PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Tao Pai (ranked 953 p4p, 2363 weight class) and Raphael Couture (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Pai
vs
Couture

174 cm
27
169
9 - 3 - 0

183 cm
27
172
6 - 6 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Lethal high kicks
KO power

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Tao Pai!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 6 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Raphael Couture!
The judges for this bout are Sandra Marshall, Michael Johnstone and Santiago Holmes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Couture slips a jab from Pai.
Couture takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Couture is looking to clinch but Pai is avoiding it.
Pai throws a counter high kick but Couture was just alert enough to avoid it.
Couture wants to clinch but Pai slips to the side
and Pai counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Couture rushes Pai and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Pai makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Pai.
Couture fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Couture tries to pull guard but Pai won't allow it.
Couture jumps guard but Pai turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Tao Pai has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Raphael Couture.
Pai lands with a short shot to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Couture tries to pull guard but Pai forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Couture tries to pull guard but Pai forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Pai wants to break the clinch but can't.

Pai manages to break the clinch.
Pai keeps the fight on the outside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pai circles away from the clinch attempt
and Pai counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Couture moves to clinch but Pai breaks away
and Pai counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Couture clinches.
Couture looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Couture jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Pai walks away with a smile on his face. Couture gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Couture ducks under a wild hook from Pai.
Couture moves in looking to clinch but Pai pushes him off.
Couture looks to clinch
and Pai counters with a straight right hand.
Couture fails with an attempt to clinch.
Pai definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Couture wants to clinch up but Pai keeps it at a distance.
Pai circles away from the clinch attempt.
Raphael Couture seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Couture fails with an attempt to clinch.
Couture darts in trying to clinch
and Pai counters with a straight right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Couture wants to clinch.
Couture fails with an attempt to clinch.
Pai is looking to counter with a body kick.

Couture clinches.

Pai breaks the clinch.
A cross from Pai lands.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Couture clinches up with Pai and pushes him back against the cage.
Couture is trying to pull guard but Pai turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Couture jumps guard but Pai stands there with Couture around his waist. Couture gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Couture has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Pai uses from the top position.
Pai tries to stand but Couture is controlling from the bottom.
Couture trying to keep a closed guard but Pai is proving a slippery customer.
Pai being controlled here momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pai wants to stand but Couture has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Couture is controlling Pai's posture.

Couture is actively looking for submissions from his back. He's worked himself a little space on the bottom and seems to be going for a triangle. No, he's switched into an armbar! That was slick! Pai rolls with it to try and escape but Couture cranks on the arm and Pai is forced to tap out! This one is aaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:50 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Raphael Couture!