PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Rick Castle (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Freddie Mejia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Freddie Mejia has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Castle
vs
Mejia

178 cm
22
175 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

184 cm
23
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Rick Castle!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Freddie Mejia !
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mejia wants to clinch up but Castle keeps it at a distance.
Freddie Mejia seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mejia closes the distance but Castle moves to the side
and Castle counters with a left and a right that stings Mejia .
Mejia wants to clinch up but Castle keeps it at a distance.
Mejia tries to clinch but Castle is having none of it.
Mejia closes the distance looking to clinch
and Castle counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Mejia closes the distance but Castle moves to the side
and Castle counters with an inside leg kick.
Mejia wants to clinch up but Castle keeps it at a distance.
Castle throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Mejia 's waist but Mejia gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Castle off to one side.

Castle shoots in and gets a takedown into Mejia 's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castle stays in close to Mejia 's body and controls the position.
Mejia wants to stand but Castle is controlling the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mejia looks gassed!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mejia wants to get back to his feet but Castle passes into half guard.
Castle slips a nice elbow through Mejia 's hands, connecting with Mejia 's forehead.
Still in half guard, Castle seems content to control.
Mejia is trying to stand.
Castle is taking a breather. Mejia says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Rick Castle wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Castle scores with a jab.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Mejia .
Mejia wants to clinch but Castle slips to the side

and Castle counters with a takedown into side control.
Mejia is trying to get back to his feet.
Castle slows the pace down.
Castle throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Mejia is trying to escape the position but Castle is controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Mejia explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Mejia tries to clinch up

and Castle counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Mejia is trying to stand up here but Castle is controlling him well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Castle performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mejia is trying to escape back to his feet but Castle uses the scramble to pass into side control.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Mejia is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Castle asserts his dominance and retains side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rick Castle dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Castle is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Mejia 's half guard.
Castle controlling the action here.
Mejia is trying to stand.
Castle wants to take a breather but Mejia is having none of it.
Mejia is trying to stand back up but Castle is controlling him

Mejia kicks off Castle and gets to his feet.
Mejia is breathing heavily.
Mejia tries to clinch

and Castle counters with a shoot takedown. Mejia fights it but they end up in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castle sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Mejia wants to get back to his feet but Castle is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Castle works over Mejia with some ground and pound from guard.
Castle slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Mejia wants to stand but Castle is controlling the position.
Rick Castle overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Castle controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Rick Castle has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
A telegraphed right hand from Mejia misses the target.
Some wild striking there from Mejia .

Mejia gets caught flat footed, as Castle shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Castle gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mejia darts in trying to clinch

and Castle decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Mejia 's guard.
Castle prevents Mejia from getting back to his feet.
Castle sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Mejia wants to stand but Castle is controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Castle gets to his feet - Mejia follows without any prompting.
Rick Castle is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Castle throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Mejia tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Castle is in Mejia 's guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Castle gets to his feet. Mejia looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Mejia on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.

Castle dives in and scores a takedown into Mejia 's guard.
Castle won't allow Mejia to get back to his feet.
Castle controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mejia is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Castle is controlling him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rick Castle dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Castle will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Mejia gets a clinch.

Castle pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Castle fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Mejia tries to clinch there but Castle circles away.
Mejia looks to clinch

and Castle counters with a takedown into side control.
Mejia tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.
Mejia trying to get back to his feet but Castle is in full control for now.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castle wants to control but Mejia is keeping busy.
Mejia trying to get back to his feet but Castle is in full control for now.
A bit of a pause in the action here. Castle controlling the positon.
Castle's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

We're going to have a standup here because Rick Castle wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Mejia tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Castle counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Well, if Castle is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Mejia is trying to stand up here but Castle is controlling him well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Castle content to control rather than advance.

We're going to have a standup here because Rick Castle wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Castle dives in and grabs Mejia 's left leg, looking for a takedown. Mejia pushes down on Castle's head and hops out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rick Castle. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mejia wants to clinch but Castle slips to the side

and Castle counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Castle is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Castle tries to stand and escape but Mejia is controlling the position.
Freddie Mejia has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mejia wants to stand back up but Castle manages to pass into side control.
Mejia is looking to get back to his feet here but Castle is keeping cool and he's managed to take Mejia 's back.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Mejia has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.
Rick Castle is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Castle is riding his opponent, not letting Mejia buck him off.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rick Castle showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Castle, 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rick Castle!
A relieved looking Rick Castle thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.