PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between the natural Couture (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Abdul Al Hassan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

natural Couture
vs
Al Hassan

180 cm
19
290 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

195 cm
18
250 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Good knees
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

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 Rio de Janeiro, the natural Couture!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Abdul Al Hassan!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Paulo Santos and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A swing and a miss from Al Hassan.
Abdul Al Hassan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Couture looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Couture prevents Al Hassan from improving his position.
Couture passes to side control.
Al Hassan is trying to escape the position but Couture is controlling the position.
Couture advances to mount.
Couture controlling from the full mount.
Al Hassan is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Couture sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Couture really is a fat lump.
Al Hassan wants to control but Couture is having none of it.
Couture controlling from mount.
Al Hassan is wriggling around trying to escape.

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.
Couture takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Al Hassan can do anything to dispel that myth.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Al Hassan is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Couture takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee stands the fighters back up. the natural Couture just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Al Hassan scores with the left hand. Couture knows he should have avoided that one.

It looks like the natural Couture has been cut.
Couture defending well as Al Hassan loads up on a big left hand.
Al Hassan takes a jab right on the kisser.
Al Hassan misses the jab.
Couture defending well as Al Hassan loads up on a big left hand.
Al Hassan chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Couture can pounce on him.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A jab from Al Hassan misses.
Al Hassan uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Couture.
Al Hassan misses with a looping right.
Al Hassan misses with a straight left.
A jab from Al Hassan misses.
Couture connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Couture misses with a wild combination.
Couture throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Al Hassan throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Couture sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Al Hassan throws a jab but it's blocked by Couture.
Couture slips a straight right by Al Hassan.
Al Hassan throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Couture sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Couture keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Al Hassan.
Al Hassan might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Al Hassan throws a looping overhand right but Couture ducks down to avoid it.
Al Hassan throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Couture sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Couture throws a nice inside leg kick.
Al Hassan throws an overhand right that lands on Couture's shoulder, as Couture tries to avoid the shot.
Couture lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Al Hassan misses with a hook. Couture ducked under it nicely.
Al Hassan looks gassed!
Couture swings and misses with a hook to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Al Hassan is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Couture.

Couture closes the distance and clinches.
Al Hassan swings wildly with an uppercut but Couture uses good head movement to avoid it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

the natural Couture dominated that round.
The cut man is working on the natural Couture's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Couture bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

Couture gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
A right hand to the body from Couture.
Couture connects with a nasty looking knee right to Al Hassan's face.

It looks like Abdul Al Hassan has been cut.
Al Hassan is looking to break free of the clinch but Couture has double underhooks.
Couture lands a knee to the head.
Couture tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Couture changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Al Hassan fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Al Hassan looks to throw the jab but Couture is out of range.
Nice defenses there by Couture.
Al Hassan looks to throw the jab but Couture is out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Al Hassan missing with a left hand there. Couture was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Al Hassan misses with an uppercut. Couture saw that one coming.
the natural Couture is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A big right from Al Hassan misses.
A jab from Al Hassan misses.
Couture steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Al Hassan.
Couture slips under a jab from Al Hassan.
Al Hassan misses with an uppercut.
A slow jab from Couture misses its intended target.
Couture swings for the body but Al Hassan moves out of range.

Couture darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Couture stalling.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Couture has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Al Hassan is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Couture sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Al Hassan wants to hold on but Couture pushes him away.
Couture looking to control and managing it successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

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 has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Al Hassan is desperately trying to improve his position but Couture has a good base and remains in mount.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Al Hassan wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

the natural Couture dominated that second round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
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. And we move into the final round!

The fighters circling - Al Hassan throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Couture slips under a jab.
A jab from Al Hassan misses.
Couture gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Al Hassan.
Couture misses with a kick to the body.
Couture connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Al Hassan momentarily.
Couture uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Al Hassan.
Couture steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Al Hassan.
Couture lands with a thumping leg kick.
Al Hassan loads up on a big right hand but Couture slips the punch.
Al Hassan throws out a loose jab but Couture uses good head movement to avoid it.
Couture tests Al Hassan's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Couture steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Al Hassan.
Couture slips a jab from Al Hassan.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters circling - Al Hassan throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Couture takes one on the button.
Al Hassan takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Couture moves away from the strike by Al Hassan.
A swing and a miss from Al Hassan.
Couture throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Couture ducks under a wild hook from Al Hassan.
Couture throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Abdul Al Hassan seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Al Hassan throws a looping overhand right but Couture ducks down to avoid it.
Al Hassan stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Couture.

Couture has Al Hassan up against the cage in a clinch.
Nice body punch from Couture - that landed with a thud.
Nice elbow from Couture.
Couture unloads a knee to the mid-section. Al Hassan lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Couture gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
A right hand to the body from Couture.
Couture crunches a lovely knee into Al Hassan's ribcage.
Couture lands with a light punch inside.
Couture lands an elbow inside that Al Hassan shrugs off.
A right hand to the body from Couture.

Couture tightens his grip and picks Al Hassan up, before dumping him to the ground. Al Hassan manages to land in guard.
Couture content to stall in guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Couture trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Couture looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Al Hassan keeping full guard, as Couture tries to pass.
Couture trying to control but Al Hassan is working from the bottom.
Abdul Al Hassan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
the natural Couture is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Couture showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
the natural Couture showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Couture, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Emerson Jorge scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:27
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 30:27

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