PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rocky Balboa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Leon Couture (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Leon Couture acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Balboa
vs
Couture

185 cm
25
215 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

183 cm
22
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Cuts easily

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Rocky Balboa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Leon Couture!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Taro Takaoka and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Balboa fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Couture looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Balboa slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Couture dodges the punch combination from Balboa.
Couture shoots for a takedown but Balboa saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Couture misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Balboa misses with a jab, cross combination.
Balboa misses with a few strikes there.
Balboa throws a right hand that Couture ducks under and follows up with a left that Couture also avoids with ease.
Balboa stuffs the takedown attempt from Couture. Couture gets slowly back to his feet.
Rocky Balboa has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Leon Couture.
Couture keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Balboa throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Couture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Couture is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Balboa.
Balboa throws a series of punches but Couture moves out of range.
Couture takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Balboa throws a right hand that Couture ducks under and follows up with a left that Couture also avoids with ease.
Couture tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Balboa swivels and escapes.
Couture looks gassed!
Balboa lands with a right hand.
Rocky Balboa seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Balboa keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Balboa bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Couture takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Couture is trying desperately to land a takedown but Balboa is having absolutely none of it. This is turning into a bit of a nightmare for Couture.
Balboa lands a nice hook to Couture's body. Couture takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Couture has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Balboa finds it's way round the side to connect with Couture's head.
Balboa stalks Couture and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Couture's face. Couture staggers backwards, shaken.
Balboa tries to bum rush Couture with a series of wild strikes but Couture uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Balboa lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Couture at a distance.
Balboa scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Balboa ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Couture misses with a takedown attempt - Balboa sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Balboa lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Couture slips a jab and a cross from Balboa.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balboa lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Jab from Balboa.
Balboa cracks Couture with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Couture shoots in and drives through. Balboa sprawls well.
Balboa stuns Couture with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Balboa!
Rocky Balboa is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Balboa goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Balboa lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Balboa looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Balboa misses with a double jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Couture has a takedown stuffed.
A nice combination there by Balboa.
Balboa stuns Couture with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
A slow jab from Balboa misses its intended target.

Couture darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Couture looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Couture trying to control from half guard but Balboa is working away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rocky Balboa dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Couture showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Balboa.
Balboa moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Balboa scores with a three punch combo!
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Couture is defended easily by Balboa.
Balboa with a jab.
Balboa scores with a jab. Couture acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
A punch combination from Balboa misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balboa throws a series of punches but Couture avoids them all with ease.
Balboa scores with a one two! Couture had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Balboa scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Balboa misses with a body shot.
Couture showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Balboa.
Couture tries to score a power double leg takedown but Balboa sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Couture somewhat.
A big right from Balboa misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balboa wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Balboa fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
A combination from Balboa does no damage.
Couture shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Balboa but Balboa pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Rocky Balboa has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Leon Couture.
Couture shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Balboa pinned against the cage. Balboa gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Balboa digs a good hook to Couture's body.
Balboa dips to his left and cracks Couture with an uppercut!
Balboa is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Couture can do to turn this around?
Balboa misses with a jab, cross combination.
Couture has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balboa throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Couture fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Rocky Balboa is winning the standup battle so far.
Couture takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Couture closes the distance and clinches up with Balboa, looking for a takedown. Couture pushes Balboa against the cage but Balboa circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Balboa with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Balboa takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Balboa throws a right and a left that Couture avoids nicely.
Rocky Balboa is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Balboa throws a right and a left that both miss.
Balboa misses with a two punch combination.
No luck for Couture with that takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Balboa looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Couture shoots for a double leg takedown but Balboa sprawls well. He's pushed Couture's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Balboa fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Couture looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Balboa darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Balboa swinging wildly here.
Couture fails with a takedown attempt.
Balboa misses with a few strikes there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rocky Balboa dominated that second round.
That's time! Balboa's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Balboa misses with a double jab.
Balboa is working the combinations to good effect here.
Balboa closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Left hook, right uppercut from Balboa.
Couture fails with a takedown attempt.
Balboa misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Couture.
Balboa rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Couture moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Couture on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Horrible takedown by Couture or perhaps it was just good defense by Balboa which made him look bad.
Couture looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Rocky Balboa has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Leon Couture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Couture has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Balboa finds it's way round the side to connect with Couture's head.
Balboa scores with a crisp jab that stopped Couture in his tracks.
Balboa throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Balboa bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Couture's head backwards.
Balboa fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Nice uppercut lands for Balboa. That snapped Couture's head back.
Couture takes a shot to the body in his stride.

Couture closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Leon Couture has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

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

Couture tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Balboa defending against the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Couture thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Balboa is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Couture has just dragged him back down to the mat.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
An elbow from Couture crashes against the mat.

Couture has hold of Balboa's arm here. He's working for an Americana. It looks like he might have it! Balboa tries to escape but he's just digging himself in deeper - Couture cranks the arm and Balboa screams in pain! The ref makes a decision and ends the fight before the tap - no complains from Balboa, who is just happy to have his arm attached to his body.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:01 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Americana). Leon Couture!