PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dean Mason (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Evan Payton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Mason
vs
Payton

190 cm
23
190 lbs
5 - 0 - 1

180 cm
23
192 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Bullet Proof System

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 5 - 0 - 1, fighting out of New York, Dean Mason!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Evan Payton!
The judges for this bout are Franklyn Lucas, Joseph Jones and Jorge Garcia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mason throws a right hand that Payton ducks under and follows up with a left that Payton also avoids with ease.
Payton shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Mason as he avoids it easily.
Payton has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Payton misses with an uppercut. Mason saw that one coming.
Good exchange - Payton coming out on top.
Payton tries to clinch there but Mason circles away.
Mason blocks a jab.
Mason pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Despite the aggression on Payton's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Payton slips under a jab from Mason.
Payton walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Payton fails in his attempt to clinch.
Payton connects with a body shot that sends Mason's belly button to the back.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Payton scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Payton swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Mason lands with a nice body kick.
Payton slips under a jab from Mason.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Payton tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Mason paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Mason swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Payton blocks a jab.
Payton feints a counter leg kick.
Payton swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Mason.
Payton goes for a double leg but Mason avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Mason continues to drive forward.
Payton looks to throw the jab but Mason is out of range.
Mason swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Payton shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Mason defends it nicely.
And Mason counters with a quick kick to the body but Payton blocks it.
Dean Mason has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Evan Payton.
Mason lands a head kick. Payton smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Dean Mason is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Payton blocks the body kick.
Mason's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Mason duly obliges.

Payton has managed to clinch.

Mason manages to break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Payton tries to close the distance and clinch but Mason swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Payton waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Mason.
Mason swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Payton gets a clinch.
Mason prevents a body shot from Payton.
Payton throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Masons head.
Mason working aggressively here.
Payton blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Mason blocks a body shot from Payton.
Payton tries to throw a body punch but Mason avoids it by throwing Payton back against the cage.
Mason swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A head punch on the inside from Payton fails to land.
Mason working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Mason is looking to control Payton's arms but Payton gets an underhook and turns him. Now Mason has his back to the cage.
Mason lands a hook that snaps the head of Payton backwards.
Mason trying to control the position but instead, Payton has worked for underhooks and has pushed Mason into the cage.
Payton lands a right hand that snaps the head of Mason backwards.

Mason pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mason lands with a kick to the ribs.
Payton is looking to clinch but Mason is avoiding it.
Payton connects with the punch.
Mason swings for the body but Payton moves out of range.

Payton gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Mason.
Payton misses with a hook to the ribs.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Mason.

Mason pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Mason tries to land a front kick but Payton steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Mason throws a right hand that Payton ducks under and follows up with a left that Payton also avoids with ease.
Payton tries to close the distance and clinch up but Mason swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Payton throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Mason.
Mason takes one to the chin there.
Mason throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Mason avoids the body shot from Payton.
It looked like Mason wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
A head kick misses from Mason.
Mason scores with a shot to the body.
Payton wants to clinch up but Mason keeps it at a distance.
Payton shoots for a double leg takedown but Mason sprawls well. He's pushed Payton's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Mason swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Payton throws out a loose jab but Mason uses good head movement to avoid it.
An attempted straight right counter from Mason misses the target.
Mason swats away the attempt to clinch by Payton.
Payton shoots in but Mason avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Payton slips under a jab.
Evan Payton seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Payton tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Mason manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Jab from Mason.
Payton tries to close the distance and clinch but Mason swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dean Mason dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

A telegraphed right hand from Mason misses the target.
Payton tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Payton moves away from the strike by Mason.
Mason throws out a loose jab but Payton uses good head movement to avoid it.
Payton wants to clinch.
A quick step to the side and Mason tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.

Payton shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Mason napping and manages to drive through into side control!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mason is looking for a sweep.

Payton looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Payton is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Mason knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's one minute gone in the round.

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

Payton wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Mason, who protects the arm well.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Mason gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Payton is looking to advance position but Mason won't allow it.
Mason is trying to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Payton wants to free his trapped foot but Mason is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Payton trying to control the pace.
Payton wants to pass the guard but Mason is defending well.
Payton is looking to take a break and control but Mason is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Mason blocking the ground and pound attempt from Payton.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Payton in particular looking to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Payton is keen to just control but Mason is a slippery customer.
Payton is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

Payton is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Mason doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Payton.

Payton is looking for a kimura here.

Payton wants to work for an arm triangle but Mason is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Payton seems to be looking for submissions.

Payton is trying to work for a kimura but Mason is defending well.
Mason is in a tricky position but he's been working on his transitions down at The Studio, so we'll see if he gets out of it.
Payton wants to take a breather but Mason is having none of it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Payton has taken the fight to the clinch.
Payton makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Mason.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Mason breaks the clinch.
Mason throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A little jabbing left from Payton on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Mason throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Mason walks into a left hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Evan Payton showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Payton fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
The fight stays on the outside here - Payton looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Mason thows a body kick. Payton tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Payton shoots in and drives through. Mason sprawls well.
Mason swats away the attempt to clinch by Payton.
Payton fails with a takedown attempt.
Mason was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Dean Mason has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Evan Payton.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mason bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Payton's head backwards.
Payton misses with a takedown attempt
and Payton takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Payton is rocked!
Payton might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Mason misses with a looping left.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mason moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Payton is still on wobbly legs! Can Mason finish him?
Payton tries to clinch up but Mason circles away and keeps his distance.
Mason jinks towards his opponent looking like he wants to counter with a mid kick but doesn't commit.
A right-left combo lands from Payton.
Payton seems to have recovered his senses.
Payton throws an ugly left hook that misses
letting Mason counter with a right hand.
Payton throws a leg kick but Mason checks it.

Mason cracks Payton with a big right hand that sends him to the floor! Payton looks wobbly but he's sprung back up to his feet straight away… can Mason finish him?
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A low kick from Payton is predictable there
and Mason counters with a big right hand! Oh Payton is in trouble here! Mason follows up with more strikes and that's it! The ref has stopped it!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:36 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Dean Mason!