PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Cassius Payne (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nikolo Halike (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Payne comes to the cage accompanied by Paul Oakenfold - Ready Steady Go. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Payne
vs
Halike

176 cm
26
140 lbs
13 - 5 - 0

180 cm
33
165 lbs
15 - 8 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Dangerous GnP
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

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 13 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Cassius Payne!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Nikolo Halike!
The judges for this bout are Dmitry Maklakov, Ivan Kurochkin and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Halike tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Payne was well out of range. Poor timing from Halike.
Payne shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Halike sprawls well. Halike wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Payne gets slowly back to his feet.
Some wild striking there from Payne.

Payne changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Halike looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Halike is not content to let Payne control the position.
Payne tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Payne scoring with punches and elbows.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Payne sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Halike is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Halike tries to buck Payne off but Payne is having none of it.
Halike dodges the ground and pound from Payne.
Payne wants to lay and pray for a moment but Halike keeps working.

Payne is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Halike is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Payne is trying to get an arm triangle but Halike is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Payne creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.

Payne is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Halike has escaped the position, nice work there.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Payne lands a decent elbow from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Payne fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Payne wants to control but Halike is keeping him busy.
Payne in side control, throwing shots but Halike defends.

Payne goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Halike rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Payne's guard! Nice work there by Halike!
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.

Payne is looking for a triangle but Halike pushes his legs off easily.
Payne wants to sweep here but Halike controlling him for the moment.
Halike looking to pass the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Payne wants to sweep here but Halike controlling him for the moment.

Payne is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Halike is aware though and is defending well.
Payne trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Payne with a couple of shots from the bottom there - nothing Halike can't handle though.
Halike works over Payne with some ground and pound from guard.

Payne looking for subs off his back but Halike has passed one foot through into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Payne is trying to maintain the position but Halike is very close to passing his half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cassius Payne dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Payne misses with a body shot.
Jab by Halike.
Halike thows a body shot but no joy.
Payne throws a nice looking combination but Halike bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Payne throws a hook but Halike blocks it.

Payne dives in and scores a takedown into Halike's guard.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Payne here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
Payne throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Halike can't keep his opponent in guard - Payne advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

Payne is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Halike is just riding it out for now. Payne eventually gives up the hold.
Payne missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Payne thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Halike's head.
Payne wants to free his trapped foot but Halike is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Payne passes to side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Halike is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Halike prevents Payne from moving into mount.

Payne goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Halike has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Payne but great work by Halike.
Payne is looking for a sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Payne wings away with a couple of strikes but they don't land.
Halike is trying to move to mount but Payne reverses beautifully and ends up in Halike's guard.
Payne throws a strike but Halike rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Payne has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Halike can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Halike must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Halike trying to control but Payne is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Halike wants to pass the guard but Payne is keeping the position.
Payne will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Halike pushes down on Payne's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Payne is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Halike wants to work for an arm triangle but Payne is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Payne desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Halike sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Payne defending well though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cassius Payne dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Halike lands with a nice body punch.
Payne has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Halike.

Payne closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Halike quickly recovers to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Halike is refusing to be controlled, as Payne sits in half guard.
Payne lands strikes from half guard.
Halike moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Payne trying to control the position from guard on top but Halike is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Halike avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Payne scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Payne passes Halike's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Halike gets full guard.
Payne passes into half guard.
Payne working the head and body with strikes.
Nikolo Halike has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Payne is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Payne tries to pass the half guard into mount. Halike knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Payne thows a huge punch but Halike dodges it nicely.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Payne connects with a nice short shot to Halike's temple.
Halike manages to get to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Payne throws a big elbow that misses.

Halike has an active guard here but Payne has managed to pass into half guard.
Payne wants to pass the guard but Halike is defending well.
Halike has hold of Payne's hands but Payne slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Cassius Payne is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Payne trying to control from Halike's half guard. Halike has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Cassius Payne overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Payne trying to control the position from guard on top but Halike is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Payne sitting in guard, not really doing much.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Payne looking to sit in guard and control but Halike gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cassius Payne showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Payne, 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 Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cassius Payne!
An out of breath Cassius Payne thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.