PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between John Couture (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shirley Crabtree Jr (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Couture comes to the cage accompanied by Puff Daddy - Come With Me. Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Couture
vs
Crabtree Jr

180 cm
26
300 lbs
7 - 5 - 0

190 cm
26
272 lbs
6 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Good chin

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

Bloodsport Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, John Couture!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Shirley Crabtree Jr!
The judges for this bout are Steven Brown, Richard Clark and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A decent looking cross lands there for Crabtree Jr.
Crabtree Jr looks to score with a jab to the body but Couture is just out of range.
Crabtree Jr lands a lovely overhand right.
Crabtree Jr tries to clinch up but Couture circles away and keeps his distance.
Couture with a lazy takedown attempt
and Crabtree Jr counters with a one-two to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Couture shoots and misses
and Crabtree Jr counters with a straight right hand.
Couture fails with the takedown
and Crabtree Jr counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Couture. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Crabtree Jr tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Couture paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Shirley Crabtree Jr seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crabtree Jr throws a chopping leg kick but Couture manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Couture moves out of range as Crabtree Jr strikes.
Crabtree Jr lands with a nice combination. Couture backs away looking to recover.
Crabtree Jr connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Crabtree Jr tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Crabtree Jr closes the distance looking to clinch

and Couture counters with a shoot takedown. Crabtree Jr fights it but they end up in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Couture tries to free his leg and advance position but Crabtree Jr is retaining full guard.
Couture throws a strike but Crabtree Jr rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Crabtree Jr looking to pass the guard.
Crabtree Jr is looking to stand up but Couture won't let him.
Couture is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Crabtree Jr decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Couture, up you get!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Couture tries for a takedown but Crabtree Jr circles away easily
and Crabtree Jr counters with a slapping leg kick.
Couture keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Couture tries for a takedown but Crabtree Jr circles away easily
and Crabtree Jr counters with a straight right hand.
Couture checks a leg kick nicely.
Couture takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Couture misses with a double jab
and Crabtree Jr counters with an inside leg kick.
Crabtree Jr ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Couture moves away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Crabtree Jr steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Couture.
Couture misses with a takedown

and Crabtree Jr moves into the clinch.
Crabtree Jr prevents a takedown attempt there.

Crabtree Jr manages to break the clinch.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Crabtree Jr throws a hook but Couture blocks it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A big left from Crabtree Jr misses.
Couture has his takedown stuffed
and Crabtree Jr counters with a right hand to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shirley Crabtree Jr 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.

Crabtree Jr throws out a loose jab but Couture uses good head movement to avoid it.
Couture fails with the takedown
and Crabtree Jr cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Crabtree Jr has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Crabtree Jr shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Couture eats them both and turns towards Crabtree Jr to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.

It looks like John Couture has been cut.
Couture on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Crabtree Jr throws a head kick but Couture moves out of range.
Crabtree Jr looks to land a combination but Couture avoids it well.

Couture closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Couture is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Crabtree Jr defends it well.
Crabtree Jr wants to get back to full guard.
Crabtree Jr is looking to escape.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Couture passes to side control.
Couture wants to lay and pray for a moment but Crabtree Jr keeps working.
Crabtree Jr is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Couture is controlling him well.
Couture advances to full mount.
Crabtree Jr really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Couture. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Couture is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Crabtree Jr to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Crabtree Jr shrugs it off.
Crabtree Jr is squirming around, avoiding Couture's attempts to control the action.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Crabtree Jr wants to try and get back to his feet.

Couture looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Crabtree Jr doing his best to control the position. Can he escape?

Couture working for a guillotine from mount but Crabtree Jr is in no mood to give up.
Couture avoids the attempt from Crabtree Jr to control.
Crabtree Jr is trying to escape the mount.

Crabtree Jr somehow manages to escape the mount and get back to his feet!
Crabtree Jr turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Crabtree Jr fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
A punch combination from Crabtree Jr misses.
Crabtree Jr swings for the body but Couture moves out of range.
Shirley Crabtree Jr is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Crabtree Jr throws a series of punches but Couture moves out of range.
Couture fails with the takedown
enabling Crabtree Jr to counter with a crisp jab.

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 closes the distance and clinches up with Crabtree Jr, looking for a takedown. Couture pushes Crabtree Jr against the cage but Crabtree Jr circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Couture. That's going to take a lot out of him.
An inside leg kick lands from Crabtree Jr.
No joy there for Crabtree Jr, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Couture gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Crabtree Jr counters with a lovely straight right hand!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Crabtree Jr misses with a wild body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shirley Crabtree Jr showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on John Couture's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Crabtree Jr cracks the inside of Couture's front leg.
A nice leg kick lands there from Crabtree Jr.
Shirley Crabtree Jr seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Crabtree Jr listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Couture keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Crabtree Jr.
Crabtree Jr throws a right hand that misses

and Couture counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Couture pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Crabtree Jr is keeping the position for now.

Crabtree Jr looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Couture stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Crabtree Jr swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crabtree Jr trying to control the position.
Couture prevents Crabtree Jr from getting back to his feet.
Crabtree Jr is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Crabtree Jr is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Crabtree Jr keeping moving, preventing Couture from controlling successfully.
Couture slips nicely into half guard.

Crabtree Jr is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Couture pulls his head out easily.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Crabtree Jr wants to get back to his feet.
Crabtree Jr wants to improve his position but Couture is controlling well.
Crabtree Jr takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Couture is trying to control. Crabtree Jr wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Couture wants to pass the guard but Crabtree Jr is defending well.

Couture seems to be working for a kimura but Crabtree Jr defends the submission attempt.
Couture thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Crabtree Jr wants to get back to his feet.
Couture uses his free foot to push down on Crabtree Jr's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Crabtree Jr.

Couture jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Crabtree Jr manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Couture prevents Crabtree Jr from escaping the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Couture wants to lay and pray for a moment but Crabtree Jr keeps working.
Crabtree Jr is looking to regain half guard here but Couture keeps moving and retains side control.
Couture is looking to take a break and control but Crabtree Jr is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Crabtree Jr struggling a bit here.
Crabtree Jr wants to get back to his feet but Couture is dominant here and he's now got Crabtree Jr's back!

Couture is working the back position looking for the choke. Oh, he's slid into an armbar! Beautiful transition and Crabtree Jr taps out! Fantastic Jiu Jitsu from Couture.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:04 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). John Couture!