PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jason Payne (ranked 396 p4p, 1052 weight class) and Alexander Zass (ranked 50 p4p, 134 weight class). Payne kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is "Bring Out Your Dead" Strung Out. Jason Payne has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Payne
vs
Zass

189 cm
21
200
6 - 3 - 0

184 cm
21
190
6 - 1 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

BANZAI NUTRITION
⚔️Conquest Nutrition⚔️

BANZAI NUTRITION

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jason Payne!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alexander Zass!
The judges for this bout are Franklyn Lucas, John Kavanagh and Anthony Taglia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zass swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Zass is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Zass connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Zass swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Payne throws a hook but Zass blocks it.
Payne tries to move into range but Zass moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
A slow jab from Payne misses its intended target.
Zass misses with an uppercut.
Payne misses with a hook. Zass ducked under it nicely.
Zass stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Payne.
Payne lands a jab.
Zass displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Payne throws out the jab.
Jason Payne seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Zass walks into a jab.

It looks like Alexander Zass has been cut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nice shot by Zass.
A big right from Zass misses.
Zass misses with a double jab
and Payne counters with a straight right hand.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Payne lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Zass has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Zass and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zass misses with a right hand
enabling Payne to counter with a crisp jab.
Payne jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Payne throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Zass counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
The fighters circling - Payne throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Payne misses the shot to the body.
Payne looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Payne fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Zass on the side of the head.
Nice straight punches there by Zass. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Zass.
Payne ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Payne throws a lazy right hand but Zass sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Zass tries to close the distance and clinch but Payne swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Zass lands a nice looking body shot.
A decent looking cross lands there for Zass.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A swing and a miss from Zass.
No joy there for Payne, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Zass dips to his left and cracks Payne with an uppercut!

It looks like Jason Payne has been cut.
Payne lands a nice leg kick that just misses Zass's sensitive parts.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zass uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Payne.
Payne throws a big shot that misses.
Payne throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Zass sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Zass with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Payne to score with a decent uppercut.
Zass on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Payne. Payne obviously looking to wear him down.
Payne throws a big shot that misses.
Zass lands a really nice looking cross but Payne seems unphased.
Zass defending well as Payne loads up on a big left hand.
Zass uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Payne.
Payne avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Zass throws a series of punches but Payne moves out of range.
Payne waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Zass.
Payne tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Zass is able to avoid easily.
Nice uppercut lands for Zass. That snapped Payne's head back.
Zass throws a body shot but no joy.
Payne is looking to counter punch.
Payne is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Payne with a hook.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Payne lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Zass circles away quickly and effectively.
Zass blocks a leg kick.
Payne misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Zass counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Zass has managed to clinch.
Zass lands a left hand that snaps the head of Payne backwards.
Payne tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Payne ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Payne no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Zass seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Zass stopping the sweep attempt from Payne.
Zass is stalling in the full guard.
Payne seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.
Payne looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Zass controlling from the top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zass won't allow Payne to sweep him here.

Payne is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Payne looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Zass is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Zass tries to free his leg and advance position but Payne is retaining full guard.
Payne wants to hit a sweep here but Zass passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Payne there!
Payne is trying desperately to improve position.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Payne slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Payne tries to get to full guard but Zass has control of the leg.
Payne is working hard here to advance position.
Zass has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
We've been informed that Zass has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Payne sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Zass wants to free his trapped foot but Payne is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Payne is looking for a sweep. Zass is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Zass trying to control the pace.
Payne is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Zass is figuring out what he wants to do next.

Payne is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Zass pulls his head out easily.

Zass escapes and gets back to his feet.
Payne tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Payne throws a jab but it's blocked by Zass.
It seemed like Zass was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Zass looks to land a left hand but Payne moved out of range nicely.
Zass throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Payne staying out of range there.
Zass on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Payne chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Payne throws a combination that misses
and Zass counters with a straight right hand.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Payne misses with a hook
letting Zass counter with a right hand.
Zass misses with a hook.
Zass listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Zass walks into a left hand.
A nice inside leg kick there by Payne. That's going to slow Zass down.
Payne walks into a straight right hand from Zass.
Zass uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Payne.
Payne misses with a combination
and Zass cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Payne tests Zass's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Payne thows a leg kick but Zass checks it
and Zass counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Payne uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Zass.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Payne misses with a wild combination.
Payne tries a low kick but Zass avoids it.
Payne takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Payne throws an off balance right hand
letting Zass counter with a right hand.
Payne throws an overhand right that lands on Zass's shoulder, as Zass tries to avoid the shot.
Zass lands a jab to Payne's midsection.
A telegraphed right hand from Payne misses the target.
Payne takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Payne is breathing heavily.
Zass scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
A looping hook to the body misses from Zass. Payne does a little dance to reset his feet.
Payne takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Payne walks into a jab.

Zass forces Payne back against the cage and clinches.
Payne tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Zass lands a body punch.
Zass misses with a hook to the ribs.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Zass.
Zass scores with a shoulder strike.
Zass is leaning against Payne and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Zass scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Zass lands with a short shot to the head.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Zass misses with a shot to the kidneys.
A right handed body shot lands from Zass.
Zass scores with a nice hook to the head.
Zass lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Payne backwards.

Payne is rocked!

Jason Payne's cut is getting worse.

Zass escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Zass pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Zass connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Oh Payne is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Jab, jab by Zass - just one landing.
Payne leaves his chin hanging out and Zass seizes the opportunity with an uppercut! Payne crumbles to the floor in a heap! The referee steps in and tends to the downed fighter! What a knockout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 9:32 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Alexander Zass!
Alexander Zass is the new middleweight champion!
Alexander Zass thanked the fans post fight for their support.