PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Romano S (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cassius Payne (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Payne has chosen Paul Oakenfold - Ready Steady Go as his entrance music. I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

S
vs
Payne

180 cm
30
160 lbs
16 - 11 - 0

176 cm
27
140 lbs
14 - 6 - 0

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
KO power

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 16 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Romano S!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 6 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Cassius Payne!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Konstantin Menshow and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
S is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Payne.
S throws a nice head kick!
S throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Cassius Payne seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
S is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Payne misses with a hook
and S counters with a head kick. That will keep Payne thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
S scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
A looping hook to the body misses from S. Payne does a little dance to reset his feet.
Payne throws a right and a left that both miss.
Payne ducks under a wild hook from S.
S avoids a punch combination nicely.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Payne.
S is looking to clinch but Payne is avoiding it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Payne fails with a takedown attempt.
Payne looks to score with a jab to the body but S is just out of range.
Payne tries to bum rush S with a series of wild strikes but S uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Payne misses with a hook. S ducked under it nicely.
Payne slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
S throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
S throws a series of punches but Payne moves out of range.
Payne throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

S clinches.
A nice glancing elbow lands by S.

It looks like Cassius Payne has been cut.
Payne is looking for a takedown up against the cage. S gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Romano S has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cassius Payne.
S creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Payne's defenses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
S tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Payne's elbow.
A shot in the inside from S.
S scores a nice knee to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Payne avoiding damage as S throws knees to the body.
Payne avoiding damage as S throws knees to the body.
Payne's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
S lands an elbow that stopped Payne in his tracks for a moment.
S using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Payne has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
S missing with knees to the body.
S misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Payne.
With the fighters up against the cage, S throws an elbow but misses.
S lands an elbow just above Payne 's eye.

Payne jumps guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Payne looking to hit a scissor sweep but S is one step ahead there.

S got a little sloppy there for a moment and Payne has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, S has managed to get both his arms back between Payne's legs - danger averted.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

S gets to his feet. Payne looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Payne misses with a wild body shot.
S just misses with a punch to the body.
A telegraphed right hand from Payne misses the target.
Payne throws an overhand right that lands on S's shoulder, as S tries to avoid the shot.
S thows a body shot but no joy.
S tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Payne paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Payne. S does a little dance to reset his feet.
Payne looks to score with a jab to the body but S is just out of range.
Payne has a takedown stuffed.
Payne swings widly with a right hand
and S counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Payne is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Payne thows a body shot but no joy.
S pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Payne dives in and scores a takedown into S's guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Payne trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
S wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
S is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Payne is controlling him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Romano S dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Cassius Payne's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Payne lands a jab to S's midsection.
S throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
S pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Payne moves forwards but S connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Payne takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
S lands a right hook to the body.
Payne shoots in but no luck this time.
S keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
S works the jab nicely.
Payne shoots in but no luck this time.
Payne swings widly with a right hand
and S counters with a nice uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
S misses with a wild body shot.
S throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Payne stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Payne throws an uppercut from half a mile away. S sees it coming and avoids it easily.
S tries to clinch but Payne moves out of range.
S lands with a kick to the ribs.
S defending well as Payne loads up on a big left hand.
Payne throws a right and a left that S avoids nicely.
Payne showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from S.
S scores with the left hand. Payne knows he should have avoided that one.
S looks for the body kick but Payne saw that one coming.
Payne throws a right and a left that S avoids nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheers as S lands an impressive looking overhand right. Payne doesn't seem phased though.
Payne takes a swing at S's ribcage but misses.
S throws a head kick but Payne moves out of range.
S scores with a nice head shot.
S scores with a jab to the jaw.
S misses with a head kick.
S misses with a looping left.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Payne connects with a single shot there.
A head kick misses from S.
Payne thows a body shot but no joy.
S throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
S tries to close the distance and clinch but Payne swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Payne fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Romano S has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cassius Payne.
S lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Romano S is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Payne gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
letting S counter with a right hand.
Payne throws a combination that misses
and S counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
S tries a head kick but it misses.
Payne misses with a body shot
and Payne takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Both fighters circling a little - S finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Payne throws a looping overhand right but S ducks down to avoid it.
S showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Payne.
Cassius Payne is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Payne will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Payne throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
S getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
S uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Payne.
S uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Payne.
S throws a head kick that misses.
Payne fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Payne avoids the head kick by S.
Payne ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
S throws a nice head kick!
S jabs at Payne's body.
A big left from S misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Romano S dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Cassius Payne's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Payne closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Payne fails to land with a series of punches.
S avoids the head kick by Payne.
Payne will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Payne drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
S is controlling Payne's posture.
Payne throws an elbow that misses. S uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Payne's guard. Nice move by S!

Payne is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Payne tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Payne working a defensive guard here.

Payne escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. S gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Payne had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. S defends it easily.
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.
Payne manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

Payne is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, S has managed to escape the submission attempt.

Payne swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and S is now in Payne's guard. A big mistake from Payne there, giving up the dominant position!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Payne has his foot on S's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. S works his way back into a safe position though.
Cassius Payne has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
S stops Payne from standing up.
Payne throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
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.
S on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if S tries to get out of the position.

Payne is looking for a kimura here.
S avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Payne.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Payne is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Payne is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so S is just riding it out for now. Payne eventually gives up the hold.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Payne thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cassius Payne comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think S has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Valeri Chadov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 29:28
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Romano S!
A very excited looking Romano S made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.