PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Chael Sonnen (ranked 2948 p4p, 2060 weight class) and Emmanuel Couture (ranked 381 p4p, 277 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Sonnen
vs
Couture

185 cm
25
175
2 - 0 - 0

184 cm
27
184
5 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Very quick

Decent wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Northern Zombie
Shadow Realm Apparel

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Chael Sonnen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Emmanuel Couture!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, Bruno Lombardi and Reed Andrews.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Couture misses with a looping right.
Couture's coach down at was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Couture's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Sonnen uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Couture.
Sonnen drops down looking for a counter takedown but Couture sprawls and moves away.
We've been hearing reports that Sonnen has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Couture throws a jab when Sonnen was well out of range.
Sonnen appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Sonnen bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Couture throws a big shot that misses.
Sonnen drops down looking for a counter takedown but Couture sprawls and moves away.
Couture rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Sonnen counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Sonnen scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Sonnen throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Couture to regain full guard.
Sonnen trying to control but Couture is working from the bottom.
Couture is trying to control the position from the bottom.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Couture can do anything to dispel that myth.
Sonnen with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sonnen in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Couture seems keen to control Sonnen's posture.
Sonnen missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Sonnen wants to control from the top but Couture keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sonnen working some strikes from top position.
Sonnen throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Couture working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Sonnen.
Sonnen throws a strike but Couture rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Sonnen is looking to stand up but Couture isn't so interested in that idea.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen pulls Couture in close to prevent any damage.
Couture trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Sonnen has his hands on Couture's head, controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Couture wants to stand but Sonnen has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A jab from Couture does it's job there.
Sonnen keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Emmanuel Couture seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Couture pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Sonnen changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Couture misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Sonnen.
Sonnen appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Couture misses with a straight right.
Sonnen changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Donk. Couture catches Sonnen right on the button with a cross.
Sonnen needs to keep his hands up - Couture had a free shot at his head there.
Couture swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Sonnen changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Couture scores with a sloppy right hand. Sonnen should have avoided that one.
Couture loads up on a big right hand but Sonnen slips the punch.
Sonnen attempts a counter takedown but Couture avoids it well and moves away.
Couture swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Sonnen feinted with a counter takedown.
Couture swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Sonnen attempts a counter takedown but Couture avoids it well and moves away.
Couture throws a shot from downtown. Sonnen moves away and avoids it.
Sonnen half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Emmanuel Couture is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Couture lands a nice looking body shot.
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!
Couture misses with a lunging right hand

and Sonnen counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Sonnen throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Couture works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Sonnen loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Emmanuel Couture dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Couture lands with a hook. Sonnen tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Couture fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Sonnen manages to avoid it.
Couture throws a jab but it's blocked by Sonnen.
Couture cracks Sonnen with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Couture throws a hook but Sonnen avoids it easily.
Couture throws a lazy uppercut

and Sonnen counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Sonnen missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Sonnen throwing strikes from guard but Couture blocks nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sonnen looking to sit in guard and control but Couture gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Sonnen wants to stand up but Couture is controlling him.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sonnen is pulling down on Couture's head. It's preventing any offense from Couture, at least for the moment.
Couture is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Sonnen has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Sonnen keeping moving, preventing Couture from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Sonnen wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Chael Sonnen overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Couture stopping the sweep attempt from Sonnen.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Sonnen seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Sonnen has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Couture has passed into side control.

Couture has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Couture dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Couture has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Couture tries a head kick but it misses.
Sonnen takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Sonnen uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Couture.
Couture pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Couture 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.
Sonnen slips under a jab.
Sonnen half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Couture throws the left hand but Sonnen avoids the punch easily.
Sonnen moves out of range of the strikes.
Couture throws a jab but it's blocked by Sonnen.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen defending well as Couture loads up on a big left hand.
Sonnen feinted with a counter takedown.
Couture throws a lazy uppercut

and Sonnen counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Sonnen thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Couture wants to get back to his feet.
Couture taking some punishment here, with Sonnen in his half guard.
Sonnen missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Couture keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Sonnen throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Sonnen looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Emmanuel Couture showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

A jab from Couture misses.
Sonnen feinted with a counter takedown.
Couture looks to land a left hand but Sonnen moved out of range nicely.
Sonnen appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Couture scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
A swing and a miss from Couture.
Couture throws a poor cross that misses

and Sonnen counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Sonnen.
Sonnen in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Sonnen accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Sonnen is fighting to break Couture's control of his arms but Couture is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sonnen throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Sonnen throws an elbow that misses. Couture uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Sonnen's guard. Nice move by Couture!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Couture preventing the sweep.
Couture stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sonnen swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Couture must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Couture is looking to pass into half guard but Sonnen pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Sonnen is in guard.

Sonnen loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Sonnen throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Couture works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Sonnen working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Sonnen working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Sonnen accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Sonnen is in close to Couture's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Couture tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Couture avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Couture avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Couture wants to hit a sweep here but Sonnen passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Couture there!
Sonnen throws a strike there. Couture manages to avoid it well and slips a leg under to get to half guard.
Sonnen missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen misses with a head shot. Couture uses the momentum to regain guard.
Sonnen loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Couture lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Sonnen keeping moving, preventing Couture from controlling successfully.
Sonnen has his hands on Couture's head, controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Sonnen is looking to stand up but Couture isn't so interested in that idea.
Couture trying to stand up but can't free himself from Sonnen's guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Sonnen pulls Couture in close to prevent any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Chael Sonnen.
I think Couture 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 Anthony Taglia scores the fight 28:29
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Emmanuel Couture!