PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Muhammad Ali (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Charles Payette (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Charles Payette will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Ali
vs
Payette

175 cm
22
134 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

187 cm
21
135 lbs
2 - 6 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the bantamweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Muhammad Ali!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Charles Payette !
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Marco Blurström and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ali stuns Payette with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Ali misses with a wild combination.
Ali throws the kick towards the body but Payette avoids it.
Ali pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Ali getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Ali throws a shot to the body.
Payette throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Ali's waist but Ali gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Payette off to one side.
Ali misses with a head kick.
Payette blocks a head kick by Ali.
Payette gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Ali.
Payette tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Ali swivels and escapes.
Payette blocks a head kick by Ali.
Ali throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Payette shoots in but Ali avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Muhammad Ali has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Charles Payette .
The fight stays on the outside here - Payette looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Ali lands with an uppercut that bounces Payette off the cage and back into rage.
A bone on bone clash there as Payette blocks the leg kick.
Payette moves out of range as Ali throws a body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Payette clinches up with Ali and pushes him back against the cage.

Ali decides to pull guard.
Payette stops Ali from standing up.
Payette trying to control but Ali is working from the bottom.
Ali knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Payette on the ground.
Payette might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Ali kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Payette is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Ali wants to stand up but Payette is controlling him.
Payette slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Payette postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Ali is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Payette , into his guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ali stopping the sweep attempt from Payette .

Ali gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Ali stuffs the takedown.
Charles Payette seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Payette looks gassed!

Payette pushes Ali up against the cage in a clinch.
Payette on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Payette changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Ali fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Payette slips a jab and a cross from Ali.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A left and a right from Ali both land. Nice combination.
Ali cracks Payette with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Ali punishes Payette 's body with a nice straight punch.
Payette tries for a takedown but Ali sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Ali throws a head kick but Payette moves out of range.
Ali misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Ali misses with a double jab.
Ali bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Payette 's head backwards.
Payette is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Ali.
Muhammad Ali is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Ali throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Payette moves out of range of the body kick from Ali.
A bone on bone clash there as Payette blocks the leg kick.
Ali fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Payette moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Ali throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Payette .

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ali lands a body shot.
Ali misses with a low kick.
Payette will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Ali goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Ali throws a sloppy head kick and Payette moves out of range easily.
No joy there for Ali, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Ali throws a one two combo.
Nice body punch from Ali.
Ali keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Ali lands with a nice combination. Payette backs away looking to recover.
Ali's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Ali duly obliges.
Payette checks a low kick from Ali.
Payette dodges the punch combination from Ali.
Payette avoids a punch combination nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Muhammad Ali dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Ali misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Payette moves into the clinch.
Payette wants a takedown but no success here.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Payette .
Payette wants a takedown.
Payette keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Ali's efforts to push away.
Payette has Ali pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Ali manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Muhammad Ali has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Charles Payette .
Ali tries to break free but Payette pushes him back against the cage.
Payette has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Ali is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Ali jumps guard but Payette stands there with Ali around his waist. Ali gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ali tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Payette smiles and moves away.
Ali misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Payette dives in and grabs Ali's left leg, looking for a takedown. Ali pushes down on Payette 's head and hops out.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ali throws a one two combo.
Ali attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Ali lands a jab-cross combination.
Nice body punch from Ali.
Ali tries a head kick but it misses.
A right-left combo lands from Ali.
Ali tries a head kick but it misses.
Ali lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Ali.
Ali looks to land a body kick but Payette moved away.

Payette shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Payette showed some decent athleticism there.
Ali really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Payette decides to return to a standing position.
Ali throws a right and a left that Payette avoids nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Payette fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Payette takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
A clash of legs there as Payette blocks the low kick.
Payette takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Payette avoids the head kick by Ali.
Ali lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Ali.
Horrible takedown by Payette or perhaps it was just good defense by Ali which made him look bad.
Ali goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Ali is looking to wear down Payette with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Ali keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Ali lands a nice hook to Payette 's body. Payette takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Ali lands a nice shot to the body.
Ali is working the combinations to good effect here.
Payette takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Payette tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ali swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ali lands a nice shot to the body.

Payette fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Ali sprawls well initially but Payette persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Payette trying to control the action but Ali is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Payette is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Ali sees it coming and defends easily.
Payette is looking to take a break and control but Ali is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Ali looks like he's trying to stand up.
Payette winds up and cracks Ali with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ali wants to get back to his feet.
Ali is trying to escape back to his feet but Payette uses the scramble to pass into side control.
Payette trying to control the action but Ali is working from the bottom.

Payette is in a dominant position here, looking for a kimura. Ali looks calm but he's in trouble here. Payette gets his leg over his opponent's head and yanks on the arm. Ali is tapping like a morse code operator on the titanic! SOS! SOS! Payette lets go of the hold and Ali can pop his arm back in it's socket.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:43 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Charles Payette !
Charles Payette is the new bantamweight champion!