PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Randy Couture (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Royler Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Couture's entrance music is Killing Fields by Metallica. A fine choice. Gracie comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Underdogs day by ENTOMBED kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Couture
vs
Gracie

186 cm
25
275 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
25
278 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Cuts easily

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Randy Couture!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Royler Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Johanna Lukiainen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie throws a hook to the side of Couture's head but Couture sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Couture will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Couture rushes Gracie and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
Couture wants a takedown but no success here.
Couture is looking to take this one to the mat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Randy Couture. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gracie has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Couture after a bit of a struggle.

Couture escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Gracie misses with a takedown attempt - Couture sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Couture clinches.
A frustrated look appears on Gracie's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Couture is pressed up against the ropes. Gracie has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Couture down to the mat. Couture avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Couture keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Gracie closes this distance looking for a takedown but Couture circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Couture shoots for a double leg takedown but Gracie sprawls well. He's pushed Couture's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Gracie keeps the fight on the outside.
No joy there for Couture, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Gracie looks for a takedown but Couture sprawls well.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Couture.
Couture could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Couture lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Gracie looks for a takedown but Couture sprawls well.
Gracie changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Couture tries to avoid it but Gracie manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Couture to the ground. Couture escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Gracie shoots in and drives through. Couture sprawls well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Couture darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Couture is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Gracie moves into full guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Gracie has managed to work for a loose triangle. I think Couture should be able to defend this one pretty easily though. Oh, Gracie has tightened it up now! Couture should have reacted faster there - he's in big trouble and yes, he's tapped out! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:56 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Royler Gracie!
An out of breath Royler Gracie thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.