PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between OneRound Sapp (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and the natural Couture (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sapp's entrance music is bab sapp sucks after 10 seconds!. A fine choice. Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Sapp
vs
natural Couture

166 cm
26
289 lbs
16 - 5 - 0

180 cm
23
288 lbs
12 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Decent elbows
Very strong

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Red Light Clothing ► Amsterdam!

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 16 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, OneRound Sapp!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, the natural Couture!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Alan Glass and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Couture jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Couture throws a hook but Sapp blocks it.
Sapp moves in looking to clinch but Couture pushes him off.
Couture throws a jab when Sapp was well out of range.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Sapp doesn't manage to clinch there - Couture circles away.
Sapp tries to clinch up.
Sapp uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Couture.
Sapp is looking to clinch.
Couture missing with a left hand there. Sapp was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Couture throws the left hand but Sapp avoids the punch easily.
Sapp tries to clinch but Couture is having none of it.
Sapp tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Couture paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Couture has a takedown stuffed.
Couture misses with a kick to the body.
Couture misses with a hook. Sapp ducked under it nicely.
Sapp uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Couture.
Sapp tries to clinch up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sapp moves in looking to clinch but Couture pushes him off.

Sapp drives through and clinches with Couture against the cage.
Couture misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Sapp.
Couture tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Sapp's elbow.
Sapp swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Couture drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Couture misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Sapp.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Couture throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Couture missing with knees to the body.
Couture tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Couture blocking some punches.
Couture tries to land knees in the clinch but Sapp avoids the damage to the body.
Couture managing to block the knees to the body from Sapp.
Sapp lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Couture lands an elbow inside.
Sapp blocks the elbow strike.
Sapp digs a right hand into Couture's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Couture's gas tank.
Couture missing with knees to the body.
Sapp throws an elbow but it misses.
Sapp managing to block the knees to the body from Couture.
Couture looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Sapp swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Sapp blocks the elbow strike.
Couture missing with knees to the body.
Sapp prevents a body shot from Couture.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Couture.
Couture throws a punch but it's blocked by Sapp.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Sapp displaying some good clinch control by pressing Couture up against the cage.
Sapp misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Couture.
Sapp creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Couture misses with a body punch.
Couture misses with a short punch on the inside.
Sapp lands an elbow inside that Couture shrugs off.
Couture tries to land knees in the clinch but Sapp avoids the damage to the body.
Sapp trying to land knees to the body.
Sapp stalling in the clinch but Couture improves position.
Couture is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Sapp is defending well for now.
Couture lands a body shot.

Couture lands a takedown into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sapp wants to sweep but no luck.
Couture trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Couture works over Sapp with some ground and pound from guard.
Couture postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sapp lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Couture!
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.
Couture tries to reverse the position but Sapp maintains control.
Couture blocking the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Couture holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Sapp tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Couture sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Sapp trying to pass the guard but Couture defending well.
Couture makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Couture.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Sapp accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Couture looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

the natural Couture dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Sapp tries to clinch but Couture is having none of it.
Sapp blocks a jab.
Couture smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Couture keeps the fight on the outside.
Couture swats away the attempt to clinch by Sapp.
Sapp tries to clinch up.
Couture bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Couture tries to clinch up but Sapp circles away and keeps his distance.
Couture throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Sapp sees it coming and avoids it easily.

Sapp forces Couture back against the cage and clinches.
Still in the clinch, Sapp scores with a nice short uppercut.
Sapp avoiding damage as Couture throws knees to the body.
Sapp lands an uppercut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sapp blocks an elbow strike.
Sapp lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Couture backwards.
Sapp scores with a nice hook to the head.
Couture unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Couture pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Couture swings wildly with an uppercut but Sapp uses good head movement to avoid it.
Couture on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Couture throws an elbow but it misses.
Couture tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Sapp avoids it.
Sapp has a couple of punches blocked by Couture.
Couture lands a body shot.
Couture works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Couture lands an elbow inside.

