PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Cassius Payne (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hank Cole (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Payne comes to the cage accompanied by Paul Oakenfold - Ready Steady Go. Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Payne
vs
Cole

176 cm
25
160 lbs
12 - 2 - 0

175 cm
25
157 lbs
15 - 5 - 1

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Popeye’s Spinach - 159 + 158 Proof Supps

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Cassius Payne!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Hank Cole!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Aleksandr Martynov and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cole ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Payne moves away.

Payne takes the fight into the clinch.
Cole lands a hook to the side of the head.
Payne stalling in the clinch but Cole improves position.
Payne throws a head punch that misses.
Payne taking a breather.
Maybe Payne would be better served going for some more strikes rather than trying to control so much.
Payne jumps guard but Cole turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Payne has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Payne wants a takedown but no success here.
Cole stalling in the clinch.
Payne goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

Cole breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Nice cross by Cole.
Cole misses with an uppercut. Payne saw that one coming.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cole pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Cole misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Payne.
Cole throws a looping overhand right but Payne ducks down to avoid it.
Cole looks to throw the jab but Payne is out of range.
Cole fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Payne manages to avoid it.
Cole ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Payne moves away.
Payne throws a leg kick but Cole moved away.
Cole swings and misses with a hook to the body.

Cole tries to sprawl but Payne drives through with a takedown into half guard.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Payne throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Cole is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Payne throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Cole can do anything to dispel that myth.
Cole is trying to maintain the position but Payne is very close to passing his half guard.
Cole is trying to get back to full guard.
Payne has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Cole makes his way to full guard, as Payne worked for a kimura.
Payne controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Cole is looking to stand up but Payne isn't so interested in that idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cole seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Cole really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Payne. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Payne stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Cole swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Payne throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Payne throws a big elbow that misses.
Payne not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Cole catches Payne with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Cole. Payne does a little dance to reset his feet.
Cole throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Cole throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Payne throws a solid leg kick but Cole takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Payne.
Payne fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Cole manages to avoid it.
Payne moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Hank Cole is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Cole scores with a jab.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cole throws a lazy right hand but Payne sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Payne loads up on a big right hand but Cole slips the punch.
Cole tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Payne manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Hank Cole will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Cole throws a shot from downtown. Payne moves away and avoids it.
Cole fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Payne manages to avoid it.
Payne wants to clinch.
Payne misses with a series of wild punches.
Payne tries to close the distance and clinch up but Cole swats him away and circles back towards the center.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cole just misses with a punch to the body.
Payne swinging wildly here.
Payne misses with a body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Payne shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Cole as he jumps to the side.
Cole misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Payne throws a leg kick
and Cole counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Payne shoots for a double leg takedown but Cole sprawls well. He's pushed Payne's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Cole lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Payne walks into a stiff left hand from Cole.
Payne's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Cole connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Payne scrambles back to his feet.
Cole fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Payne manages to avoid it.
Payne is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Payne blocks a jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Payne misses with a leg kick.
Payne will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Cole lands with a nice body punch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Payne misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Cole.
Cole connects with a crisp jab.
Cole with a hook.
Cassius Payne is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Payne tries for a takedown but Cole sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cassius Payne. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Payne pushes Cole up against the cage in a clinch.
Cole lands a shot to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cole breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Cole doesn't manage to clinch there - Payne circles away.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Cole checks a leg kick.
Payne fails with an attempt to clinch.
Cole misses with a wild body shot.
Cole looks to score with a jab to the body but Payne is just out of range.
Payne avoids the body shot from Cole.
Payne defending well as Cole loads up on a big left hand.
Cole checks the leg kick nicely there.
Cole dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Cole misses with a body punch

so Payne counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Payne working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Cole wants to stand and escape but Payne is having none of it.

Payne drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Cole manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Payne has Cole in his guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Payne pulls Cole in close to his closed guard and prevents Cole from doing any damage or advancing position.
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.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Payne is pulling down on Cole's head to control his posture.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hank Cole showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Cole takes a swing at Payne's ribcage but misses.
Payne misses with a right hand
and Cole makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Payne throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Cole sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Payne tries to clinch but Cole moves out of range.
Cole misses with a looping right.
Cole waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Payne.
Cole thows a body shot but no joy.
A looping hook to the body misses from Payne. Cole does a little dance to reset his feet.
Payne misses with a looping left.
Payne misses with a straight left.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cole keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Cole takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Cole paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Cole tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Payne was well out of range. Poor timing from Cole.
Cole keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Cole digs a good body shot into Payne's ribs.
Cole swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Payne tries to clinch up but Cole circles away and keeps his distance.
Cole scores with a nice right hand.
Payne takes a swing at Cole's ribcage but misses.
Cole throws a hook but Payne blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Payne.
Hank Cole seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Payne avoids the body shot from Cole.
Cole misses with a hook.
Payne tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Cole swivels and escapes.
Payne will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cassius Payne. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cole thows a body shot but no joy.
Cole is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cole fails to land with a series of punches.
Cole scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Payne takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Cole looks to score with a jab to the body but Payne is just out of range.
Cassius Payne has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Cole connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Cole just misses with a punch to the body.
Payne slips under a jab.
Payne throws a leg kick but Cole moved away.
Cole throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Payne shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Cole connects with a nice looking jab.
Payne looks to score with a jab to the body but Cole is just out of range.
Cole changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cole connects with a body shot that sends Payne's belly button to the back.
Payne is looking to wear down Cole with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.

Cole has taken the fight to the clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Cole breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Hank Cole is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Payne finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Cole works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Cole scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Payne doesn't seem bothered though.
Cole throws a right hand that Payne ducks under and follows up with a left that Payne also avoids with ease.
Cole cracks a nice hook into Payne's ribs.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cole just misses with a punch to the body.
Payne is looking to clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hank Cole comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Cole winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 27:30
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hank Cole!
Hank Cole really struggled to get his t-shirt on before his hand was raised. Making sure that PEGASUS FIGHT WEAR ( $ 7 and Laundering 90% ) logo gets some air time is pretty tricky when you're all sweaty.