PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Bob Builder (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bruce Couture (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Builder
vs
Couture

183 cm
23
193 lbs
6 - 5 - 0

185 cm
20
195 lbs
3 - 5 - 0

Good takedowns
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Bob Builder!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Bruce Couture!
The judges for this bout are Ian Loll, Gregory Folan and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice shot lands for Builder.
Couture circles away from the clinch attempt.
Couture tries to clinch
and Builder counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Couture thinking.
Couture tries to clinch there but Builder circles away.
Builder scores with a decent looking hook.
Couture takes one to the side of the head.
Couture throws out a loose jab but Builder uses good head movement to avoid it.
Builder throws a nice looking combination but Couture bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Builder lands a jab-cross combination.
Couture bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Couture is looking to clinch.
Builder circles away from the clinch attempt
and Builder cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Couture tries to clinch
and Couture takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Couture tries to clinch up but Builder circles away and keeps his distance.
Couture misses with a few strikes there.
Couture moves in looking to clinch but Builder pushes him off.

Couture gets caught flat footed, as Builder shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
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.
Builder is fighting to break Couture's control of his arms but Couture is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Builder wants to control from the top but Couture keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Couture looking for a sweep. Not yet Couture, not yet.
Builder trying to control but Couture is working from the bottom.

Builder is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Couture is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Couture has escaped and now he's on top!
Builder controlling the position.
Builder keeping full guard, as Couture tries to pass.
Builder managing to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Bob Builder.
Couture misses with a wild combination.
Builder lands with a nice combination. Couture backs away looking to recover.
Builder throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Couture.
Couture misses the jab.
Couture dips to his left and cracks Builder with an uppercut!

It looks like Bob Builder has been cut.
Couture slips a jab and a cross from Builder.

Couture moves into range and clinches up with Builder.

Couture manages to break the clinch.
Couture tries to clinch there but Builder circles away.
Builder is looking to score with low kicks.
Bruce Couture is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Couture closes the distance but Builder moves to the side
enabling Builder to counter with a crisp jab.
Couture moves to clinch but Builder breaks away
and Builder makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

Builder has taken the fight to the clinch.

Couture breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Couture wants to clinch
enabling Builder to counter with a crisp jab.
Builder misses with a series of wild punches.
Couture takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Couture uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Builder.
Couture moves in looking to clinch but Builder pushes him off.
Couture throws a lazy body kick
letting Builder counter with a right hand.

Builder closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Couture did well to prevent Builder getting side control.
Couture wants to improve his position but Builder is controlling well.
Couture is trying to maintain the position but Builder is very close to passing his half guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Builder trying to control the pace.

Builder is trying to work for a kimura but Couture is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Couture tries to roll over but Builder keeps him under control.

Builder is working for a kimura but Couture is defending it quite comfortably.

Builder wants to work for an arm triangle but Couture is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Builder is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bob Builder dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Bob Builder's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Couture closes the distance but Builder moves to the side

and Builder counters with a single leg into guard. Couture didn't expect that.
Couture trying to control the position.
Builder looking to sit in guard and control but Couture gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Builder looking to hit a scissor sweep but Couture is one step ahead there.
Couture postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Couture throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Couture pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Builder is keeping the position for now.
Couture cracks Builder with a solid left hand.
Couture lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Builder is pulling down on Couture's head to control his posture.
Builder is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Builder looking to hit a scissor sweep but Couture is one step ahead there.
Couture thows a big elbow that misses.
Couture trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Builder manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Couture looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Couture working for a triangle but Builder defends it easily.
Couture keeping moving, preventing Builder from controlling successfully.

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.
Couture looking to hit a scissor sweep but Builder is one step ahead there.

Builder avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Builder wants to control from the top but Couture keeps moving.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Bob Builder.
Builder throws a shot to the body.
Bruce Couture seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Builder misses with a combination

and Couture counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Couture.

Couture gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Builder seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Couture preventing the sweep.
Builder is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Couture makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Couture missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Builder utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Builder looking for a sweep. Not yet Builder, not yet.
Builder wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Couture passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Couture misses with the ground and pound.
Builder stops Couture from passing to mount.
Builder is trying to get back to half guard.
Builder sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Couture throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Builder works his way to full guard. Good work.
Builder is controlling Couture's posture.
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 Bob Builder will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Bob Builder's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - 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.

Couture tries to clinch but Builder moves away
and Builder counters with a left to the body.
Couture throws a low kick but Builder avoids it.
Builder misses with a two punch combination.
Couture wants to clinch up but Builder keeps it at a distance.
The fight stays on the outside here - Couture looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Builder throws a right hand that Couture ducks under and follows up with a left that Couture also avoids with ease.
Builder throws a front kick aimed at Couture's knee but Couture avoids it well.
Builder checks a leg kick.
Couture is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Couture darts in trying to clinch
and Builder counters with a straight right hand.
Nice uppercut there from Builder.
Couture tries to clinch
and Builder counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Couture doesn't manage to clinch there - Builder circles away.
Builder checks a leg kick.

Couture closes the distance and pushes Builder back into the cage.
Couture takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Couture escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Builder takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Builder shoots for a double leg takedown but Couture sprawls well. He's pushed Builder's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Couture misses with a hook.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Builder is working for takedown but Couture is calmly controlling the position for now.
Couture lands a body punch.

Couture manages to break the clinch.
Couture looks to clinch
enabling Builder to counter with a crisp jab.
Couture closes the distance looking to clinch
and Builder counters with a left to the body.
Builder misses with a double jab.
Builder closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Couture throws an overhand right that lands on Builder's shoulder, as Builder tries to avoid the shot.
Builder lands a slapping body shot.
Couture wants to slow Builder down by chopping away at his legs.
Builder uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Couture.
Couture lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Builder lands with an overhand left.
Bruce Couture has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Builder takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Bob Builder is winning the standup battle so far.
Couture tries to clinch up
and Builder counters with a left to the body.
Builder moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Couture tries to clinch there but Builder circles away.
Builder throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Couture.
Couture wants to clinch but Builder slips to the side

and Builder moves into the clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Builder is looking to control Couture's arms but Couture gets an underhook and turns him. Now Builder has his back to the cage.
Builder avoids the elbow strike from Couture, against the cage.

Builder turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Couture is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Builder off and has taken his back!
Couture lands with a nice looking elbow that stuns Builder.
Even with his hooks in, Couture manages to miss with strikes from the back.
Builder wants to control his opponent's hands but Couture gets his hands free.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Couture is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Builder defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
Builder trying to control the hands but Couture won't let him.
Couture lands a couple of good shots to his opponent's body and a final shot to the head. Good little attack there by Couture.
Bob Builder overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Builder covering up well and avoiding damage.
Builder trying to control the hands but Couture breaks the grip.
Couture scores with punches to the body.

Couture working for a choke but Builder is defending well.
Builder trying to control the action but Couture just sinks the hooks in.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Couture is throwing strikes from the back here. Oh that last one was to the back of the head. Couture gets a warning from the referee. He throws another strike to the back of the head straight away though and the referee has seen enough. He breaks up the two fighters and stands them back up. Couture gets a real talking to here and is lucky not to get a point deducted. Couture apologises and we restart here on the feet.
Builder misses with a few strikes there.
Couture moves to clinch but Builder breaks away

and Builder counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Couture's guard now.
Bob Builder is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Builder won't allow Couture to sweep him here.
Builder trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Couture has his foot on Builder's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Builder works his way back into a safe position though.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Couture wants to sweep here but Builder controlling him for the moment.
Couture can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Builder controls the pace.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bob Builder showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Builder, 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 Ian Loll scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bob Builder!