PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Micky Mchugh (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Randy Couture (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Micky Mchugh could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Randy Couture's chin.

Mchugh
vs
Couture

185 cm
20
245 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

187 cm
22
227 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

Powerful takedowns
Counter striker
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Micky Mchugh!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Randy Couture!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mchugh lands a lovely overhand right.
Mchugh connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

Mchugh shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Couture is trying to defend but Mchugh finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Couture is staying active underneath Mchugh, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Couture keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.

Mchugh is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Mchugh seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Couture does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Couture wants to control but Mchugh is keeping busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mchugh seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Couture does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Couture is controlling Mchugh's position as best he can from this difficult position.

Couture is defending against the submission attempts here by Mchugh.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Mchugh tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Micky Mchugh seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Couture shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Mchugh is trying to defend but Couture finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Mchugh tries to kick Couture off but Couture keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Couture is trying to work for a kimura but Mchugh is defending well.
Couture controlling the pace.
Mchugh tries to get to full guard but Couture has control of the leg.
Couture is nestled in close to Mchugh, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Mchugh is looking to control Couture's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Mchugh avoid being mounted?
Mchugh wants to improve his position but Couture is controlling well.
Couture trying to mount his opponent but Mchugh defends it.
Mchugh tries to kick Couture off but Couture keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Mchugh is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Couture wants to control but Mchugh is keeping him busy.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
An inside leg kick lands from Mchugh.

Couture changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Mchugh looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Couture is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Mchugh will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Mchugh is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Couture's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

Couture is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Mchugh wants to get back to his feet.
Couture tries to pass to full mount but Mchugh defends it.
Couture stops Mchugh from getting back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Couture tries to pass the half guard into mount. Mchugh knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Couture not doing much here.
Couture scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Couture is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Mchugh!
Couture avoids the attempt from Mchugh to control.
Couture takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Mchugh wants to try and get back to his feet.
Couture breaks from Mchugh's wrist control and lands an elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Couture scores with a takedown into Mchugh's guard.
Mchugh controls Couture momentarily but Couture frees himself.
Couture looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Mchugh is on top in guard.
Couture tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Mchugh got a little sloppy there for a moment and Couture has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Mchugh has managed to get both his arms back between Couture's legs - danger averted.
Couture controls Mchugh momentarily but Mchugh frees himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Couture has a closed guard, preventing Mchugh from standing up.
Couture keeping moving, preventing Mchugh from controlling successfully.
Couture trying to control the position here.
Couture throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Couture keeping moving, preventing Mchugh from controlling successfully.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Couture fails with the takedown
and Mchugh counters with a nice body kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Couture drives through and clinches with Mchugh against the cage.
Mchugh is trying to break the clinch but Couture is controlling him.
Mchugh goes for a takedown attempt but Couture pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Mchugh could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Couture wants to clinch
and Mchugh counters with a good, hard body kick but Couture shrugs it off.
Couture fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Mchugh clinches but Couture breaks the clinch

and Couture counters with a single leg into guard. Mchugh didn't expect that.
Mchugh wants to stand but Couture is controlling the position.
Couture pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Mchugh is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mchugh is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Mchugh tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Couture is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Couture stopping the sweep attempt from Mchugh.
Couture 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.
Couture tries to free his leg and advance position but Mchugh is retaining full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Couture slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Mchugh controls Couture momentarily but Couture frees himself.
Couture stopping the sweep attempt from Mchugh.
Couture won't allow Mchugh to get back to his feet.
Couture really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Mchugh. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Couture working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Mchugh's head.
Couture trying to control but Mchugh is working from the bottom.
Couture stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Mchugh swivels though and keeps the full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Randy Couture showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. 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.

Couture scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Couture content to control rather than advance.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Couture lands a nice short elbow.
Mchugh tries to get to full guard but Couture has control of the leg.
Mchugh has hold of Couture's hands but Couture slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Mchugh is not content to let Couture control the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mchugh looks like he's trying to stand up.
Couture keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Couture is nestled in close to Mchugh, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Mchugh is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Couture scores with a couple of nice shots.
Couture is taking a breather. Mchugh 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.

Despite being in the dominant position, Randy Couture just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Couture shoots and misses
and Mchugh counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Couture fails to land the takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Couture shoots in looking for a takedown. Mchugh tries to sprawl out of it but Couture keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Mchugh manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Micky Mchugh has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Randy Couture.
Couture throws a leg kick that is checked
and Mchugh counters with a stiff right hand.
Mchugh cracks Couture with a right hand to the side of the head.
Mchugh misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Mchugh avoids the body shot from Couture.
Couture tries for a takedown but Mchugh sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Couture feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Couture stays in close to Mchugh's body and controls the position.
Couture tries to free his leg and advance position but Mchugh is retaining full guard.
Mchugh wants to stand and escape but Couture is having none of it.
Couture pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Mchugh is keeping the position for now.
Couture postures up.
Couture is stalling in the full guard.
Couture won't allow Mchugh to get back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mchugh keeping full guard, as Couture tries to pass.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Couture shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Mchugh's guard.
Couture controlling from the top position.
Mchugh wants to stand and escape but Couture is having none of it.
Couture postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Couture forces his way into half guard.
Couture controlling the action here.
Micky Mchugh has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Randy Couture is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

And that's the end of the fight!
Randy Couture comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Couture winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 27:30

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