PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Juan David Franco (ranked 1550 p4p, 6449 weight class) and Tom Payne (ranked 235 p4p, 640 weight class). Juan David Franco has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Franco
vs
Payne

188 cm
20
202
5 - 0 - 0

188 cm
20
200
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

HELLBENT
KRAKEN Nutrition + Laundry

Voodoo Nutrition

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 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Juan David Franco!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tom Payne!
The judges for this bout are Jonathan Paton, Joseph Jones and John Kavanagh.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Franco stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Franco wants it to stay on the feet.
Payne tries for a takedown but Franco sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Payne with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Franco to score with a decent uppercut.

Payne looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Payne is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Franco avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Payne throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Payne controls from within his opponent's guard.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Franco pulls Payne in close to prevent any damage.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Franco pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

That's two 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 misses with a takedown attempt - Franco sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Juan David Franco has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tom Payne.
Payne takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Juan David Franco is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Payne keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Franco.
Payne dives in and grabs Franco's left leg, looking for a takedown. Franco pushes down on Payne's head and hops out.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Payne.
Franco is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Payne.
A low kick lands for Franco.
Franco lands with a right hand.
Franco throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A big right from Franco misses.
Juan David Franco seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Franco misses with an uppercut. Payne saw that one coming.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franco lands with a shot to the body.
Franco misses with a lunging right hand

and Payne counters with a shoot takedown. Franco fights it but they end up in guard.
Franco is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Payne is controlling him.
Franco keeping moving, preventing Payne from controlling successfully.
Payne controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Franco utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Franco is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Payne throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Franco looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Payne misses with a takedown attempt
and Franco counters with a nice body shot.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Franco looks to score with a jab to the body but Payne is just out of range.
Payne uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Franco.
Franco throws a jab but it's blocked by Payne.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Juan David Franco dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Payne fails with the takedown
and Franco connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Payne takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Payne uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Franco.
Franco ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Payne moves away.
Payne with the counter takedown but Franco avoids it easily.
Payne shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Franco defends it nicely.
Payne takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Payne blocks a jab.
And Payne tries to counter it with a takedown but Franco pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Payne walks into a stiff left hand from Franco.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Franco, as that shot connected.
Franco thows a left - swing and a miss!
Juan David Franco is winning the standup battle so far.
Franco lands a leg kick that knocks Payne off balance momentarily.

Payne fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Franco to the ground. Payne is now in Franco's guard.
Franco wants to get back to his feet but Payne is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Payne sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Payne wants to control from the top but Franco keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Payne lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Payne showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Payne stops Franco from standing up.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franco feints and then cracks Payne's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Payne down.
Payne is looking to clinch but Franco is avoiding it.
Franco connects with a jab.
Payne uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Franco.
Payne uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Franco.
Franco tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Payne was well out of range. Poor timing from Franco.
Franco slaps away a takedown attempt from Payne, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Juan David Franco has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tom Payne.
Franco looks to land a left hand but Payne moved out of range nicely.
Payne uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Franco.
Franco lands with a good body shot.
Franco takes a swing at Payne's ribcage but misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Payne closes this distance looking for a takedown but Franco circles away.
It looked like Franco was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Payne avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

Payne scores with a takedown into Franco's guard.
Franco wants to get back to his feet but Payne passes into half guard.

The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Franco is trying to control but can't.
Payne is trying to control. Franco wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Payne controlling the action here.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Juan David Franco dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! 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.

Franco connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Payne momentarily.
Franco throws a body punch but Payne moves out of range.
And Payne tries to counter it with a takedown but Franco pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Franco throws a hook but Payne avoids it easily.
Payne tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Franco jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Payne darts in looking for a takedown but Franco gets double underhooks and turns Payne into the cage.
Franco throwing a counter right hand but Payne manages to avoid it.
Payne slips under a jab.
Franco throws the left hand but Payne avoids the punch easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Franco lands a jab to the head.
Franco lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Franco is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Payne can do to turn this around?
Franco keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Franco swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Payne closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Franco's guard.
Payne won't allow Franco to get back to his feet.
Payne throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Franco works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Payne prevents Franco from getting back to his feet.
Payne is stalling in the full guard.
Payne passes Franco's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Franco is trying to stand.
Payne trying to control from half guard but Franco is working away.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Payne shoots in for a takedown but Franco shows good takedown defense.
Juan David Franco has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tom Payne.
Franco uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Payne has time to react.
Horrible takedown attempt by Payne or perhaps it was just good defense by Franco, which made it look bad.
Juan David Franco is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Franco scores with a head kick. Payne tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Nice takedown defense from Franco. No joy for Payne on that attempt.
Franco swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Franco works Payne's body with a nice hook.
Tom Payne is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franco pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Payne back to the cage. Franco follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Payne fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Franco throws a right hand that misses

and Payne counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Payne throws a big right hand that misses.
Payne throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Franco works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Payne with a nice head shot there.
Tom Payne has got the better of the ground game so far.
Franco keeping moving, preventing Payne from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Payne with a flurry of punches that miss.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters, thinking about a standup.
Payne won't allow Franco to get back to his feet.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Franco throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Payne with the counter takedown but Franco avoids it easily.
Payne takes a jab right on the kisser.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Payne shoots in for a takedown but Franco shows good takedown defense.
Franco loads up on a big right hand but Payne slips the punch.
And Payne tries to counter it with a takedown but Franco pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Tom Payne has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Payne scores with a head kick. Franco tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.

And that's the end of the fight!
Juan David Franco showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Franco, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Jonathan Paton scores the fight 30:27
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 30:27
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Juan David Franco!
Juan David Franco decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.