PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between George Giorgio (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Leonard Payne (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Leonard Payne has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Giorgio
vs
Payne

183 cm
23
185 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

180 cm
23
185 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Good chin

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, George Giorgio!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Leonard Payne!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Payne keeps the fight on the outside.
Giorgio tries to score a power double leg takedown but Payne sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Giorgio somewhat.

Giorgio shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Payne napping and manages to drive through into side control!
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Payne is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Payne wants to control but Giorgio postures up.
Payne trying his best to control but Giorgio has mounted him.
Payne manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Giorgio content to control rather than advance.
Payne is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Payne is concentrating on defense, preventing Giorgio from advancing position.
Giorgio wants to lay and pray for a moment but Payne keeps working.
Payne is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of George Giorgio.
Payne wants to clinch up but Giorgio keeps it at a distance.

Payne feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Giorgio is pulling down on Payne's head to control his posture.
Payne throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Payne would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Giorgio is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Payne is controlling him.
Payne trying to control the position from guard on top but Giorgio is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Payne works over Giorgio with some ground and pound from guard.
Giorgio looking to control.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Payne looking to pass the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Giorgio wants to get back to his feet but Payne is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Payne keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Giorgio's head.

Giorgio looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Payne passes into half guard.
Giorgio trying to control from the bottom.
Giorgio is trying to control but Payne manages to pass to mount!
Giorgio holds on for dear life, controlling Payne's posture momentarily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Payne tries to control but Giorgio wriggling away.
Giorgio is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Payne is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Giorgio is surviving well by controlling Payne's body position as best he can.
Giorgio on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Giorgio tries to get out of the position.
Payne avoids the attempt from Giorgio to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leonard Payne dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Payne gets caught flat footed, as Giorgio shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Giorgio stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Payne swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Payne is looking to stand up but Giorgio isn't so interested in that idea.
Giorgio trying to stand up but can't free himself from Payne's guard.
Payne is trying to control the position but Giorgio postures up.
Giorgio has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Giorgio avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Payne is on top in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Giorgio throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Giorgio keeping moving, preventing Payne from controlling successfully.
Giorgio knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Payne on the ground.
Giorgio wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Payne is now in half guard.
Giorgio trying to control from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Giorgio tries to get to full guard but Payne has control of the leg.
Payne is controlling the pace.

Leonard Payne has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
The fight stays on the outside here - Payne looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Payne tries to close the distance and clinch but Giorgio swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Giorgio tries to clinch up but Payne circles away and keeps his distance.
Giorgio darts in looking for a takedown but Payne gets double underhooks and turns Giorgio into the cage.
Payne stalling in the clinch but Giorgio improves position.

Payne manages to break the clinch.
Giorgio has a takedown stuffed.

Giorgio clinches up against the cage.
Payne content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Giorgio goes for a takedown attempt but Payne pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for George Giorgio. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Payne shoots for a double leg takedown but Giorgio sprawls well. He's pushed Payne's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Giorgio checks the leg kick.

Giorgio darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Giorgio content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
The fighters are battling for position here. Payne manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Giorgio working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Payne is trying to keep Giorgio in close.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that George Giorgio will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Giorgio avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Payne looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Giorgio is fending him off so far but Payne persists. Nope, Giorgio circles away and we're back to standing.
Payne misses with a jab, cross combination.
Giorgio shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Payne defends it nicely.

Giorgio moves into the clinch.
Payne goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Payne effectively controlling the action here.
Giorgio is trying to pull guard but Payne turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

Payne breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Payne stuns Giorgio with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Payne fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Payne tries to clinch up.
Giorgio takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Giorgio changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Payne tries to avoid it but Giorgio manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Payne to the ground. Payne escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for George Giorgio. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Giorgio throws a sloppy head kick and Payne moves out of range easily.
Payne fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Giorgio closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Payne to the mat! Payne manages to get full guard.
Payne takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Giorgio trying to control the position from guard on top but Payne is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Giorgio avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Giorgio is looking to work some ground and pound but Payne has wrist control.
Giorgio stops Payne from standing up.
Giorgio working some strikes from top position.
Giorgio pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Payne is keeping the position for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Giorgio is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Giorgio has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Payne is proving hard to escape from.
Payne is pulling down on Giorgio's head. It's preventing any offense from Giorgio, at least for the moment.
Giorgio trying to control the position from guard on top but Payne is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up. George Giorgio wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Giorgio closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Giorgio ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Giorgio no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

Giorgio looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Payne passes into side control.
Payne wants to control but Giorgio is keeping him busy.
Payne tries to stand but Giorgio is controlling his head.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Payne misses with the ground and pound.

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 George Giorgio.
I think Giorgio 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 Don Winkell scores the fight for George Giorgio!
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight for George Giorgio!
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight for Leonard Payne!

George Giorgio wins by split decision!