PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Elliot Payne (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bic Cristal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Payne
vs
Cristal

185 cm
22
203 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

190 cm
18
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Elliot Payne!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Bic Cristal!
The judges for this bout are Hugh Johnson, Donatello Bradman and Skip Squint.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cristal tries to clinch there but Payne circles away.
Payne shoots for a takedown but Cristal saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Payne moves into range and clinches up with Cristal.
Cristal swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Cristal tries to land knees in the clinch but Payne avoids the damage to the body.
Cristal takes a knee to the side of the body.
Cristal drops down looking for an ankle pick but Payne pulls his leg out and moves away.
Payne leaves Cristal with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Cristal drives through and clinches with Payne against the cage.

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

Payne has closed the distance and engaged Cristal in a clinch.
Payne lands a nice shot to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Payne lands a knee to the body.
Cristal looks winded!
Payne drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Payne lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Payne controlling the action here for a moment.
Payne lands with a left to the head.
Payne just leaning against Cristal, taking a breather.
Cristal is trying to break the clinch but Payne has him pressed against the cage.
Payne has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Cristal avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Elliot Payne. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Payne breaks the clinch.
Cristal fails with a takedown attempt.

Payne darts in and clinches Cristal up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cristal wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Payne landing knees to the body.

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.

Payne kicks Cristal off and gets to his feet.

Payne closes the distance and clinches.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Payne connects with a knee to the head.

Payne escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Payne shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Cristal as he jumps to the side.
Payne looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Cristal fails to land the takedown.
Payne fails with the takedown.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cristal lands a head kick. Payne smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

Payne has taken the fight to the clinch.
Payne stalling.
Payne lands a left hand that snaps the head of Cristal backwards.
Payne lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

Payne jumps guard and drags Cristal to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Cristal is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Cristal trying to control the position from guard on top but Payne is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Payne wants to stand but Cristal is controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Payne has momentary wrist control but Cristal slips an elbow through the middle.

Payne working for a triangle but Cristal defends it easily.
Cristal passes Payne's left leg - he's now in half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cristal is trying to control. Payne wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Elliot Payne dominated that 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.

Cristal stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Cristal wants it to stay on the feet.
Payne shoots in looking for a takedown. Cristal tries to sprawl out of it but Payne keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Cristal manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Payne dives in and grabs Cristal's left leg, looking for a takedown. Cristal pushes down on Payne's head and hops out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Elliot Payne. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Payne has his takedown stuffed

so Cristal counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Cristal wants to control from the top but Payne keeps moving.
Cristal pushes down on Payne's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Payne is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Cristal scores with a couple of nice shots.
Payne trying to control but Cristal postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cristal seems to be working for a kimura but Payne defends the submission attempt.
Cristal trying to control from half guard but Payne is working away.
Cristal seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Cristal is looking to advance position but Payne won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cristal seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Payne does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Cristal stalling away here and it's allowed Payne to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Cristal stops Payne from standing up.
Payne has momentary wrist control but Cristal slips an elbow through the middle.
Cristal throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Payne works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Payne keeping moving, preventing Cristal from controlling successfully.

Payne is looking for a triangle but Cristal pushes his legs off easily.
Cristal trying to control the position from guard on top but Payne is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Payne had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Cristal defends it easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Cristal gets to his feet. Payne looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Cristal looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Cristal is taking a breather. Payne says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Cristal lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Payne is staying active underneath Cristal, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Payne looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Cristal works his way into full mount!
Payne working to try and regain half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Cristal looking for a guillotine from mount but Payne is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bic Cristal showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. This is the final round!

Payne darts in and clinches Cristal up against the cage.

Payne successfully pulls guard.
Cristal's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Cristal stopping the sweep attempt from Payne.
Payne is looking to sweep but instead, Cristal has passed into half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Cristal is trying to control. Payne wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Payne is looking to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cristal is looking for a kimura here.
Cristal not doing much here.
Payne wants to get back to full guard but Cristal has mounted him!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Payne is looking to get to half guard.
Cristal trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Payne wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Cristal is looking to finish with some ground and pound!

Cristal is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Payne defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
Payne is keeping busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cristal working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
Cristal is hanging on to Payne's back as he tries to escape.
Payne is working hard here to advance position.
Payne wants to get back to his feet.
Cristal is hanging on to Payne's back as he tries to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cristal wants to control but Payne is keeping busy.
Cristal wants to control but Payne manages to buck him off and is now in Cristal's guard! Nice work there by Payne!
Payne throws an elbow that misses. Cristal uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Payne's guard. Nice move by Cristal!
Cristal works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Payne looks like he's trying to stand up.
Cristal wants to take a breather but Payne is having none of it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cristal sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Cristal wants to control but Payne is keeping him busy.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bic Cristal comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Cristal 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 Hugh Johnson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 28:29
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bic Cristal!