PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Raendi Kouture (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jesse Manners (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kouture comes into the arena with Warriors of the World blaring out of the sound system. Raendi Kouture has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Kouture
vs
Manners

186 cm
18
186 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

200 cm
18
180 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Raendi Kouture!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jesse Manners!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Chris Downing and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Manners tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Kouture swivels and escapes.
A solid body kick from Kouture.

Kouture has taken the fight to the clinch.

Kouture manages to break the clinch.

Kouture gets a clinch.

Kouture breaks from the clinch.
Kouture lands a nice hook to Manners's body. Manners takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Manners looks gassed!
Kouture wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Kouture throws a left that rocks Manners and follows with a right that sends him tumbling to the canvas! Kouture dives into side control, looking to finish! Can Manners regain composure!

Manners is rocked!

It looks like Jesse Manners has been cut.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Manners can't do much from the bottom here.
Kouture in side control, just content to control the action for now.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Manners can do anything to dispel that myth.

Kouture has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Manners blocks a head kick by Kouture.
Kouture tries to clinch there but Manners circles away.
Manners checks a leg kick nicely.
Manners shoots in for a takedown but Kouture shows good takedown defense.
Manners is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Kouture wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Kouture swings for the body but Manners moves out of range.
Raendi Kouture is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Kouture gets in close and instigates a clinch.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Kouture lands an elbow inside.

Kouture manages to break the clinch.
Kouture tests Manners's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Kouture throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

Kouture moves into range and clinches up with Manners.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Manners fails to pull guard.
Raendi Kouture has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jesse Manners.

Kouture escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Kouture looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Manners blocks a head kick by Kouture.

Kouture clinches with his opponent.

Kouture breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Kouture gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Manners is trying to break free.

Kouture breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Kouture throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Manners shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Kouture pinned against the cage. Kouture gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Kouture tries to close the distance and clinch but Manners swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Kouture drives through and clinches with Manners against the cage.
Manners is trying to break the clinch but Kouture has him pressed against the cage.

Kouture pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice uppercut lands for Kouture. That snapped Manners's head back.
Manners takes a kick to the side of the head.

Kouture closes the distance and clinches.

Kouture breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Kouture fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Manners, pushing him back against the cage.

Kouture pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Manners drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kouture is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Manners asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Manners is looking to take a break and control but Kouture is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kouture manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Manners is pressing down on Kouture's thigh, looking to free his foot. Kouture is holding on for now.
Kouture wants to control but Manners is keeping busy.
Manners has decided to stand back up but his arm is trapped. Whilst he's worrying about his arm, Kouture works to full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Manners wants to pass the guard but Kouture is keeping the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raendi Kouture dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Jesse Manners's cut.
That's time! Kouture's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Kouture throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Manners has a takedown stuffed.
Kouture moves in looking to clinch but Manners pushes him off.
Kouture throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Manners looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Kouture is fending him off so far but Manners persists. Nope, Kouture circles away and we're back to standing.
Kouture fails with an attempt to clinch.
Kouture tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Horrible takedown by Manners or perhaps it was just good defense by Kouture which made him look bad.
Raendi Kouture has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jesse Manners.
Kouture moves in looking to clinch but Manners pushes him off.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kouture buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Kouture takes the fight into the clinch.
Kouture stalling the fight.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kouture breaks from the clinch.
Kouture tries to clinch up.
Manners uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Kouture.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kouture looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Kouture misses with a body kick.
Raendi Kouture is winning the standup battle so far.
Kouture misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Kouture goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

Kouture clinches up with Manners and pushes him back against the cage.
Kouture slows down the pace here.
Kouture being controlled against the cage.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

That's two 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.
Kouture is trying to break the clinch but Manners has him pressed against the cage.
Kouture takes an elbow to the forehead.
Kouture keeps control of Manners as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Kouture is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Manners is keeping busy.

Manners breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Kouture is looking to wear down Manners with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Kouture throws a leg kick but Manners sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Kouture is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Kouture looks to land a left hand but Manners moved out of range nicely.
Kouture throws a head kick that misses.
Kouture lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Kouture moves in looking to clinch but Manners pushes him off.
Manners shoots for a double leg takedown but Kouture sprawls well. He's pushed Manners's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Kouture just misses with a punch to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kouture is looking to clinch.

Manners closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Kouture tries to kick Manners off but Manners keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Manners looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Kouture preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Kouture is trying to escape back to his feet but Manners uses the scramble to pass into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Manners wants to control but Kouture is keeping him busy.
Kouture is looking to get back to his feet here but Manners is keeping cool and he's managed to take Kouture's back.

Kouture showing good submission defense here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Jesse Manners will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Jesse Manners's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Nice sprawl there from Kouture as Manners shoots in.
Kouture fakes the leg kick and cracks Manners in the body.
Kouture digs a good body shot into Manners's ribs.
Nice defenses there by Manners.
Raendi Kouture is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Manners slips a jab and a cross from Kouture.
Manners blocks a head kick by Kouture.
Kouture looks to land a combination but Manners avoids it well.
A head kick misses from Manners.
Kouture tries a head kick but it misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kouture tries to close the distance and clinch but Manners swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Kouture is looking to clinch but Manners is avoiding it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Manners will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Kouture fails in his attempt to clinch.
Kouture throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Manners's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Manners tries for a takedown but Kouture sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Raendi Kouture has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jesse Manners.
Kouture throws a head kick that misses.
Kouture moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Horrible takedown by Manners or perhaps it was just good defense by Kouture which made him look bad.
Manners misses with a double jab

and Kouture counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Kouture wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Manners has him pressed against the cage.

Manners breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Manners gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Kouture counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Kouture swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Manners decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Kouture's guard.
Kouture keeping moving, preventing Manners from controlling successfully.
Manners passes Kouture's left leg - he's now in half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Manners is looking to advance position but Kouture won't allow it.
Manners prevents Kouture from standing back up.
Kouture wants to control but Manners is keeping busy.
Kouture pushes Manners off looking to stand but Manners dives back in and keeps control.
Manners keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

Manners is working for a submission of some sort.
Kouture might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kouture is trying to stand up here but Manners is controlling him well.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Kouture gets caught flat footed, as Manners shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Kouture wants to get back to his feet but Manners passes into half guard.
Manners throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Manners seems to be working for a kimura but Kouture defends the submission attempt.
Kouture wants to get back to his feet.
Manners throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Manners stops Kouture from getting back to his feet.
Manners is keen to just control but Kouture is a slippery customer.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jesse Manners comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Manners has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 29:28
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a draw!