PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jose Cuervo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Takahiro Jouda (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Cuervo
vs
Jouda

170 cm
21
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
18
166 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Prefers standup

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Powerful

Koffin Inc.
Koffin Inc.

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 Los Angeles, Jose Cuervo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Takahiro Jouda!
The judges for this bout are , Frank Antenori and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jouda throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Cuervo sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Cuervo ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

Jouda gets a clinch.
Cuervo blocks an elbow strike.
Jouda is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Cuervo is defending well for now.
Cuervo on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Cuervo is trying to break free.

Cuervo pulls guard effortlessly.
Jouda's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Cuervo wants to stand but Jouda is controlling the position.
Jouda looking to pass the guard.
Cuervo wants to stand up but Jouda is controlling him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jouda tries to free his leg and advance position but Cuervo is retaining full guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Cuervo misses with a wild combination.
Cuervo rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Jouda moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A swing and a miss from Jouda.
Cuervo fails to land with a series of punches.
Takahiro Jouda seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cuervo misses with a wild combination.

Jouda shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Jouda was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

Jouda is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Cuervo can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Cuervo is bucking up trying to escape but Jouda cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Jouda is landing with some decent strikes but Cuervo is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
BOOM! Jouda connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Jouda landing punches.
Cuervo is breathing heavily.
Jouda controlling from mount.
Cuervo is trying to stand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jouda lands with some strikes.
Jouda putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Jouda controlling his opponent.
Jouda landing strikes from the mount and Cuervo is in trouble!

Cuervo is rocked!

Jouda has hold of Cuervo's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Cuervo manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.

Jouda is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Cuervo is surviving well by controlling Jouda's body position as best he can.
Jouda controlling the pace for now.
Jouda lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cuervo wants to try and get back to his feet.
Jouda is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Cuervo can't stay in a position like this for much longer.

Jouda looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Jouda with a couple of short strikes.
Jouda looking to control and managing it successfully.
Cuervo is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Jouda with a couple of short strikes.

Jouda looking to secure an arm triangle but Cuervo defends it well.
Cuervo's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jouda looking to control and managing it successfully.
Jouda connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Jouda content just to control the position here.

Jouda looking to secure an arm triangle but Cuervo defends it well.
Jouda content just to control the position here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Cuervo misses with a double jab.
Cuervo uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Jouda.
Cuervo misses with a double jab.
Cuervo looks to land a combination. Jouda sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Jouda ducks right into an uppercut from Cuervo.
Cuervo fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Jouda shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Cuervo is trying to defend but Jouda finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Jouda seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Jouda wants to free his trapped foot but Cuervo is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Jouda is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Jouda throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
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. Jouda connects with a nice short shot to Cuervo's temple.
Jouda scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Jouda landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Jouda stalling.
Cuervo is trying to stand.
Jouda is controlling the pace.
Jouda trying to pass the guard but Cuervo defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Still in half guard, Jouda seems content to control.

Jouda is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
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. Jouda connects with a nice short shot to Cuervo's temple.

Jouda is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Cuervo works over Jouda's head and body with a nice combination.
Cuervo throws a series of punches but Jouda moves out of range.
Cuervo staying out of range there.

Jouda feints and as Cuervo raises his hands in defense, Jouda changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Cuervo wants to stand but Jouda is controlling the position.
Jouda controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cuervo working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Jouda.
Jouda won't allow Cuervo to get back to his feet.
Cuervo trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Takahiro Jouda has got the better of the ground game so far.
Jouda distracts Cuervo with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Cuervo wants to stand but Jouda is controlling the position.
Jouda postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Jouda is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Cuervo.
Jouda thows a left - swing and a miss!

Jouda shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Jouda drops back looking for a leg! Cuervo is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Cuervo manages to kick Jouda off! Jouda jumps back into Cuervo's guard.
Jouda postures up in Cuervo's guard and throws a big left but Cuervo blocks it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cuervo is looking to stand up but Jouda isn't so interested in that idea.

Jouda is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Jouda content to stall in guard here.
Jouda stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Cuervo swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Jouda trying to control the position from guard on top but Cuervo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Jouda sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Cuervo's guard.
Jouda sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Cuervo defending well though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Takahiro Jouda showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Jouda slips a jab and a cross from Cuervo.
Jouda is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Cuervo.

Cuervo gets caught flat footed, as Jouda shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Jouda is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Jouda sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Cuervo's guard.
Cuervo is trying to stand back up but Jouda is controlling him
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Cuervo looks like he's trying to stand up.
Jouda takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

Jouda is looking for a kimura here.
Jouda trying to control from half guard but Cuervo is working away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cuervo looks like he's trying to stand up.
Jouda lands with a punch from half guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Jouda scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Jouda just content to control the position.
Jouda working the head and body with strikes.
Cuervo is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Jouda asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Jouda is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Cuervo's shoulder. That is not cool.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cuervo wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Jouda in side control lands a decent elbow.
Jouda staying calm.
Cuervo is trying to buck Jouda off.

Jouda looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Jouda wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Cuervo, who protects the arm well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Cuervo throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Jouda.

Jouda shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Jouda is working for a kimura but Cuervo is defending it quite comfortably.
Jouda prevents Cuervo from standing back up.

Jouda seems to be working for a kimura but Cuervo defends the submission attempt.
Jouda wants to pass to mount but Cuervo is defending the position.

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.
Cuervo is trying to stand up here but Jouda is controlling him well.

Jouda is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Cuervo doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Jouda.
Jouda wants to take a breather but Cuervo is having none of it.
Jouda prevents Cuervo from standing back up.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Cuervo steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Jouda.
Cuervo ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

Jouda instigates a clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cuervo avoids a wild elbow strike from Jouda.
Cuervo is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Jouda works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Jose Cuervo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Takahiro Jouda is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Cuervo looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Jouda passes into side control.
Jouda controls the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Takahiro Jouda comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Jouda 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 Suge Night scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Takahiro Jouda!