PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Victor Payne (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Snuka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Victor Payne is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples... Tweaking his own nipples that is.

Payne
vs
Snuka

190 cm
21
275 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

200 cm
22
270 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

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 1 - 1 - 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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, James Snuka!
The judges for this bout are Lou da Vinci, Reed Andrews and Joseph Jones.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Payne fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
James Snuka seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Snuka closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Payne to the mat! Payne manages to get full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Snuka with a nice head shot there.
Payne trying to control the position.

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

Payne escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Snuka gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Snuka throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Snuka avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Snuka in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Snuka is working Payne over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Snuka must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Snuka trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Snuka lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Payne has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Snuka can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Payne has momentary wrist control but Snuka slips an elbow through the middle.
Snuka postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Payne has Snuka pulled in close to control his posture.
Snuka working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Snuka working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Snuka accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Snuka avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Snuka tries to free his leg and advance position but Payne is retaining full guard.
Payne looking to control.

Payne working for a triangle but Snuka defends it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Payne looking for a guillotine here but Snuka defends easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
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.
Snuka scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Snuka trying to move into half guard but instead Payne has managed to sweep!
Snuka is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Payne is controlling him.
Snuka trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Snuka is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Payne is controlling him.
Snuka trying to keep a closed guard but Payne is proving a slippery customer.
Payne trying to control the position from guard on top but Snuka is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Snuka trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Snuka dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Payne scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Payne tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Payne has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
You can see the frustration on Snuka's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Snuka tries to strike but it doesn't land.
Snuka is looking to reverse the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Payne trying to control the action but Snuka is working from the bottom.
Payne slips into full mount, dodging the strikes by Snuka.
Snuka wants to hold on but Payne pushes him away.
Payne forces the positional change into back control.
Payne is punishing Snuka with strikes - can he finish him?!

Payne has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Snuka has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Snuka defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Payne's arms.
I really don't envy Snuka right now.
Snuka is trying to stand back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Snuka is trying to break free.
Snuka holding both Payne 's hands and preventing any damage.
Snuka manages to reverse the position and now he's in Payne's guard. Nice work there by Snuka.
Snuka wants to stand and escape but instead Payne has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Payne trying to control but Snuka is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Payne preventing the sweep.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Payne closes the distance and clinches up with Snuka, looking for a takedown. Payne pushes Snuka against the cage but Snuka circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Snuka tries to clinch but Payne is having none of it.
Snuka is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Snuka tries to clinch up.
Payne shoots in but no luck this time.
Snuka moves out of range of the strikes.
Payne tries to close the distance and clinch up but Snuka swats him away and circles back towards the center.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Snuka misses with a takedown attempt
and Payne counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Payne throws a right and a left that Snuka avoids nicely.
Snuka displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.

It looks like Victor Payne has been cut.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Payne misses the jab.
Snuka is looking to clinch but Payne is avoiding it.
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 Victor Payne will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Victor Payne's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Payne moves in looking to clinch but Snuka pushes him off.

Snuka instigates a clinch.
Payne fails to pull guard.
Snuka lands a shot to the body.
Snuka throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Snuka pushes Payne back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Snuka can't break the clinch.
Snuka throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Snuka softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Snuka is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Payne gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Snuka wants a takedown but no success here.
Snuka lands a hook to the side of the head.
Payne tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Snuka smiles and moves away.
Payne throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Snuka counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Snuka wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Snuka shoots in and drives through. Payne sprawls well.
Victor Payne has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of James Snuka.
Snuka fails with a takedown attempt.
Snuka tries to clinch up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Snuka tries to clinch there but Payne circles away.
Snuka swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Payne throws a combination. Snuka tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Nice uppercut there from Snuka.
Payne pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

Snuka looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Payne is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Payne has momentary wrist control but Snuka slips an elbow through the middle.
Snuka throwing strikes from guard but Payne blocks nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Payne looking for a guillotine here but Snuka defends easily.
Snuka wants to control from the top but Payne keeps moving.
Snuka trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Snuka avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Snuka loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Payne throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Snuka pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Payne is keeping the position for now.

Payne working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Snuka doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Snuka manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Snuka throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Payne works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Snuka wants to stand and escape but instead Payne has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Snuka keeping moving, preventing Payne from controlling successfully.
Snuka keeping full guard, as Payne tries to pass.
Payne trying to control the position from guard on top but Snuka is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Payne slips nicely into half guard, despite the strikes coming from Snuka.

And that's the end of the fight!
James Snuka comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Snuka 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 Lou da Vinci scores the fight 28:29
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 28:29
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... James Snuka!