PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Gabriel Walker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Toney Couture (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Walker
vs
Couture

225 cm
25
300 lbs
5 - 5 - 0

190 cm
22
268 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Enjoys gardening

MFS´s Natural Nutrition and Laundry service

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Gabriel Walker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Toney Couture!
The judges for this bout are Aafke Stam, Wagner Zegers and Paulsen Ambrosius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Walker fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Horrible takedown by Walker or perhaps it was just good defense by Couture which made him look bad.
Gabriel Walker seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Walker will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gabriel Walker. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Couture rushes Walker and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
Walker digs a right hand underneath Couture's ribcage. Couture let out a lung full of air as it connected.

Couture pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Couture shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Walker's guard.
Walker trying to keep a closed guard but Couture is proving a slippery customer.
Walker looking to hit a scissor sweep but Couture is one step ahead there.
Couture trying to stand up but can't free himself from Walker's guard.
Walker bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Couture's guard.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

Walker got a little sloppy there for a moment and Couture has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Walker has managed to get both his arms back between Couture's legs - danger averted.

Couture looking for a guillotine here but Walker defends easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Walker pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Couture is keeping the position for now.
Walker works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Walker is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Couture!
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Walker wants to control the pace but Couture is squirming around nicely.
Couture is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Couture is squirming around, avoiding Walker's attempts to control the action.
Couture sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Walker trying to control from half guard but Couture is working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Couture is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Walker pulls his head out easily.
Couture is trying to stand back up but Walker is controlling him
Couture really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Walker. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Couture looks gassed!
Walker is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Couture wants to get back to his feet.
Walker landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Walker is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Couture tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Walker raining down shots from the mount!
Walker controlling his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Walker looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Couture's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Couture is in all sorts of trouble here.
Couture is wriggling around here but as he tries to escape, Walker has taken his back.
You know, I was talking to some of our celebrities at ringside tonight and they were split right down the middle on who was going to win this fight.

Couture is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Couture prevents Walker from getting a body triangle.
Couture has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.

Walker is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Couture knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Couture for a finish.

Couture defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Walker's arms.
Couture looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gabriel Walker dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business.

Walker has his takedown stuffed

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

Couture thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Walker is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Walker frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

Walker is standing up, even though he is in mount.
Walker has his takedown stuffed

and Couture counters with a single leg into guard. Walker didn't expect that.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Walker bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Couture's guard.
Gabriel Walker overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Walker stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Couture swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Couture is looking for a triangle but Walker pushes his legs off easily.
Walker sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Couture's guard.
Walker passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Couture!
Walker landing shots from mount.
Couture is trying to get back to his feet but can't.

Walker stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
Walker shoots and misses

and Couture counters by moving into the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gabriel Walker. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Walker jumps into guard, dragging Couture to the mat.

Walker has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Couture can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Walker looking for a sweep. Not yet Walker, not yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Couture wants to get up but he can't break Walker's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Walker is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Walker looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Couture looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Couture wants to get back to his feet.
Walker works his foot free and advances to mount.
Walker scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Couture?

Walker is standing up, even though he is in mount.
Couture looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Walker fails with an attempt to clinch.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Couture.
Walker looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Couture is fending him off so far but Walker persists. Nope, Couture circles away and we're back to standing.
Gabriel Walker is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Walker gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Couture counters with a nice double leg into side control. Walker won't be happy with that.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Couture is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Walker has escaped the position, nice work there.
Walker manages to get back to half guard.
Walker is pressing down on Couture's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Walker 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.
Walker lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Couture!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Walker stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
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 Gabriel Walker will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Walker fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Couture shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Walker as he jumps to the side.
Walker doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Couture counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Walker bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Couture's guard.

Couture is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Walker is aware though and is defending well.

Walker drops back looking for a leg! Couture is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Couture manages to kick Walker off! Walker jumps back into Couture's guard.

Couture has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Walker can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Walker 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.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Walker wants to control from the top but Couture keeps moving.
Couture can't keep his opponent in guard - Walker advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Walker is looking to advance position but Couture won't allow it.
Walker works his foot free and advances to mount.
Couture tries to reverse the position but Walker maintains control.

That's two 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.
Walker trying to control but Couture is having none of it.
A nice elbow there by Walker.
Couture is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Walker is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Couture can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Walker looking to control but Couture is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Couture keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

Walker is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Couture can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Couture really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Walker trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Walker lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Couture sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.

Couture looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Couture is staying active underneath Walker, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Walker frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

Walker working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Toney Couture has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Walker postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Couture looks a forlorn figure.
Couture bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Gabriel Walker is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Walker pulls Couture in close to prevent any damage.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Walker is on top in guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Gabriel Walker.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Walker, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Aafke Stam scores the fight 30:29
Judge Wagner Zegers scores the fight 30:28
Judge Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Gabriel Walker!