PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Matt Couture (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mairbek Krylov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mairbek Krylov told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Couture
vs
Krylov

187 cm
27
220 lbs
10 - 4 - 1

188 cm
27
209 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
KO power

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Perkele!

Perkele!
Mohito Fightwear

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 10 - 4 - 1, fighting out of London, Matt Couture!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mairbek Krylov!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, James Atkins and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Couture takes a swing at Krylov's ribcage but misses.
Krylov swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Couture pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Couture throws a body punch but Krylov moves out of range.
Couture misses with a hook to the body
and Krylov counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Krylov takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
We've been told by Couture's head coaches at English Top Team - THE Hybrid Gym (11 ELITE ) that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Krylov misses with a body shot.
Couture throws a hook to the side of Krylov's head but Krylov sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Couture throws a combination that misses
and Krylov counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Krylov lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Krylov's coach down at Perkele! Top Team was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Krylov's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Krylov lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Couture misses with a hook. Krylov ducked under it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Krylov takes one on the button.
Couture walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Krylov catches Couture with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Couture dodges the punch combination from Krylov.
Couture thows a left - swing and a miss!
A big right from Krylov misses.
Couture throwing a counter right hand but Krylov manages to avoid it.
Couture takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Krylov keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Couture.
Couture takes one to the side of the head.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Couture.
Couture tries to move into range but Krylov moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Mairbek Krylov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Krylov looks to land a right hand but Couture moved out of range.
Couture moves out of range as Krylov strikes.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Couture finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Couture misses with a straight left.
Couture ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
It looked like Couture wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Couture takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Krylov misses with a looping right.
Couture was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Krylov throws a hook but Couture avoids it easily.
Krylov misses the jab.
Couture was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Couture throws a body punch but Krylov moves out of range.
Couture throws a lazy right hand but Krylov sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Couture misses with a jab, cross combination.
Krylov might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Krylov just misses with a punch to the body.
Couture swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Krylov fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Couture manages to avoid it.
Couture misses with a wild body shot.
Krylov misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Couture.
Krylov misses the shot to the body.
Krylov waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Couture.
Couture uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Krylov.
Couture swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Krylov misses with a wild body shot.
Couture jinks towards his opponent looking like he wants to counter with a mid kick but doesn't commit.
Krylov throws an overhand right that lands on Couture's shoulder, as Couture tries to avoid the shot.
Krylov ducks under a wild hook from Couture.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Krylov avoids a punch combination nicely.
Krylov swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Couture avoids the body shot from Krylov.
Couture throws a quick counter kick to the body but Krylov avoids it.
Couture avoids the body shot from Krylov.
Couture feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Couture throws a jab when Krylov was well out of range.
Couture throws a lazy right hand but Krylov sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Krylov lands a body shot.
Krylov dips to his left and cracks Couture with an uppercut!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Couture throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Krylov sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Couture ducks right into an uppercut from Krylov.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mairbek Krylov dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Couture ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Krylov lands a right hook to the body.
Mairbek Krylov seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Krylov lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Krylov with a jab.
Couture lands the left hand.
Couture staying out of range there.
Krylov scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Krylov moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Krylov has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Couture throws a push kick but Krylov slaps the foot to one side.
Nice shot by Couture.
Krylov lands a body shot.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
A big right from Krylov misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Krylov slips a jab from Couture.
Couture takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Krylov misses with an uppercut. Couture saw that one coming.
Krylov lands an overhand right.
Couture looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Couture slips under a jab.
Krylov throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Couture is looking to counter punch.
Couture throws a jab when Krylov was well out of range.
Good exchange - Krylov coming out on top.
Couture throws a jab but it's blocked by Krylov.
Couture avoids the body shot from Krylov.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Couture throws a big shot that misses.
Krylov just misses with a punch to the body.
Couture tries to move into range but Krylov moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Krylov throws a right and a left that both miss.
Couture jabbing away but nothing is landing.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Couture lands a really nice looking cross but Krylov seems unphased.
Krylov misses with an uppercut. Couture saw that one coming.
Krylov avoids the body shot from Couture.
Couture gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Couture avoids the body shot from Krylov.
An attempted straight right counter from Couture misses the target.
Couture misses with a wild combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Krylov thuds his right hand into Couture's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Couture missing with a left hand there. Krylov was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
A looping hook to the body misses from Couture. Krylov does a little dance to reset his feet.
Couture jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Krylov loads up on a big right hand but Couture slips the punch.
Krylov misses the jab.
Krylov misses with a shot to the body
and Couture counters with a straight right hand.
Krylov throws a shot from downtown. Couture moves away and avoids it.
A little feinted left hand from Couture on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Krylov scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Couture.
Krylov throws a hook to the side of Couture's head but Couture sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Krylov slips under a jab.
Nice shot by Krylov.
Krylov jabs at Couture's body.
Krylov works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Krylov throws a hook to the side of Couture's head but Couture sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Couture shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Krylov misses with a straight right.
Krylov throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mairbek Krylov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Couture misses with a head kick.
Krylov misses with a looping left.
Krylov swings for the body but Couture moves out of range.
Couture throws a jab when Krylov was well out of range.
Krylov is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Couture.
It looked like Couture wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Krylov thuds a left hand into Couture's body.
A telegraphed right hand from Couture misses the target.
Krylov throws out a counter right but Couture avoids it with no problem.
Couture steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Krylov.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Couture misses with a straight right.
Krylov connects with a body shot.
Couture misses with a straight left.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Krylov comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Krylov misses with a looping right.
Krylov scores with a hook.
Couture throws a hook but Krylov avoids it easily.
Couture ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Krylov cracks Couture with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Couture avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Couture connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Krylov lands with a good body shot.
Couture uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Krylov.
Couture scores with the left hand. Krylov knows he should have avoided that one.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Couture misses with a double jab.
Nice shot by Krylov.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Krylov connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Couture momentarily.
Nice defenses there by Krylov.
Krylov throws a shot to the body.
Couture defending well as Krylov loads up on a big left hand.
Couture moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Couture with a hook.
Krylov throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Couture on the side of the head.
Krylov pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
A counter left hand to the body from Couture misses its target.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Couture, as that shot connected.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Krylov keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Krylov connects with a crisp jab.
Krylov misses with a hook. Couture ducked under it nicely.
Couture uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Krylov.
Couture throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Couture fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Krylov manages to avoid it.
Couture looks to score with a jab to the body but Krylov is just out of range.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Krylov! But no joy.
Krylov lunges at Couture with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Couture's hand.
Krylov misses the shot to the body.
Couture takes a body punch but keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Couture misses with a combination
letting Krylov counter with a right hand.
Couture throws a right hand that misses
and Krylov counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Matt Couture has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Krylov throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Couture stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Krylov cracks a nice hook into Couture's ribs.
Couture looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Krylov misses with a hook.
Krylov misses with a hook. Couture ducked under it nicely.
Couture is looking to counter punch.
Couture looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Krylov cracks a nice hook into Couture's ribs.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Couture misses with a wild body shot.
Krylov throws the left hand but Couture avoids the punch easily.
Couture was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mairbek Krylov comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Krylov 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 Sam Margolis scores the fight 27:30
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mairbek Krylov!
Our winner, Mairbek Krylov, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.