PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Victor Payne (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Buck Watson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Buck Watson is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Payne
vs
Watson

190 cm
20
275 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

200 cm
18
270 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Improved boxing
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Tends to cut

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 New York, Victor Payne!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Buck Watson!
The judges for this bout are David Schapiro, Bruno Lombardi and Steve Montenegro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Watson stuffs the takedown.
Watson avoids a punch combination nicely.
Watson thows a left - swing and a miss!
Watson chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Payne can pounce on him.
Payne will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Payne rushes Watson and presses him up against the cage.
Payne prevents Watson from breaking the clinch.

Payne manages to break the clinch.
Payne shoots in and drives through. Watson sprawls well.
Payne throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Payne swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Payne misses with a wild body shot.
A left lands for Watson.

It looks like Victor Payne has been cut.
Watson drops Payne with a right and a left! Watson comes rushing in but Payne regains his composure and manages to keep Watson in guard.

Payne is rocked!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Payne working for a triangle but Watson defends it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Payne looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Payne is breathing heavily.

Payne has his feet on Watson's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Payne shoots in and drives through. Watson sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Victor Payne. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Payne shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Victor Payne seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A combination from Payne does no damage.
Payne misses with a few strikes there.
Buck Watson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Watson throws a body punch but Payne moves out of range.
Payne misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Watson counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Payne looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Payne misses with a jab, cross combination.
Watson fails to land with a series of punches.

Payne drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Watson defending against the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Payne decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Payne swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Watson counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Victor Payne's cut is getting worse.
No joy there for Payne, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Payne ducks right into an uppercut from Watson.
Watson connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Payne's hands.
Payne jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Watson misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Payne.
Watson ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Payne moves away.
Payne tries to close the distance and clinch up but Watson swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A punch combination from Payne misses.
A swing and a miss from Payne.
Payne displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Watson throws out the jab.
Payne misses with a straight right.
Payne lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Payne falls off balance throwing a combination
and Watson counters with a straight right hand.
Payne misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Watson counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Watson lands a jab to the head.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Watson blocks a jab.
Payne avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

Payne looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Watson!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Buck Watson dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Victor 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.

The fight stays on the outside here - Payne looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Payne drives through and clinches with Watson against the cage.
Payne lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Watson backwards.

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

Payne moves into range and clinches up with Watson.

Payne manages to break the clinch.
Watson rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Payne moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Payne tries to bum rush Watson with a series of wild strikes but Watson uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Watson changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Payne shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Watson but Watson pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Watson misses with a looping left.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watson blocks a head kick by Payne.
Payne walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Watson misses with a double jab.
Payne shoots for a double leg takedown but Watson sprawls well. He's pushed Payne's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Victor Payne is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Payne throws a combination that misses
and Watson counters with a straight right hand.
Payne throws a right and a left that both miss.
Payne misses with a takedown attempt - Watson sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Victor Payne. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nice shot by Watson.
Payne throws a series of punches but Watson avoids them all with ease.
Payne throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Watson is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watson avoids the head kick by Payne.
A shot to de liver by Watson. Beautiful body shot.
Payne fails with an attempt to clinch.
Watson scores with a three punch combo!
Watson is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Payne.
Buck Watson seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Payne is looking to clinch.
Watson moves forwards but Payne connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Payne shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Watson as he jumps to the side.
Payne shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Watson as he avoids it easily.
Watson lands a jab-cross combination.
Payne tries a head kick but it misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Payne.
Payne shoots in and drives through. Watson sprawls well.
Payne misses with a combination
and Watson counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Payne shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Watson but Watson pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Payne misses with a wild combination.
Payne takes a swing at Watson's ribcage but misses.
Payne is looking to clinch.
Payne on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Payne closes the distance and clinches up with Watson, looking for a takedown. Payne pushes Watson against the cage but Watson circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
A choreographed right hand from Payne misses the target.
Watson misses with a body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watson dodges the punch combination from Payne.
Watson lands a nice hook to Payne's body. Payne takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Watson thows a left - swing and a miss!
Watson connects with a jab.

Victor Payne's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
Payne shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Payne throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Watson counters with a left and a right that hurts Payne! He wobbles and falls to the floor - he's in big trouble! Watson jumps into full mount!
Oh Payne is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Watson takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Payne tries to hold on but Watson pushes him away.
Payne seems to have got his legs back now.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Payne is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Buck Watson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Victor Payne's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Payne drops Watson with a left right combo! Payne follows him down to the ground into side control.

Watson is rocked!

It looks like Buck Watson has been cut.

Payne stands up.
Watson is still on wobbly legs! Can Payne finish him?
Watson will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Nice takedown defense from Watson. No joy for Payne on that attempt.
Watson seems to have recovered his senses.
Payne throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Watson's waist but Watson gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Payne off to one side.
Nice sprawl there from Watson as Payne shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Victor Payne. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Watson looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Payne attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Payne swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Watson counters with a right hand to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Payne uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Watson.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Watson misses with a straight right.
A big left from Payne misses.
Payne throws a right hand that Watson ducks under and follows up with a left that Watson also avoids with ease.
Payne on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Watson avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Payne pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Payne throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Payne tries to clinch up but Watson circles away and keeps his distance.
Payne misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Payne walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watson throws a lazy right hand but Payne sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Payne shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Watson as he jumps to the side.
Watson smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Watson keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
The fighters circle momentarily. Watson darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Payne throws a combination that misses
and Watson counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Payne throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Watson's waist but Watson gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Payne off to one side.
Watson waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Payne.
Payne tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Watson paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Payne jabs Watson right on the nose. Watson blinks but takes it well.
Payne is looking to clinch but Watson is avoiding it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Payne shoots in and drives through. Watson sprawls well.
Payne shoots in but Watson avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Payne throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Payne swinging wilding here.
Payne looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.

Payne shoots in and bounces Watson off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Payne controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Payne slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Victor Payne has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Payne working the ground and pound from side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Payne trying to control the position but Watson is working away.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Victor Payne.
I think Watson 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 David Schapiro scores the fight 28:29
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Buck Watson!