PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Maek Houzo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Devin Couture (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Devin Couture has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Houzo
vs
Couture

177 cm
35
192 lbs
24 - 18 - 0

187 cm
29
186 lbs
6 - 11 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Experienced

Good takedowns
Brawler
Knockout power

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 24 - 18 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Maek Houzo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Devin Couture!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Stewart Dunkirk and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Couture shoots in and gets a takedown into Houzo's guard.
Couture must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Houzo lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Couture!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Couture slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Couture wants to control but Houzo is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Couture wants to get back to his feet.
Couture is looking to improve his position.
Couture wants to get back to full guard but Houzo has passed into side control.
Houzo working away.
Houzo is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Couture's shoulder. That is not cool.
Couture is looking to reverse the position.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Couture is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Houzo taking a breather here.
Couture tries to buck Houzo off but Houzo is having none of it.
Houzo content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Couture is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Houzo asserts his dominance and retains side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Couture is looking to reverse the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Houzo is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Couture will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Couture is looking for a sweep.
Couture is letting Houzo control him for a moment.
Couture tries to improve position but can't.
Houzo taking a breather here.
Couture is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Couture wants to control but Houzo postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

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

and Houzo counters with a shoot takedown. Couture fights it but they end up in guard.
Couture wants to sweep but no luck.
Couture looks gassed!
Houzo seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Houzo pushing down on Couture's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Couture is trying to get back to full guard.
Houzo is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Couture is trying to stand up here but Houzo is controlling him well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Couture trying to control from the bottom.
Houzo moves nicely into side control.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Houzo controlling from side mount.
Couture is trying to get back to half guard.
Couture is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Couture can't do much 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 Maek Houzo will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Couture looks for a takedown but Houzo sprawls well.
Houzo defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Couture.

Houzo is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Couture's half guard.
Couture is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Houzo seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

Couture actively working from the bottom here.
Couture tries to kick Houzo off but Houzo keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Houzo passes to side control.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Couture can do anything to dispel that myth.
Couture is breathing heavily.
Houzo taking a breather here.
Couture manages to get back to half guard.

Couture looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Houzo takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Couture is trying to maintain the position but Houzo is very close to passing his half guard.
Couture tries to get to full guard but Houzo has control of the leg.
Houzo controlling the pace.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Couture wants to get back to his feet.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Maek Houzo.

Houzo instigates a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Houzo lands a left hand.
Couture is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Houzo gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Maek Houzo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Devin Couture.
Couture can't get the takedown.

Houzo's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Houzo closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Couture quickly recovers to half guard.
Houzo wants to pass the guard but Couture is defending well.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Maek Houzo overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Couture wants to get back to his feet.

Couture looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Houzo is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Houzo stops Couture from getting back to his feet.
Houzo looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Couture with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Houzo controlling the pace.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Couture tries to get to full guard but Houzo has control of the leg.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Maek Houzo dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Couture fails with the takedown

and Houzo counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Houzo.

Couture working for a triangle but Houzo defends it easily.
Couture is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Couture is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Couture takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Houzo engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Houzo has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

We're going to have a standup here because Maek Houzo wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Couture tries to score a power double leg takedown but Houzo sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Couture somewhat.

Houzo dives in and scores a takedown into Couture's guard.
Houzo showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Houzo seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Couture for as long as he can get away with.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Houzo won't allow Couture to sweep him here.
Couture wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Houzo manages to pass to side control.
Houzo not doing much here.
Couture won't allow Houzo to pass to mount.
Houzo works his foot free and advances to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Couture is trying to escape the mount.
Houzo takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Couture keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Houzo content just to control the position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Couture tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Houzo content just to control the position here.
Houzo avoids the attempt from Couture to control.
Couture can't escape the position.
Devin Couture has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Couture is flailing around like a fish out of water, trying to land strikes.
Couture is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Maek Houzo is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Houzo controlling from the full mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Maek Houzo showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Houzo has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Robert Twigg scores the fight 30:27
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Maek Houzo!