Castro has a closed guard, preventing Korpi from standing up.

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.
Korpi wants to control from the top but Castro keeps moving.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Castro holds on and takes a little breather.
Korpi wants to control from the top but Castro keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Korpi won't allow Castro to sweep him here.
Castro is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Castro lands a nice looking kick to the body. Korpi takes a step back to recover.

Korpi gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Castro to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Tito Castro is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Castro throws a big right hand that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Castro thows a big elbow that misses.
Castro postures up and lands a big shot to Korpi's brow.

Korpi working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Castro doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Castro manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Korpi keeping full guard, as Castro tries to pass.
Castro content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Castro postures up.
Castro scoring with some ground and pound.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Castro makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Korpi is trying to control the position but Castro postures up.
John Korpi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Castro tries to free his leg and advance position but Korpi is retaining full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tito Castro showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Castro, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tito Castro!