PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Austin Houston (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tuukka Kuparivuori (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Houston's entrance music is Born of a Broken Man. A fine choice. This should be fireworks!

Houston
vs
Kuparivuori

190 cm
20
190 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

183 cm
18
191 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Austin Houston!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tuukka Kuparivuori!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Daniel Franklin and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kuparivuori takes a kick to the side of the head.

It looks like Tuukka Kuparivuori has been cut.
Houston misses with a jab, cross combination.
Houston shoots in for a takedown but Kuparivuori shows good takedown defense.

Kuparivuori gets the takedown into side control.
Houston is looking for a sweep.
Houston struggling a bit here.
Kuparivuori controlling the position.
Kuparivuori is looking to take a break and control but Houston is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Kuparivuori decides to stand up, so the ref orders Houston to his feet.
Houston throws a head kick but Kuparivuori moves out of range.
Houston throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Houston lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kuparivuori gets a takedown into half guard.
Houston gets full guard.
Houston wants to stand and escape but Kuparivuori is having none of it.
Kuparivuori tries to free his leg and advance position but Houston is retaining full guard.
Kuparivuori slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Houston is pulling down on Kuparivuori's head to control his posture.
Houston's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kuparivuori looking to sit in guard and control but Houston gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Kuparivuori looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Kuparivuori looks gassed!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Houston stands up from Kuparivuori's guard - Houston perhaps looking for a knockout.
Kuparivuori looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Houston is fending him off so far but Kuparivuori persists. Nope, Houston circles away and we're back to standing.
Houston lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
A punch combination from Houston misses.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Houston checks a leg kick.
Houston tries for a takedown but Kuparivuori circles away easily

and Kuparivuori counters with a nice double leg into side control. Houston won't be happy with that.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Houston is looking for a sweep.
Houston defending against the ground and pound.
Kuparivuori tries to advance to mount but Houston denies him.
Houston is not content to let Kuparivuori control the position.
Kuparivuori is staying tight to Houston's torso, preventing him from escaping.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Houston is looking for a sweep.
Houston is not content to let Kuparivuori control the position.
Kuparivuori is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Kuparivuori gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Houston counters with a takedown into side control.
Kuparivuori tries to control the position but he's not in luck - Houston easily slips into full mount!
Kuparivuori is working to get back to half guard.
Kuparivuori gets back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kuparivuori controlling the position for now.
Kuparivuori trying to control but Houston postures up.

Kuparivuori looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Houston controlling the action here.
Kuparivuori is looking to improve his position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kuparivuori is trying to control but can't.

Kuparivuori actively working from the bottom here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Austin Houston will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Tuukka Kuparivuori's cut.
That's time! Houston's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Houston scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Kuparivuori doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Houston counters with a nice double leg into side control. Kuparivuori won't be happy with that.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Houston is looking to take a break and control but Kuparivuori is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Kuparivuori is trying to improve his position.
Kuparivuori struggling a bit here.
Houston wants to lay and pray for a moment but Kuparivuori keeps working.
Kuparivuori is being controlled here.
Houston seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Kuparivuori for as long as he can get away with.
Kuparivuori prevents Houston from improving position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kuparivuori wants to control but Houston postures up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
No luck for Kuparivuori with that takedown attempt.
Houston connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Kuparivuori swats away the attempt to clinch by Houston.
Houston misses with a two punch combination.
Kuparivuori shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Houston counters with a three punch combo that has Kuparivuori backing up. Kuparivuori nods at Houston to acknowledge the strikes.
Austin Houston has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tuukka Kuparivuori.
Kuparivuori tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Houston swivels and escapes.
Houston scores with a jab to the body.
Kuparivuori tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Kuparivuori shoots in for a double leg but Houston sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Kuparivuori takes the fight into the clinch.
A short right from Kuparivuori.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kuparivuori tightens his grip and picks Houston up, before dumping him to the ground. Houston manages to land in guard.
Kuparivuori controlling from the top position.

Kuparivuori decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Houston, up you get!
Houston fails with the takedown

and Kuparivuori counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Kuparivuori is controlling the pace.
Houston has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Kuparivuori is working away from the top position though.
Kuparivuori not doing much here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Houston slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Houston is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Houston pushes Kuparivuori off and scrambles back to his feet.
Kuparivuori shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Houston counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

Houston has managed to clinch.

Houston jumps guard and drags Kuparivuori to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Houston wants to stand but Kuparivuori is controlling the position.
Houston has his hands on Kuparivuori's head, controlling the position.
Houston wants to stand up but Kuparivuori is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kuparivuori preventing the sweep.
Houston wants to stand and escape but Kuparivuori is having none of it.

Houston looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Houston wants to sweep but no luck.
Houston can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Kuparivuori controls the pace.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Houston swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Austin Houston seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kuparivuori wants to clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Houston swings for the body but Kuparivuori moves out of range.
Kuparivuori dodges the punch combination from Houston.
Houston moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Austin Houston dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Tuukka Kuparivuori'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!

Houston scores with a head kick.
Houston looks to throw a body kick

and Kuparivuori decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Houston's guard.
Houston looking to hit a scissor sweep but Kuparivuori is one step ahead there.
Houston is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Kuparivuori wants to control from the top but Houston keeps moving.

Kuparivuori gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Kuparivuori keeps the fight on the outside.
Kuparivuori takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
A solid leg kick lands there for Houston.
Kuparivuori has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Houston.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Houston wants to clinch but Kuparivuori slips to the side

and Kuparivuori counters with a shoot takedown. Houston fights it but they end up in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Houston escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Kuparivuori gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Houston wants to sweep here but Kuparivuori controlling him for the moment.
Kuparivuori showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Kuparivuori trying to control but Houston is working from the bottom.
Houston looking to control.
Kuparivuori stays in close to Houston's body and controls the position.
Houston looking to hit a scissor sweep but Kuparivuori is one step ahead there.

Houston is looking for a triangle but Kuparivuori pushes his legs off easily.

That's two 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.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Kuparivuori tries for a takedown but Houston circles away easily

and Houston counters by clinching up.

Houston jumps guard and drags Kuparivuori to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

Houston had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Kuparivuori is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Houston Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Kuparivuori's back instead.
Houston struggling to keep hold of the position.

Kuparivuori defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Houston's arms.
Houston wants to control the position but Kuparivuori frees himself and scrambles - Houston manages to regain control in side control.
Kuparivuori is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Houston is controlling him well.
Houston trying to control the position but Kuparivuori is working away.
Tuukka Kuparivuori has got the better of the ground game so far.
Kuparivuori gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kuparivuori looks like he's trying to stand up.
Houston is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Houston moves into full mount! Kuparivuori won't be happy about that!
Houston landing strikes from the mount and Kuparivuori is in trouble!
Houston trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Kuparivuori is in all sorts of trouble here.
Kuparivuori is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Kuparivuori is looking to improve his position but Houston isn't that keen on the idea.

That's four 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.
Kuparivuori wants to control but Houston is having none of it.
Houston trying to control but Kuparivuori is having none of it.
Kuparivuori sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Kuparivuori makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Kuparivuori.
Kuparivuori doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Houston trying to control but Kuparivuori is working from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kuparivuori is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Tuukka Kuparivuori has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Kuparivuori has his foot on Houston's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Houston works his way back into a safe position though.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tuukka Kuparivuori comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Houston has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Austin Houston!