PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Thomas Crim (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Max Payne (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Payne is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: RATM - Killing In The Name Of. Max Payne is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Crim
vs
Payne

170 cm
24
169 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
24
166 lbs
8 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Insanely flexible

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Heavy handed

Steel Terror-Trition: Video Proven 160Q
Steel Terror-Trition: Video Proven 160Q

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Thomas Crim!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Max Payne!
The judges for this bout are Micheangelo Fripello, Ryoma Takatsuka and Chris Saunders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Crim is looking to land body kicks.
Payne wants to clinch.
A combination from Crim does no damage.
Crim misses with a two punch combination.
Payne fails with an attempt to clinch.
Crim throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Payne fails in his attempt to clinch.
Payne tries to close the distance and clinch up but Crim swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Crim avoids the head kick by Payne.
Crim throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Payne is looking to clinch but Crim is avoiding it.
Payne tries to close the distance and clinch up but Crim swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Payne moves away from the strike by Crim.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Payne.
A left lands for Payne.
Crim wants to land a leg kick but Payne is out of range.
Payne defending well as Crim loads up on a big left hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Payne is looking to clinch but Crim is avoiding it.

Crim decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Crim scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Payne is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Payne keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Crim throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Crim missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Crim missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Payne wants to get back to his feet.
Payne blocking the ground and pound attempt from Crim.
Crim throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Crim lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Payne regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Crim.
Crim missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Crim loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Crim is looking to work some ground and pound but Payne has wrist control.
Payne is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Crim trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Crim won't allow Payne to sweep him here.
Payne is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Crim in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Payne wants to stand up but Crim is controlling him.
Crim is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Crim accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Crim works over Payne with some ground and pound from guard.

Payne is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Crim lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Crim throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Payne works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Crim pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Payne is keeping the position for now.
Crim throwing strikes from guard but Payne blocks nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Payne controls Crim momentarily but Crim frees himself.
Crim postures up in Payne's guard and throws a big left but Payne blocks it.
Crim lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Crim throwing strikes from guard but Payne blocks nicely.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Crim accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Payne looking to hit a scissor sweep but Crim is one step ahead there.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Crim trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thomas Crim dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Crim throws a series of punches but Payne avoids them all with ease.
Crim throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Payne counters with a good low kick that Crim was not able to check.
Payne is looking to clinch but Crim is avoiding it.
Some wild striking there from Crim.
Payne moves out of range as Crim strikes.
Crim goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
No luck for Crim with that takedown attempt.
Payne uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Crim.

Payne instigates a clinch.
Crim fails to pull the fight into his guard.

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

Payne fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Crim sprawls well initially but Payne persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Payne is looking for a kimura but Crim is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Payne to get the leverage.
Crim makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Crim.
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!
Payne passes easily into side control. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crim is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Payne's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

Payne is working for a submission of some sort.
Crim wants to get back to full guard.
Crim throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Crim misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Crim is trying to maintain the position but Payne is very close to passing his half guard.

Payne seems to be looking for submissions.
Crim moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Payne trying to control the position from guard on top but Crim is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Payne postures up.
Payne loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Payne slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Crim looking to control.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Crim holds on and takes a little breather.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Payne checks a low kick from Crim.
The fight stays on the outside here - Payne looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Payne scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Crim is looking to regain half guard here but Payne keeps moving and retains side control.
Crim sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Payne works his foot free and advances to mount.
Crim really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Payne lands a nice shot to the head.
Crim regains half guard.

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

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

Payne is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Payne prevents Crim from improving his position.
Payne is keen to just control but Crim is a slippery customer.
Crim throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Payne thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Crim trying to control but Payne postures up.
Thomas Crim overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Crim looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
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!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Payne connects with a nice short shot to Crim's temple.
Crim keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Crim looking for submissions off his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Max Payne will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're 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.

Crim looks for a takedown but Payne sprawls well.
Thomas Crim seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Crim tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Payne moves in looking to clinch but Crim pushes him off.
Payne doesn't manage to clinch there - Crim circles away.
Crim shoots in looking for a takedown. Payne tries to sprawl out of it but Crim keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Payne manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Payne fails with an attempt to clinch.
Nice takedown defense from Crim. No joy for Payne on that attempt.
Max Payne is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Payne has taken the fight to the clinch.

Crim's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Crim has a takedown stuffed.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thomas Crim. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Crim throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Payne's waist but Payne gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Crim off to one side.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Payne wants to clinch up but Crim keeps it at a distance.
Crim missing with a left hand there. Payne was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Crim.
Crim swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Payne counters with a straight right hand.
Payne tries to clinch but Crim is having none of it.
Crim fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Crim is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Payne's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
Payne tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Crim manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Payne closes this distance looking for a takedown but Crim circles away.
A left and a right from Payne both land. Nice combination.

It looks like Thomas Crim has been cut.
Payne avoids a kick to the body.
Crim closes this distance looking for a takedown but Payne circles away.
Crim shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Max Payne seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Payne tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Crim paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Payne moves in looking to clinch but Crim pushes him off.
Payne scores with a nice strike.
Crim is looking to land body kicks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Crim displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Payne.
Crim is looking to chop away at Payne's legs.
Crim throws a sloppy body shot
and Payne counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
A head kick misses from Payne.
Crim just misses with a punch to the body.
Crim misses with a looping left.
Crim digs a good body shot into Payne's ribs.
Payne tries to clinch up.
Payne wants to clinch up but Crim keeps it at a distance.
A bone on bone clash there as Payne blocks the leg kick.
Crim swats away the attempt to clinch by Payne.

Payne gets a clinch.
Payne tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Payne's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Crim misses with a low kick.

Payne gets caught napping as Crim dives in and scores a takedown. Payne manages to retain guard.

Payne scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Crim misses with the combination.
Crim swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Crim swats away the attempt to clinch by Payne.
Crim pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Crim tried to score with a low kick but Payne checks it.
Crim swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Payne tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Payne clinches up with Crim and pushes him back against the cage.
Crim is trying to break the clinch but Payne has him pressed against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Crim wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Payne has him pressed against the cage.
Crim looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Payne prevents Crim from breaking the clinch.
Crim is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Payne taking a breather.

Crim breaks from the clinch.
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!
Payne stuffs the takedown.
Payne throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Crim throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Payne counters by moving into the clinch.
Payne works on Crim's body with a couple of short punches.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Payne breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Payne takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.

Payne instigates a clinch.

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

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Max Payne.
I think Payne 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 Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Max Payne!