PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rex Bader (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bishop Payne (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.

Bader
vs
Payne

200 cm
25
270 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
25
256 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Good elbows
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Rex Bader!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Bishop Payne!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bader moves in looking to clinch but Payne pushes him off.
Bader keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Bader tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Payne moves into the clinch.

Payne breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Bader moves in looking to clinch but Payne pushes him off.
Bader avoids a punch combination nicely.

Payne gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Payne manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Payne keeping moving, preventing Bader from controlling successfully.
Payne wants to stand and escape but Bader is having none of it.
Payne 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bader trying to control but Payne is working from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Rex Bader wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Bader tries to close the distance and clinch but Payne swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Bader closes the distance looking to clinch

and Payne counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Payne's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Bader tries to land a knee to the head but Payne blocks with his arms.
Payne tries to pull guard but Bader holds him up against the cage and eventually Payne drops back down to his feet.
Payne fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Rex Bader has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bishop Payne.
Bader lands a good knee to the midsection. Payne won't want to take too many of those.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bader throws a knee to the head but misses.
Bader misses with a knee to the head.
Payne tries to score a body lock takedown but Bader shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Payne looks gassed!
Payne wants to break the clinch but can't.
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!
A knee to the head by Bader.
Bader tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Payne avoids it.
Payne on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Bader tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Knees to the body from Bader.
Payne wants a takedown but no success here.
Nice elbow from Bader.
Bader looking to throw knees to the head but Payne is blocking nicely.
Bader connects with a knee to the head.
Payne trying to control the position but instead, Bader has worked for underhooks and has pushed Payne into the cage.
Bader lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Payne breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Payne shoots in and drives through. Bader sprawls well.
Bader fails with an attempt to clinch.
Bader is looking to clinch.
Bader tries to clinch there but Payne circles away.
Bader tries to close the distance and clinch up but Payne swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Bader is looking to clinch but Payne is avoiding it.
Bader wants to clinch.
Payne circles away from the clinch attempt.
Sloppy strikes from Payne. Those never looked like landing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bader tries a head kick but it misses.
Payne misses with a straight left.
Bader lets loose with a powerful body kick. Payne will feel that in the morning.
Bader tries to close the distance and clinch up but Payne swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Bader scores with a jab to the head.
Payne dives in and grabs Bader's left leg, looking for a takedown. Bader pushes down on Payne's head and hops out.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A head kick from Bader lands but Payne takes it in his stride.
Bader tries to clinch there but Payne circles away.
No luck for Payne with that takedown attempt.
The fight stays on the outside here - Bader looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Payne takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Bader tries to clinch but Payne is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Bader lands a head kick. Payne smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Bader tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Payne counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Bader is trying to control the position but Payne postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Payne is stalling in the full guard.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Bader fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Payne avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Bader tries to close the distance and clinch up but Payne swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Bader is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Bader. Payne shrugs it off though.

Payne rushes Bader and presses him up against the cage.
Bader crunches a lovely knee into Payne's ribcage.
Payne blocks an elbow strike.

Payne breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Payne has taken the fight to the clinch.
Bader tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Bader is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Payne is defending well for now.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Bader is pressed up against the cage. Payne has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Bader down to the mat. Bader avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Payne.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.

Payne stands up and beckons Bader to his feet.
Payne fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Bader avoids it really well and circles away.
Bader blocks a head kick by Payne.
Payne swats away the attempt to clinch by Bader.
Bader thows a body shot but no joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bader closes the distance but Payne moves to the side

and Payne decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Bader's guard.
Payne stops Bader from standing up.
Bader wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Payne is now in half guard.
Payne thows a huge punch but Bader dodges it nicely.
Payne missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Payne controlling the action here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Bishop Payne hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Payne closes the distance and clinches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bishop Payne showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Bader stuffs the takedown.
Bader throws a head kick that misses.
Payne swats away the attempt to clinch by Bader.
Payne scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

It looks like Rex Bader has been cut.
Payne takes a kick to the side of the head.
Bader fails in his attempt to clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Bader clobbers Payne with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Payne keeps the fight on the outside.
Rex Bader is winning the standup battle so far.
Payne changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Bader tries to avoid it but Payne manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Bader to the ground. Bader escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Bader is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Horrible takedown by Payne or perhaps it was just good defense by Bader which made him look bad.
Rex Bader has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bishop Payne.
Bader throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bader tries to clinch up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Bader cracks the inside of Payne's front leg.
Bader closes the distance looking to clinch

and Payne holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Bader pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Bader tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Bader throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Payne blocks it with crossed arms.
Payne's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Bader looks to throw an elbow but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bader tries to land a knee to the head but Payne blocks with his arms.
Rex Bader has scored more points in the clinch so far.

Payne breaks from the clinch.

Payne clinches with his opponent.
Bader with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Payne pulls Bader into guard.

Payne pushes Bader off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Payne dives in and grabs Bader's left leg, looking for a takedown. Bader pushes down on Payne's head and hops out.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Payne closes the distance and clinches.
Bader throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Payne blocks it with crossed arms.
Payne goes for a takedown in the clinch but Bader prevents it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Payne pulls guard effortlessly.
Bader stopping the sweep attempt from Payne.

Payne kicks Bader off and gets to his feet.

Payne shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Bader manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Bader will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Bader can't keep his opponent in guard - Payne advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Payne performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Payne wants to pass the guard but Bader is defending well.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Payne throwing shots but Bader is blocking nicely.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bishop Payne comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Payne has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 28:29
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bishop Payne!