PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Getunga Bitgaculli (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chuck Couture (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Couture has chosen shots as his entrance music. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Bitgaculli
vs
Couture

175 cm
20
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
18
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Getunga Bitgaculli!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Chuck Couture!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Arvi Lind and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Couture slaps away a takedown attempt from Bitgaculli, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Bitgaculli gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Bitgaculli has control of Couture's left arm, preventing Couture from doing any damage.
Couture trying to control but Bitgaculli is working from the bottom.

Bitgaculli manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Couture throws a head kick that misses.
Couture looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Couture clinches.

Bitgaculli gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Couture wants to sweep but no luck.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Bitgaculli accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Couture wants to get back to his feet but Bitgaculli is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bitgaculli with a flurry of punches that miss.
Bitgaculli with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Couture is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Bitgaculli postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Couture wants to stand but Bitgaculli is controlling the position.
Couture looking to hit a scissor sweep but Bitgaculli is one step ahead there.
Bitgaculli throwing strikes but missing.
Couture has momentary wrist control but Bitgaculli slips an elbow through the middle.
Bitgaculli scoring with punches to the head and body.
Couture throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bitgaculli trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Bitgaculli in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Bitgaculli with a flurry of punches that miss.

Couture manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Bitgaculli fails with the takedown

and Couture counters with a takedown into side control.
Bitgaculli is breathing heavily.
Bitgaculli dodges the ground and pound from Couture.

Couture tries for a kimura but Bitgaculli is defending well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Couture is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Bitgaculli knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Couture wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Bitgaculli, who protects the arm well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Couture tries to stand but Bitgaculli is controlling his head.
Bitgaculli holds on to Couture's head and controls the position momentarily.

That's four 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.
Bitgaculli struggling a bit here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Bitgaculli shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Bitgaculli was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Bitgaculli has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Couture's face.
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 Getunga Bitgaculli will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Couture is trying hard to land a takedown here. Bitgaculli sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Bitgaculli closes the distance and clinches up with Couture, looking for a takedown. Bitgaculli pushes Couture against the cage but Couture circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Couture fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Bitgaculli doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Couture counters with a shoot takedown. Bitgaculli fights it but they end up in guard.
Couture slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Bitgaculli wants to control but Couture postures up.

Couture is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Bitgaculli knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Bitgaculli is not content to let Couture control the position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bitgaculli gets back to half guard.
Bitgaculli is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Couture thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

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.
Bitgaculli is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Couture's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Couture's back!
Bitgaculli scores with strikes from the back.
Bitgaculli lands with a couple of good shots - one to the side of the head and one questionable shot that could be viewed as to the back of the head but the referee lets it go.
Couture is covering up but some of the strikes from Bitgaculli are getting through and doing damage.
Bitgaculli throwing strikes from the back - he gets a warning from the referee for striking the back of the head but all these shots are hurting Couture!
Bitgaculli lands shots from the back.
Couture trying to control the hands but Bitgaculli won't let him.
Couture rolls, trying to escape but Bitgaculli keeps control of the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bitgaculli scores with some strikes to the side of the head there. Good, points scoring shots.
Couture tries to roll but Bitgaculli sticks to his back.
Bitgaculli scores with punches to the body.
Couture holding both Bitgaculli 's hands and preventing any damage.
Bitgaculli cracks Couture with a big shot to body and one to the head - really punishing Couture from the back mount here, looking to soften him up.
Couture wants to escape the position.
Bitgaculli has Couture flattened out and is raining down punches.
Watch the back of the head! Comes the shout from the referee towards Bitgaculli.
Bitgaculli scores with strikes from the back.
Bitgaculli gets his hooks in and is throwing strikes.

That's four 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.
Bitgaculli scores with strikes from the back.
Bitgaculli is landing with strikes from the back.
Couture takes a big shot to the side of the head.
Can Couture hold on?! Bitgaculli is landing more strikes to his hapless foe.
Oooh a big shot gets through from Bitgaculli. Many more shots like that and the referee will have to think about stepping in!
Bitgaculli softening up his opponent with strikes here.
Getunga Bitgaculli overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Couture looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.
Bitgaculli is throwing punches to the body, looking to soften Couture up.
Bitgaculli lands strikes to the head.
Bitgaculli scores with punches from the back.
Bitgaculli is working the ground and pound here and the referee is taking a close look at Couture. He must escape soon or this one will be stopped.
Bitgaculli lands a shot to the head.
Bitgaculli is landing with strikes from the back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Getunga Bitgaculli will probably get the nod.
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!

Couture is looking to clinch but Bitgaculli is avoiding it.
Bitgaculli with a lazy takedown attempt

and Couture counters by moving into the clinch.
Couture tries to score a body lock takedown but Bitgaculli shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Couture has Bitgaculli pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Bitgaculli manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Couture is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Bitgaculli goes for a takedown in the clinch but Couture prevents it.
Couture stops a takedown attempt from Bitgaculli.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Getunga Bitgaculli. That's going to take a lot out of him.

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 Bitgaculli uses from the top position.
Bitgaculli throws a big right hand that misses.
Bitgaculli has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Couture pushes Bitgaculli off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Bitgaculli fails with the takedown

and Couture holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Bitgaculli drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Bitgaculli prevents Couture from breaking the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Couture is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Bitgaculli gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Bitgaculli is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Couture gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Bitgaculli is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Couture pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Bitgaculli is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Couture is trying to break free.
Couture tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Bitgaculli smiles and moves away.

Bitgaculli shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Couture napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Bitgaculli cracks Couture with a big right hand but Couture just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Bitgaculli tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Couture's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Bitgaculli cracks Couture with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Couture can't do much from the bottom here.
Bitgaculli cracks Couture with a big right hand but Couture just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Bitgaculli working the body and head with strikes.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Bitgaculli changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Couture looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Couture is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Couture stops Bitgaculli from passing to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Couture misses with a strike from the bottom.
You can see the frustration on Couture's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Bitgaculli tries to move to mount but Couture blocks the move with his legs.
Couture manages to work his way to half guard, despite Bitgaculli's best efforts.
Ground and pound from Bitgaculli.
Nice strikes from Bitgaculli there.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Bitgaculli stuffs the takedown.
Bitgaculli fails with the takedown

and Couture counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Couture drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Bitgaculli dives on top into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bitgaculli throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Bitgaculli postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Couture wants to stand up but Bitgaculli is controlling him.
Bitgaculli throws and elbow that misses. Couture uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Bitgaculli's guard. Nice move by Couture!
Bitgaculli utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Bitgaculli being controlled here, momentarily.
Bitgaculli pulls Couture in close to prevent any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Chuck Couture.
I think Bitgaculli 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:28
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 29:30
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Getunga Bitgaculli!