PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Bubba Bubba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jackson Couture (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Bubba
vs
Couture

175 cm
20
145 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

180 cm
25
145 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Bubba Bubba!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jackson Couture!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Robert Twigg and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Couture drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Couture looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Couture working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Bubba wants to get back to his feet but Couture is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Couture is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Bubba is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Couture scoring with punches to the head and body.
Couture is pushing down on Bubba's leg trying to pass to half guard. Bubba is fighting to maintain full guard but Couture has managed to sneak the leg through.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Couture decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Bubba goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

Couture gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Bubba throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.

Couture is trying to trip Bubba. He has hold of a leg but Bubba is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Couture persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Bubba wants to stand and escape but Couture is having none of it.
Couture is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Couture trying to control but Bubba is working from the bottom.

Bubba is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Couture throwing strikes but missing.
Couture wants to control from the top but Bubba keeps moving.
Couture throwing strikes from guard but Bubba blocks nicely.
Bubba pulls Couture in close to prevent any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Couture stands and steps away. Bubba gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Bubba on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Bubba gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

so Couture counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Bubba is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Couture postures up.
Couture tries to free his leg and advance position but Bubba is retaining full guard.

Bubba has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Couture can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Bubba avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Couture passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Bubba is looking for a sweep.
Both fighters take a look at the clock.
Couture gets to mount! Bubba was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Couture avoids the attempt from Bubba to control.
Couture tries to control but Bubba wriggling away.
Couture avoids the attempt from Bubba to control.

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.
Couture controlling from mount.
Bubba is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jackson Couture dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Couture throws a head kick but Bubba moves out of range.
Bubba tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Couture counters with a nice double leg into side control. Bubba won't be happy with that.
Bubba wants to control but Couture postures up.
Bubba tries to control the position but he's not in luck - Couture easily slips into full mount!
Bubba wants to control but Couture is having none of it.
Couture tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Couture landing shots from mount.
Couture tries to push Bubba's head away but Bubba is holding on tight.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Couture lands a nice shot to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Couture avoids the attempt from Bubba to control.
Bubba is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Bubba tries to lock up and control but Couture gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Couture looking to control but Bubba is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Bubba is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's two 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.
Bubba really wants to buck Couture off and get back to his feet.
Bubba wants to control but Couture is having none of it.
Couture cracks Bubba with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Bubba is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Couture tries to control but Bubba wriggling away.
Bubba wants to control but Couture is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bubba really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Bubba wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Couture avoids the attempt from Bubba to control.
Bubba is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Couture is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Couture fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

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.

Couture looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.

Bubba somehow manages to escape the mount and get back to his feet!
A low kick from Couture misses

and Bubba counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Bubba is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Couture is looking to control Bubba's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Couture avoid being mounted?

Couture kicks off Bubba and gets to his feet.
Bubba closes the distance but Couture moves to the side

and Couture counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Couture.
Couture lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Bubba backwards.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Couture gets underhooks to prevent Bubba's takedown attempt.
Bubba lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jackson Couture showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Couture closes the distance and clinches.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Bubba.
Bubba tries for a takedown. No joy.

Couture manages to break the clinch.
Bubba tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Couture counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Bubba!

Bubba somehow manages to escape the mount and get back to his feet!
Bubba lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Couture circles away quickly and effectively.
Couture circles away from the clinch attempt
and Couture counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Bubba clinches with his opponent.
Bubba has Couture pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Couture manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Couture has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Bubba uses from the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bubba tries to free his leg and advance position but Couture is retaining full guard.
Couture has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Bubba with a flurry of punches that miss.
Bubba passes Couture's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Bubba missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Bubba is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Couture doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Bubba.

Bubba is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's two 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.
Bubba seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Couture does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Couture keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Bubba is trying to control the action in half guard but Couture is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Couture desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Couture is trying to stand back up but Bubba is controlling him

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bubba looking for a submission but Couture manages to get full guard, putting an end to that submission attempt.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Bubba trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Couture wants to get back to his feet but Bubba is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Bubba trying to control but Couture is working from the bottom.
Bubba looking to sit in guard and control but Couture gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Bubba has his foot on Couture's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Couture works his way back into a safe position though.

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 avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Couture stands up from Bubba's guard - Couture perhaps looking for a knockout.
Bubba shoots in for a takedown but Couture shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bubba Bubba. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bubba tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Couture counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Couture.

Bubba is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Couture is aware though and is defending well.
Bubba Bubba has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bubba is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Couture is controlling him.
Couture must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Bubba looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jackson Couture comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Couture has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 27:30
Judge George Francis scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jackson Couture!