PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Dan Couture (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Konstantin Zuev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Couture
vs
Zuev

189 cm
27
223 lbs
8 - 1 - 0

185 cm
27
215 lbs
7 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Island's Forbidden Fruits
VALOR Clothing - Everything $20

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Dan Couture!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Konstantin Zuev !
The judges for this bout are David Hoff, Bart Greer and Peter Branson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zuev 's jab looks to have found its range, popping Couture under the eye.
Couture fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Zuev manages to avoid it.
Couture moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Zuev 's coach down at KING OF PAIN was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Zuev 's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Zuev throws an off balance right hand
and Couture counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Couture throws a hook but Zuev blocks it.
A shot to the liver by Zuev . Beautiful body shot.
Zuev connects with a body shot.
Zuev scores with a nice right hand.
Zuev throws a nice looking combination but Couture bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Couture is looking to counter the offense by Zuev and move into the clinch.
Couture slips a jab from Zuev .
Zuev swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Couture looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Zuev digs a good body shot into Couture's ribs.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Couture uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Zuev .
Zuev scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Couture throws a right hand that Zuev ducks under and follows up with a left that Zuev also avoids with ease.
Zuev swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Zuev moves out of range as Couture strikes.
Zuev uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Couture.
Couture throws a body shot but no joy.
Zuev appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zuev smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Couture ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Zuev moves away.
Couture bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Couture throws the left hand but Zuev avoids the punch easily.
Couture uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Zuev .
Couture misses with the combination.
Zuev looks to land a combination but Couture avoids it well.
Couture swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Couture pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Zuev pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Couture just misses with a punch to the body.
Zuev misses with a shot to the body
and Couture counters with a nice uppercut.
Couture shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
A big left from Zuev misses.
Zuev avoids the body shot from Couture.
Zuev swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Zuev throws a big shot that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Couture throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Zuev lands a nice hook to Couture's body. Couture takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Couture works the jab nicely.
Zuev throws a right and a left that both miss.
The fighters circling - Zuev throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Couture gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Zuev throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Couture uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Zuev uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Couture.
Zuev throws a right and a left that Couture avoids nicely.
Zuev misses with a looping right.
Zuev throws a big shot that misses.
Zuev throws an off balance right hand

and Couture counters by moving into the clinch.

Zuev breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Couture gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Zuev .
Zuev misses with a body shot
and Couture counters with a one-two to the body.
Couture keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Zuev is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Couture had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Couture keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Zuev .
Couture seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Zuev throws a hook but Couture avoids it easily.
Couture bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
A big right from Zuev misses.
Zuev stuns Couture with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Zuev uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Couture.
Couture misses with a hook to the body
and Zuev counters with a straight right hand.
Zuev looks to land a left hand but Couture moved out of range nicely.
Zuev throws a right hand that misses

and Couture moves into the clinch.
A shot in the inside from Couture.
Zuev looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Zuev breaks the clinch.
Zuev scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Zuev just misses with a punch to the body.
Zuev jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Zuev tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Couture was well out of range. Poor timing from Zuev .
Couture is looking to counter the offense by Zuev and move into the clinch.
Zuev will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Couture was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Zuev swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Couture seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.

Couture forces Zuev back against the cage and clinches.
Couture works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Couture lands a left hand that snaps the head of Zuev backwards.
Couture digs a right hand underneath Zuev 's ribcage. Zuev let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Zuev looks winded!
Couture is leaning against Zuev and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Nice body punch from Couture.
Couture stalls.
Couture scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Couture keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Zuev 's efforts to push away.
A right handed body shot lands from Couture.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Couture drops Zuev onto one knee with a big uppercut from the clinch! Zuev is propped up by the cage and works his way back to his feet!

Zuev is rocked!
Couture lands a big right hand that drops Zuev ! The killer instinct kicks in and Couture finishes his opponent with a series of strikes from mount. A dominating finish by Couture!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Dan Couture!
Our winner, Dan Couture, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.