PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Sim Salabim (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Noah Couch (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Salabim
vs
Couch

187 cm
24
199 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

200 cm
25
220 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sim Salabim!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Noah Couch!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Daniel Franklin and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Couch stuffs the takedown.

Salabim shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Couch tries to hold on but Salabim pushes him away.
Couch is wriggling around trying to escape.
Couch tries to hold on but Salabim pushes him away.
Salabim trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Couch is looking to get to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Couch throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Salabim prevents Couch from getting the reversal.
Salabim controlling from the full mount.

Salabim is working for a guillotine from mount but Couch frees his head quite easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Couch wants to control but Salabim is having none of it.
Couch is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Couch can't escape the position.

Salabim has hold of Couch's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Couch manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Salabim can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Couch is looking to escape.

Salabim working for a submission but Couch is keeping him at bay.
Salabim is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Salabim is working for a guillotine from mount but Couch frees his head quite easily.
Couch tries to reverse the position but Salabim maintains control.
Couch wants to hold on but Salabim pushes him away.
Couch is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Couch is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Couch is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Couch wants to control but Salabim is having none of it.
Couch is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

Salabim has control of Couch's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Couch regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Couch tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Salabim throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.

Salabim wants to finish this one by submission but Couch is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Salabim.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Salabim avoids the attempt from Couch to control.
Couch is trying to escape the mount.

Salabim moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Couch has worked his arm free - good work by Couch!
Sloppy strikes there by Salabim.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Couch gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Salabim tries to pass to full mount but Couch defends it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sim Salabim 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.

Couch works Salabim's body with a nice hook.

Couch shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Couch stopping the sweep attempt from Salabim.
Salabim controls Couch momentarily but Couch frees himself.
Couch trying to control the position from guard on top but Salabim is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Couch is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Couch really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Salabim. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Couch trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Salabim keeping moving, preventing Couch from controlling successfully.
Couch with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Salabim has his takedown stuffed

and Couch counters with a shoot takedown. Salabim fights it but they end up in guard.
Salabim keeping moving, preventing Couch from controlling successfully.
Couch would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Salabim keeping moving, preventing Couch from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Couch sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Salabim's guard.

Couch is working for a submission of some sort.
Salabim wants to control but Couch is keeping busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Couch wants to free his trapped foot but Salabim is holding on for dear life with his legs.

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

and Couch counters with a nice double leg into side control. Salabim won't be happy with that.
Couch tries to move to mount but Salabim blocks the move with his legs.
Couch wants to stand but Salabim has him controlled and pulls him back into his guard.
Couch pushes down on Salabim's leg and manages to get into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Noah Couch showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. This is the final round!

Couch shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Couch was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Salabim tries to hold on but Couch postures up.
Couch controlling his opponent.
Couch with shots to the head and body - Salabim looks very uncomfortable down there.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Couch trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Couch goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Salabim is on top in guard.
Salabim might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Couch looking to control.
Salabim trying to control but Couch is working from the bottom.
Salabim won't allow Couch to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Couch keeping full guard, as Salabim tries to pass.
Couch looking for a sweep. Not yet Couch, not yet.
Couch trying to control the position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Couch darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Couch with the ground and pound but Salabim uses the opportunity to regain guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Couch has gone for a leg lock! Salabim slips out almost immediately though and dives into Couch's guard.
Salabim lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Couch is working an open guard so Salabim takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Salabim gets the takedown into side control.
Noah Couch has got the better of the ground game so far.
Salabim trying to control the position but Couch is working away.
Couch tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Salabim wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Salabim decides to stand back up. Salabim steps back and let's Couch get back to his feet.
Salabim misses with a double jab

and Couch counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Couch trying to control from half guard but Salabim is working away.
Salabim won't allow Couch to pass to mount.
Couch wants to take a breather but Salabim is having none of it.

Couch stands up from half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Noah Couch comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Couch has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Noah Couch!