PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Anthony Griffith (ranked 2109 p4p, 107 weight class) and Randall Couture (ranked 2548 p4p, 94 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.

Griffith
vs
Couture

225 cm
24
265 lbs
10 - 6 - 0

185 cm
30
233 lbs
13 - 9 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Anthony Griffith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Randall Couture!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Frank Antenori and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Griffith throws a predictable looking body shot
letting Couture counter with a right hand.
Griffith throws a right and a left that both miss.
Griffith really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Griffith fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Couture manages to avoid it.
Couture throws out a counter right but Griffith avoids it with no problem.
Griffith misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Couture.

Couture closes the distance and clinches.
Couture goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Griffith stalling in the clinch.
Couture scores with a shoulder strike.
Couture doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Couture gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Couture throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Griffith on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Griffith tries to get out of the position.
Griffith is trying to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Couture throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Griffith moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Couture pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Griffith is keeping the position for now.
Couture must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Griffith is adopting a defensive guard.
Couture lands a couple of decent looking shots.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Couture with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Couture throws an elbow that misses. Griffith uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Couture's guard. Nice move by Griffith!

Griffith stopping the sweep attempt from Couture.
Griffith trying to control but Couture is working from the bottom.
Couture is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Couture controlling the action here.
Griffith is trying to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Couture working the head and body with strikes.
Couture thows a huge punch but Griffith dodges it nicely.
Couture throwing shots but Griffith is blocking nicely.
Couture working the head and body with strikes.
Griffith is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Griffith trying to control but Couture postures up.
Couture looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Couture prevents Griffith from improving his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Griffith controlling the position well.
Couture thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Couture misses with a head shot. Griffith uses the momentum to regain guard.
Couture postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Griffith will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Griffith keeping moving, preventing Couture from controlling successfully.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Randall Couture dominated that round.
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.

Couture misses with an uppercut.
Griffith was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Couture misses with a low kick.
Couture has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Griffith on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Couture keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Couture tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Griffith was well out of range. Poor timing from Couture.
Griffith looks to score with a jab to the body but Couture is just out of range.
Couture takes one on the chin but keeps coming.

Couture looking to score a takedown here. Griffith is defending well but Couture drives through and ends up in Griffith's guard.
Griffith wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Griffith controls Couture momentarily but Couture frees himself.
Griffith has his hands on Couture's head, controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Couture wants to control from the top but Griffith keeps moving.
Couture sitting in guard here, content to control.
Couture connects with a couple of short punches.
Couture is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Couture trying to control but Griffith is working from the bottom.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Griffith gets cracked there but stands up to it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Couture tries to clinch up but Griffith circles away and keeps his distance.
Griffith slips under a jab.
Couture misses with a body shot.
Good standup being displayed there by Couture as he connects with a hook.
Couture tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Griffith defends well and Couture ends up having to push Griffith into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Griffith swings widly with a right hand
and Couture counters with a nice uppercut.
Couture throws a lazy uppercut
and Griffith counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Griffith blocks a jab.
Couture takes a jab right on the kisser.
Griffith swats away the attempt to clinch by Couture.
As Couture looks to move away, Griffith throws a big counter combo but Couture just gets out of the way.
Anthony Griffith is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffith blocks a jab.
Griffith is looking to wear down Couture with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Griffith misses with an uppercut.
Couture feints the counter takedown.
Couture looks to score with a jab to the body but Griffith is just out of range.
Griffith comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Couture misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Griffith.
A quick step to the side and Griffith tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Couture throws an off balance right hand
and Couture takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Couture scores with a sloppy right hand. Griffith should have avoided that one.
Griffith takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Griffith takes a swing at Couture's ribcage but misses.
Couture tries to counter by closing the distance.
Griffith avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Griffith needs to keep his hands up - Couture had a free shot at his head there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Griffith lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Griffith avoids the body shot from Couture.
Couture keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Couture feints the counter takedown.
Couture pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Griffith is looking to counter punch.
A looping hook to the body misses from Couture. Griffith does a little dance to reset his feet.
Randall Couture seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Griffith swings away with a body shot that misses
and Couture counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Griffith leaves Couture with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Griffith is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Couture keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Griffith.

Couture clinches up against the cage.

Griffith breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Griffith throws a poor cross that misses
and Couture counters with a straight right hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Randall Couture showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Griffith's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Couture dives in for a single leg takedown but Griffith sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Griffith fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Couture steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Griffith.
Couture misses the shot to the body.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Couture.
Griffith sizes up Couture with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Griffith lands a jab.
Randall Couture seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Couture throws an overhand right that lands on Griffith's shoulder, as Griffith tries to avoid the shot.
Couture ducks under a wild hook from Griffith.
Couture misses with an uppercut. Griffith saw that one coming.
Griffith stuffs the takedown attempt from Couture. Couture gets slowly back to his feet.
Anthony Griffith has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Randall Couture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes from Griffith. Those never looked like landing.
Couture throws out a counter right but Griffith avoids it with no problem.
Couture shoots in for a takedown but Griffith shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Couture fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Griffith misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Griffith looks to score with a jab to the body but Couture is just out of range.
Nice body punch from Griffith.
Griffith closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Couture tries to close the distance and clinch but Griffith swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Griffith is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Couture drops his hands momentarily and Griffith takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Couture uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Griffith.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Griffith connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
A telegraphed right hand from Couture misses the target.
Griffith was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Griffith throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Couture wants to counter the offense by Griffith and move into the clinch position.
Couture swings widly with a right hand
and Couture takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Griffith misses with a body shot.
Couture scores with a decent looking hook.
Griffith throws a hook but Couture avoids it easily.
Griffith misses with a body shot.
Couture throws a counter combo.
Jab by Couture.
Griffith lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Couture circles away quickly and effectively.
Couture throws a jab but it's blocked by Griffith.
A little feinted left hand from Griffith on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Couture misses with a straight left.
It looked like Griffith wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big left from Couture misses.
It looked like Griffith was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Couture.
Griffith throws a body punch but Couture moves out of range.
Griffith uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Couture.
Couture dives in and grabs Griffith's left leg, looking for a takedown. Griffith pushes down on Couture's head and hops out.
Couture throws a hook to the side of Griffith's head but Griffith sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Couture throws a body punch but Griffith moves out of range.
Griffith was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Couture misses with a straight left.
Couture thows a left - swing and a miss!
Couture uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Griffith.
Couture misses with an uppercut. Griffith saw that one coming.
Griffith throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Anthony Griffith has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Griffith connects with a jab.
Griffith just misses with a punch to the body.
Couture walks into a stiff left hand from Griffith.
Griffith throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Griffith avoids a punch combination nicely.
Griffith takes one to the chin there.

It looks like Anthony Griffith has been cut.
Griffith slips under a jab from Couture.
Griffith avoids the body shot from Couture.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Couture swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Griffith swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.

And that's the end of the fight!
Anthony Griffith showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Couture 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29

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