PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Emmanuel Couture (ranked 5501 p4p, 4394 weight class) and Sione Naufahu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Couture
vs
Naufahu

184 cm
25
184
0 - 1 - 0

182 cm
18
180
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Emmanuel Couture!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Sione Naufahu!
The judges for this bout are Michael Johnstone, Winston Alpacca and Dirk Anderson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Couture lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Emmanuel Couture seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Couture lands a jab.
Naufahu shoots in and drives through. Couture sprawls well.
Couture avoids the head kick by Naufahu.
Naufahu fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Couture scores with a jab. Naufahu acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Couture lands a head shot.
Nice uppercut lands for Couture. That snapped Naufahu's head back.
Naufahu gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Naufahu tries to close the distance and clinch but Couture swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
A little feinted left hand from Couture on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
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!
Couture lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Couture takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Couture connects with the punch.
Naufahu slips under a jab.
Naufahu follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.
Couture looks to land a left hand but Naufahu moved out of range nicely.
Naufahu misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Couture.
Couture swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Couture feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Naufahus jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Couture has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Naufahu.
Naufahu throws a sloppy head kick and Couture moves out of range easily.
Couture fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Naufahu takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Naufahu takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Couture misses with an uppercut. Naufahu saw that one coming.
Naufahu tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Couture manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Couture throws out a loose jab but Naufahu uses good head movement to avoid it.
A little jabbing left from Naufahu on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Naufahu does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Naufahu walks into a jab.
Naufahu uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Couture.
Naufahu tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Couture paws at him with a jab and circles away.
An attempted straight right counter from Couture misses the target.
Naufahu digs a good hook to Couture's body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Couture avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Naufahu throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Couture tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Naufahu is in Couture's guard.
Couture wants to stand up but Naufahu is controlling him.
Naufahu showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Naufahu trying to stand up but can't free himself from Couture's guard.
Naufahu stays in close to Couture's body and controls the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Couture keeping moving, preventing Naufahu from controlling successfully.
Naufahu pushes down on Couture's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Naufahu perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

Naufahu is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Couture is just riding it out for now. Naufahu eventually gives up the hold.
Naufahu trying to mount his opponent but Couture defends it.

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.
Couture tries to roll over but Naufahu keeps him under control.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Couture throws an overhand right that lands on Naufahu's shoulder, as Naufahu tries to avoid the shot.
Naufahu with the counter takedown but Couture avoids it easily.
Good shot there by Couture.
Couture throws a right hand that misses
and Naufahu counters with a low kick, right behind Couture 's knee.
No joy there for Naufahu, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Naufahu walks into a left hand.
Naufahu defending well as Couture loads up on a big left hand.
Couture is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
The fighters circling - Couture throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Naufahu uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Couture.
Naufahu now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Emmanuel Couture dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Nice jab there from Naufahu.
Naufahu chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Couture is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Naufahu can do to turn this around?
Naufahu throws a sloppy head kick and Couture moves out of range easily.
Naufahu shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Couture but Couture pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Naufahu displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Couture throws out the jab.
Naufahu avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Couture jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Couture slaps away a takedown attempt from Naufahu, before circling back to the center of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Couture swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Naufahu closes this distance looking for a takedown but Couture circles away.
Emmanuel Couture has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sione Naufahu.
Couture works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Naufahu is breathing heavily.
Couture scores with a sloppy right hand. Naufahu should have avoided that one.
Naufahu gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Naufahu walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Naufahu has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Good shot there by Couture.
Nice uppercut there from Couture.
Couture throws a hook to the side of Naufahu's head but Naufahu sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Naufahu tries to counter with a clinch but Couture shakes him off and moves away.
Sione Naufahu is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Naufahu has his takedown stuffed
and Naufahu takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Couture throws a jab but it's blocked by Naufahu.
Naufahu doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Couture counters with a straight right hand.
Couture lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Naufahu fails with the takedown
letting Couture counter with a right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Couture cracks Naufahu with a right hand to the side of the head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A big left from Couture misses.
Naufahu lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Couture lands a really nice looking cross but Naufahu seems unphased.

Naufahu is rocked!
BOOM! Couture lands a beautiful left hook that drops Naufahu. Naufahu tries to recover but Couture is having none of it, landing more punishing shots from mount. One final crushing shot and Naufahu lies motionless on the canvas. The fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:20 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Emmanuel Couture!