PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Gabriel Fenili (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cassius Payne (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Payne comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Paul Oakenfold - Ready Steady Go kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! This should be fireworks!

Fenili
vs
Payne

168 cm
21
157 lbs
7 - 5 - 0

176 cm
26
140 lbs
12 - 4 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Powerful takedowns
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Gabriel Fenili!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Cassius Payne!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Illya Tyunina and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Fenili shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Payne is trying desperately to improve position.

Fenili jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Payne is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Payne and Fenili has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.

Fenili is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Payne is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Payne is looking to reverse the position.
Fenili tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Payne is not content to let Fenili control the position.
Payne is looking to regain half guard here but Fenili keeps moving and retains side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Fenili stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Fenili shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Payne as he avoids it easily.
Payne misses with the combination.

Payne forces Fenili back against the cage and clinches.

Payne wants the takedown. Fenili is fighting it off but Payne persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Fenili's guard against the cage.
Payne tries to free his leg and advance position but Fenili is retaining full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fenili is trying to keep Payne in close.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Payne throws a big elbow that misses.
Payne is stalling in the full guard.
Payne is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Fenili is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Payne dives into side control.
Payne trying to control the action but Fenili is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fenili is looking to reverse the position.
Payne with the ground and pound but Fenili regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Payne looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Fenili with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
The fighters are battling for position here. Fenili manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Payne slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Payne swings around for an armbar but Fenili sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Payne's guard.
Payne is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Payne is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Fenili defends it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fenili wants to get back to his feet.
Payne keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Payne wants to lay and pray for a moment but Fenili keeps working.

Payne is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Fenili doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Payne.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Fenili gets full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cassius Payne dominated that round.
That's time! Fenili's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Payne looks to land a right hand but Fenili moved out of range.
Fenili staying out of range there.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Payne. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Fenili shoots and misses
and Fenili takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Fenili misses with a takedown
and Payne makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Fenili wants to clinch.

Payne clinches up against the cage.
Payne drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Fenili gets the underhooks and prevents it.
A bit of stalling here from Payne.
Fenili taking a breather.
Fenili misses with a punch to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Payne breaks the clinch.
Fenili tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Payne swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gabriel Fenili. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Fenili shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Payne but Payne pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Fenili fails with the takedown
and Payne counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Payne keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Payne scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Payne misses with a wild body shot.
Payne ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Fenili moves away.
Fenili doesn't manage to clinch there - Payne circles away.
Fenili misses with a body shot.
A looping hook to the body misses from Payne. Fenili does a little dance to reset his feet.
Payne thows a body shot but no joy.
Payne throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fenili throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Payne takes a kick to the side of the head.
Fenili shoots and misses

and Payne counters by clinching up.
Fenili is pressed up against the cage. Payne has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Fenili down to the mat. Fenili avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Gabriel Fenili seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Fenili misses with a jab, cross combination.

Fenili closes the distance and clinches.
Payne working hard to break the clinch.
Payne has Fenili pressed against the cage, preventing Fenili from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Payne breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Payne throws a jab but it's blocked by Fenili.
Payne throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Fenili on the side of the head.
Payne misses with a hook.
Fenili throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Fenili pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Fenili will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fenili gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Payne counters with a three punch combo that has Fenili backing up. Fenili nods at Payne to acknowledge the strikes.
Fenili is looking to clinch but Payne is avoiding it.
Payne swats away the attempt to clinch by Fenili.
Payne loads up on a big right hand but Fenili slips the punch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Fenili looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Fenili shoots for a double leg takedown but Payne sprawls well. He's pushed Fenili's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Fenili tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Fenili looks to clinch

and Payne moves into the clinch.
Payne stalling against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Payne is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Fenili can't fight it off and eventually Payne manages to take the fight to the floor. Fenili looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Fenili is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Fenili can't keep his opponent in guard - Payne advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Payne looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The fighters are battling for position here. Fenili manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cassius Payne showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Fenili motions for Payne to come forward. Fenili throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.

Fenili closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Payne to the mat! Payne manages to get full guard.
Payne looking to control.
Payne being controlled here, momentarily.
Payne lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Fenili!
Fenili tries to reverse the position but Payne maintains control.
Payne looking to control but Fenili is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Payne tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Payne putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Payne lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Fenili is looking to get to half guard.
Payne controlling the position easily from mount.
Payne with the ground and pound from mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fenili taking shots to the head.
Fenili prevents Payne from taking his back.
Fenili tries to reverse the position but Payne maintains control.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Payne tries to control but Fenili wriggling away.
Payne sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Fenili is looking to improve his position but Payne isn't that keen on the idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Payne works his way to his opponent's back.
Payne is looking to control Fenili but Fenili is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Payne has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of Fenili's body.
Payne throwing wild punches that miss their target.
Payne keeps control of the position as Fenili tries to break free.
Fenili just trying to survive but Payne is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Payne has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Payne is throwing punches to the body, looking to soften Fenili up.
Fenili is trying to break free.

Fenili is having to fend off submission attempts from Payne, who is looking to sink in the choke. Payne doesn't have the hooks in though and Fenili manages to reverse position! He's now on top, in his opponent's guard.
Payne is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Gabriel Fenili has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Payne working a defensive guard but Fenili manages to pass into side control anyway.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cassius Payne comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Payne 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 Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 27:30
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cassius Payne!
Cassius Payne decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.