PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Randy Couturee (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Okoch Malalue (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.

Couturee
vs
Malalue

191 cm
24
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

198 cm
20
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Randy Couturee!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Okoch Malalue!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Malalue tries a head kick but it misses.
Couturee shoots in for a takedown but Malalue shows good takedown defense.

Couturee feints and as Malalue raises his hands in defense, Couturee changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Couturee lands a couple of elbows.
Couturee throwing strikes but missing.
Malalue wants to stand up but Couturee is controlling him.
Couturee postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Couturee postures up in Malalue's guard and throws a big left but Malalue blocks it.
Couturee working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Malalue utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Couturee scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Couturee is looking to work some ground and pound but Malalue has wrist control.
Malalue utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Couturee scoring with punches to the head and body.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Couturee working some strikes from top position.
Couturee is looking to work some ground and pound but Malalue has wrist control.
Couturee working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Couturee is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Couturee thows a big elbow that misses.
Couturee throwing strikes from guard but Malalue blocks nicely.
Malalue utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Couturee works over Malalue with some ground and pound from guard.
Couturee pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Malalue is keeping the position for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Couturee is breathing heavily.
Couturee throwing strikes but missing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Malalue wants to stand and escape but Couturee is having none of it.
Couturee landing some decent shots from guard.
Couturee throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Malalue works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Couturee working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Malalue is looking to stand up but Couturee isn't so interested in that idea.
Couturee working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Couturee keeps the fight on the outside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Couturee scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Malalue is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Couturee scores with a couple of nice shots.
Couturee missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Malalue keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Couturee not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Couturee lands a nice short elbow.
Ground and pound from Couturee.
Malalue avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Couturee.
Malalue keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Couturee throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Malalue misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Couturee shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Couturee showed some decent athleticism there.
Couturee missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Malalue can do anything to dispel that myth.
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. Couturee connects with a nice short shot to Malalue's temple.
Couturee sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Malalue defending well though.
Malalue has hold of Couturee's hands but Couturee slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Malalue really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Couturee. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Couturee sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Malalue defending well though.
Couturee thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Couturee 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.
Couturee looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Malalue with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Randy Couturee dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Malalue fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Couturee.
Malalue wants to clinch up but Couturee keeps it at a distance.
Couturee circles away from the clinch attempt.
Couturee fails with a takedown attempt.
Couturee takes a kick to the side of the head.

It looks like Randy Couturee has been cut.
Couturee dives in and grabs Malalue's left leg, looking for a takedown. Malalue pushes down on Couturee's head and hops out.
Couturee looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Malalue is fending him off so far but Couturee persists. Nope, Malalue circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Randy Couturee. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Malalue tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Couturee paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Malalue tries to clinch there but Couturee circles away.
Malalue tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Malalue.
Malalue misses with a head kick.
No luck for Couturee with that takedown attempt.
Malalue tries to clinch but Couturee is having none of it.
Couturee fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Couturee feints and as Malalue raises his hands in defense, Couturee changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Couturee trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Couturee prevents Malalue from getting back to his feet.
Couturee missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Couturee keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Malalue's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Couturee won't allow Malalue to get back to his feet.
Couturee postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Malalue is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Couturee cracks Malalue with a solid left hand.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Malalue throws a head kick but Couturee moves out of range.

Couturee closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Malalue to the mat! Malalue manages to get full guard.
Couturee working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Couturee accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Couturee working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Malalue utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Couturee lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Couturee is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Couturee loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Couturee cracks Malalue with a solid left hand.
Malalue has momentary wrist control but Couturee slips an elbow through the middle.
Couturee stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Malalue swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Couturee throws a big right hand that misses.
Couturee content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Couturee loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

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.
Couturee throws a big right hand that misses.
Couturee throwing strikes from guard but Malalue blocks nicely.
Couturee is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Couturee content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Couturee scoring with some ground and pound.
Couturee with a flurry of punches that miss.
Couturee postures up in Malalue's guard and throws a big left but Malalue blocks it.
Couturee is in close to Malalue's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Malalue working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Couturee.
Couturee throwing strikes but missing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Randy Couturee will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Randy Couturee's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Couturee shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Couturee sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Malalue defending well though.
Couturee sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Malalue defending well though.
Malalue blocking the ground and pound attempt from Couturee.
Malalue taking some punishment here, with Couturee in his half guard.
Couturee missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Couturee not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Randy Couturee overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Couturee seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Couturee thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Malalue's head.
Malalue is trying to stand up here but Couturee is controlling him well.
Couturee throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Couturee missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Couturee lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Malalue tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Couturee decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Couturee is nestled in close to Malalue, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Couturee not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Couturee sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Malalue defending well though.
Malalue won't allow Couturee to pass to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Couturee scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Couturee throwing shots but Malalue is blocking nicely.
Couturee is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Couturee missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Malalue avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Couturee.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Malalue pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Okoch Malalue seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Malalue throws a sloppy head kick and Couturee moves out of range easily.
Malalue misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Couturee misses with a takedown attempt - Malalue sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Randy Couturee is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Couturee closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Malalue to the mat! Malalue manages to get full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Malalue is looking to stand up but Couturee isn't so interested in that idea.
Couturee connects with a couple of short punches.
Couturee thows a big elbow that misses.
Couturee distracts Malalue with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Couturee is looking to work some ground and pound but Malalue has wrist control.
Couturee working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Malalue's head.
Couturee throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Malalue works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Couturee throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Malalue works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Malalue utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Malalue working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Couturee.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Malalue tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Couturee feints and as Malalue raises his hands in defense, Couturee changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Couturee pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Malalue is keeping the position for now.
Malalue avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Couturee scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Couturee content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Couturee accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Okoch Malalue has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Randy Couturee is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Malalue working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Couturee.

And that's the end of the fight!
Randy Couturee showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Couturee, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 30:27
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 30:27

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