It looks like OneRound Sapp has been cut.
Sapp blocks an elbow strike from Couture.
Sapp blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Sapp lands an elbow inside that Couture shrugs off.
Couture prevents a body shot from Sapp.
Sapp on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Couture avoids the elbow strike from Sapp, against the cage.
Couture throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Couture tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Sapp gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Couture.
Sapp lands with a light punch inside.
Couture drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Sapp gets the underhooks and prevents it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sapp fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Couture throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Couture blocks an elbow strike.
Sapp lands an elbow inside.
Sapp blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Couture avoids the elbow strike from Sapp, against the cage.
Couture managing to block the knees to the body from Sapp.
Sapp blocks an elbow strike.
Couture misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Sapp.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Couture.
Sapp tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Couture goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Sapp lands a nice elbow.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sapp gets underhooks to prevent Couture's takedown attempt.
OneRound Sapp has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of the natural Couture.
Sapp scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Sapp avoids the elbow strike from Couture, against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sapp pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Sapp lands an elbow that stopped Couture in his tracks for a moment.
Sapp misses with an elbow strike.
Couture lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Sapp blocks a body shot from Couture.
Couture tries to land knees in the clinch but Sapp avoids the damage to the body.
Sapp scores with a shoulder strike.
Couture blocks an elbow strike from Sapp.
Couture lands an elbow just above Sapp 's eye.
Sapp tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Couture avoids it.
Sapp working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Couture misses with an elbow over the top.
Couture tries for a takedown but Sapp manages to get underhooks.
Sapp avoids the elbow strike from Couture, against the cage.
Couture throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Sapp comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Sapp on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
OneRound Sapp has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Nice body punch from Sapp.
Couture pushes off an throws an elbow but Sapp leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sapp avoiding damage as Couture throws knees to the body.
Sapp lands a hook that snaps the head of Couture backwards.
Couture trying to land knees to the body.
Couture swings wildly with an uppercut but Sapp uses good head movement to avoid it.
Sapp lands a nice shot to the body.
Sapp lands an elbow just above Couture 's eye.

It looks like the natural Couture has been cut.
Sapp is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Couture misses with an elbow over the top.
Couture is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Sapp is defending well for now.
Sapp lands a left hand.
Sapp lands a nice elbow.
Sapp lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Sapp working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sapp misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Couture.
Sapp lands with a left to the head.
Sapp misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Couture.
Sapp lands a body shot.
Sapp tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

OneRound Sapp dominated that second round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
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.

Sapp wants to clinch up but Couture keeps it at a distance.
Couture throws a shot from downtown. Sapp moves away and avoids it.
Couture moves in looking to clinch but Sapp pushes him off.
Couture cracks Sapp with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Sapp moves out of range of the strikes.
Sapp tries to clinch there but Couture circles away.
Sapp darts in trying to clinch
and Couture counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Sapp tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Sapp takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Couture is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Sapp fails with an attempt to clinch.
Couture throws a lazy right hand but Sapp sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Sapp tries to clinch up but Couture circles away and keeps his distance.
Sapp tries to clinch but Couture moves out of range.

Couture gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Couture is on top in guard.
Sapp trying to keep a closed guard but Couture is proving a slippery customer.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Couture preventing the sweep.
Couture lands a couple of digs.
Couture throws and elbow that misses. Sapp uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Couture's guard. Nice move by Sapp!
Couture working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Sapp.
Couture looking for a sweep. Not yet Couture, not yet.

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.
Sapp postures up in Couture's guard and throws a big left but Couture blocks it.
Couture lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Sapp!
Sapp is working to get back to half guard.
Couture landing strikes, looking to finish!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Couture thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Sapp might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Sapp tries to reverse the position but Couture maintains control.
Couture thowing shots but they're missing.
Couture throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Sapp tries to lock up and control but Couture gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Couture landing strikes, looking to finish!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Couture avoids the attempt from Sapp to control.
Couture misses with a head shot.
Sapp tries to hold on but Couture pushes him away.
Poor strikes thrown by Couture there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Sapp is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Couture unloads with some shots from mount but Sapp bucks and avoids them well.

And that's the end of the fight!
the natural Couture comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
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 George Francis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 28:29

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