PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Joe Jonness (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ranndy Couture (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Joe Jonness looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Jonness
vs
Couture

193 cm
23
205 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

185 cm
25
205 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Very confident

:: Happy Pills ::

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Joe Jonness!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ranndy Couture!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Couture fails with the takedown
and Jonness cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Jeez, both these guys look absolutely knackered already, that's not a good sign!
Couture has his takedown stuffed
and Jonness counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Couture with a lazy takedown attempt
and Jonness counters with a nice uppercut.
Joe Jonness has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ranndy Couture.

Jonness rushes Couture and presses him up against the cage.

Jonness decides to pull guard.
Jonness pulls Couture in close to his closed guard and prevents Couture from doing any damage or advancing position.

Jonness working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Couture doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Couture manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Couture drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Couture jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Couture in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Couture wants to get up but he can't break Jonness's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Couture trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Jonness keeping moving, preventing Couture from controlling successfully.

Couture drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Couture jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Couture thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Couture trying to control the position from guard on top but Jonness is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

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.

Couture thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Jonness wants to sweep here but Couture controlling him for the moment.
Couture content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Couture wants to get up but he can't break Jonness's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Couture trying to control the position from guard on top but Jonness is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Couture drops back looking for a leg! Jonness is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Jonness manages to kick Couture off! Couture jumps back into Jonness's guard.

Couture 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Couture accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Jonness knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Couture on the ground.

Couture drops back looking for a leg! Jonness is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Jonness manages to kick Couture off! Couture jumps back into Jonness's guard.

Couture postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Jonness is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Couture, into his guard.
Couture working a defensive guard here.

That's four 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.
Jonness trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Jonness wants to get up but he can't break Couture's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Couture looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Jonness dominated that round.
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.

Couture keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Joe Jonness is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Jonness throws a head kick but Couture moves out of range.
Jonness leaves Couture with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Couture shoots for a takedown but Jonness saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Couture tries for a takedown but Jonness circles away easily

and Jonness counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Jonness.
Joe Jonness has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ranndy Couture.
Couture preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Couture has a closed guard, preventing Jonness from standing up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Jonness stands up over Couture, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Jonness has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jonness postures up.
Jonness postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Jonness would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Jonness sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Jonness wants to pass the guard but Couture is keeping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Jonness controls from within his opponent's guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Joe Jonness.
Couture shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Jonness counters with a takedown into side control.

Jonness tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Jonness has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Couture struggling a bit here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Jonness is looking to take a break and control but Couture is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Couture prevents Jonness from improving position.
Couture is trying to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Jonness dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Jonness slaps away a takedown attempt from Couture, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Jonness shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Jonness was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Couture tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Jonness throwing strikes but Couture bucks up and reverses the position. He's now in guard on top.
Jonness tries to stand but Couture is controlling from the bottom.
Couture looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jonness postures up in Couture's guard and throws a big left but Couture blocks it.
Jonness stopping the sweep attempt from Couture.
Couture looking to control.

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.
Jonness is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Joe Jonness wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Couture shoots and misses

and Jonness counters with a nice double leg into side control. Couture won't be happy with that.
Jonness is trying to ground and pound but Couture uses the momentary lack of control by Jonness to regain half guard.
Jonness is trying to control. Couture wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Jonness is thwarting Couture's attempts to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Couture is staying active underneath Jonness, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Jonness is stalling here. Couture is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Jonness seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Couture has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Couture is looking to take a break and control but Jonness is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Jonness is trying to buck Couture off.
Jonness manages to work his way to half guard, despite Couture's best efforts.

That's four 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.

Couture is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Jonness is just riding it out for now. Couture eventually gives up the hold.
Jonness has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Couture is working away from the top position though.
Couture is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!

Couture jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Jonness is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Jonness and Couture has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Ranndy Couture has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Joe Jonness is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Couture tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joe Jonness showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Jonness has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Ren Mimura scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joe Jonness!