PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Kurtis Couturier (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Daiki Tanimoto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Couturier comes to the cage accompanied by Forever Angel. Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the prize buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

Couturier
vs
Tanimoto

176 cm
23
189 lbs
8 - 1 - 0

171 cm
22
192 lbs
10 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Brown Belt
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

Fury Nutrition Inc.

Kore Fight Nutrition [TG]

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 8 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Kurtis Couturier!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Daiki Tanimoto!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Couturier connects with a right hand. Tanimoto shakes it off.
Tanimoto tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Couturier manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Couturier has been working on his boxing with his coaches at The Jungle Elite MMA in the buildup to the fight.
Tanimoto plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Tanimoto moves forwards but Couturier connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Tanimoto throws a wild body kick that Couturier sees coming a mile off.

Couturier drops Tanimoto with a hook right on the temple. He thinks about going to the ground but Tanimoto looks back up at him and smiles so Couturier waves him back to his feet - he obviously thinks he can knock him out after that shot landed.

Tanimoto is rocked!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Tanimoto tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Tanimoto is still on wobbly legs! Can Couturier finish him?
Tanimoto tries to land a body kick
and Tanimoto takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Couturier tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Tanimoto paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Tanimoto looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Couturier is fending him off so far but Tanimoto persists. Nope, Couturier circles away and we're back to standing.

Couturier closes the distance and clinches.
Tanimoto seems to have recovered his senses.
Couturier lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Couturier is defending well against a takedown attempt.
A short left from Couturier.
A hook to the body from Couturier.
A nice left hand lands by Couturier.
Couturier makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

Couturier drops Tanimoto onto one knee with a big uppercut from the clinch! Tanimoto is propped up by the cage and works his way back to his feet!
Couturier scores with a shoulder strike.
Couturier prevents a takedown attempt there.
Kurtis Couturier has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Daiki Tanimoto.
Couturier lands a left hand that snaps the head of Tanimoto backwards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Couturier leaning his opponent against the cage.
Couturier stops a takedown attempt from Tanimoto.
Tanimoto is looking for a takedown.
Tanimoto goes for a takedown attempt but Couturier pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Couturier tries to close the distance and clinch but Tanimoto swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Couturier lands a jab to the head.
Couturier sizes up Tanimoto with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Couturier defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Tanimoto.
Tanimoto lands a high kick!
Tanimoto tries to clinch
and Couturier counters with a nice uppercut.
Couturier tries to clinch but Tanimoto is having none of it.
Tanimoto takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Couturier throws a series of punches but Tanimoto avoids them all with ease.
A head kick misses from Tanimoto.
Couturier misses with an uppercut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Tanimoto staying out of range there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Couturier's corner calls for a 1-2. Couturier obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Tanimoto moves in looking to clinch but Couturier pushes him off.

Couturier instigates a clinch.
Couturier just leaning against Tanimoto, taking a breather.
Tanimoto wants a takedown.
Still in the clinch, Couturier scores with a nice short uppercut.
Couturier taking a breather.
Couturier gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Tanimoto.
Couturier stalling the fight.
Couturier stops a takedown attempt from Tanimoto.
Couturier stops a takedown attempt from Tanimoto.
Tanimoto is working for takedown but Couturier is calmly controlling the position for now.
A shot in the inside from Couturier.
Tanimoto looking for a takedown.
Tanimoto is looking for a takedown.
Tanimoto looks winded!
Couturier lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Tanimoto or not.
Couturier throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Couturier stalling.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Couturier stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
A short right from Couturier on the inside.
Couturier lands an uppercut.
Couturier lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
A short uppercut from Couturier.
Tanimoto is working for takedown but Couturier is calmly controlling the position for now.
Couturier lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Couturier lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Tanimoto backwards.
Couturier lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Couturier stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Couturier stalling the fight.
Couturier presses Tanimoto against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.

Couturier escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Couturier is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Tanimoto loses concentration momentarily and Couturier pounces with a three punch combo! Right, left, right! Tanimoto crashes face first to the mat, out cold! Couturier finishes this one with a fantastically precise combo! Great stuff.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:40 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Punches). Kurtis Couturier!
During a confident post fight interview, Kurtis Couturier thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.
The defeated Daiki Tanimoto had this to say: 'Proudly Supported by Team Goroshi - RVCA - Kore Fight Nutrition - Jef Li's MMA - Silent Fighting Championship'.