PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Andy Couture (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Abubakar Solomon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Couture
vs
Solomon

178 cm
19
155 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

174 cm
21
148 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

Good wrestler
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Andy Couture!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Abubakar Solomon!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Stewart Dunkirk and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Solomon takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Solomon shoots in but no luck this time.
Couture throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Solomon.
Couture lands the left hand.
Solomon fails with the takedown
and Couture counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Solomon looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Couture is fending him off so far but Solomon persists. Nope, Couture circles away and we're back to standing.
Andy Couture has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Abubakar Solomon.
Couture goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Couture misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Solomon.
Solomon slips a jab and a cross from Couture.
Solomon moves to clinch but Couture breaks away
and Couture counters with a series of strikes. Solomon will be more careful next time no doubt.
Solomon looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Couture is fending him off so far but Solomon persists. Nope, Couture circles away and we're back to standing.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Solomon shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Couture as he jumps to the side.
Couture wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Some wild striking there from Couture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Couture throws a right and a left that Solomon avoids nicely.
Solomon doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Couture makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
The fighters circle momentarily. Couture darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Nice uppercut lands for Couture. That snapped Solomon's head back.
Couture digs a good hook to Solomon's body.
Couture throws a right hand that Solomon ducks under and follows up with a left that Solomon also avoids with ease.
Couture scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Decent striking displayed by Couture there.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Couture.
No joy there for Couture, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Couture shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Solomon eats them both and turns towards Couture to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Couture stuffs the takedown attempt from Solomon. Solomon gets slowly back to his feet.
Solomon looks gassed!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Solomon tries to close the distance and clinch but Couture swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Couture misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Solomon shoots in looking for a takedown but Couture manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Solomon's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Couture lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Couture feints a jab promting Solomon to slip. Couture then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Solomon slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Couture throws a right and a left that both miss.
Solomon shoots in looking for a takedown. Couture tries to sprawl out of it but Solomon keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Couture manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Solomon closes the distance but Couture moves to the side
and Couture counters with a three punch combo that has Solomon backing up. Solomon nods at Couture to acknowledge the strikes.
Couture looks for the body kick but Solomon saw that one coming.
Solomon closes the distance and clinches up with Couture, looking for a takedown. Solomon pushes Couture against the cage but Couture circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Solomon slips a jab and a cross from Couture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Solomon drives through with a takedown into guard.
Couture wants to stand up but Solomon is controlling him.
Solomon trying to control the position from guard on top but Couture is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Solomon trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Solomon is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Abubakar Solomon hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Solomon slips a jab and a cross from Couture.
Nice defenses there by Couture.
Solomon shoots in for a takedown but Couture shows good takedown defense.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Solomon tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Couture manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Couture fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Solomon manages to avoid it.
Couture throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Solomon dives in and scores a takedown into Couture's guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Solomon wants to get up but he can't break Couture's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Solomon must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Solomon stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Couture swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Couture wants to get back to his feet but Solomon is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Solomon wants to control from the top but Couture keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andy Couture dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Couture swinging wildly here.
Couture fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Solomon manages to avoid it.
Solomon darts in trying to clinch
and Couture makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Couture leaves Solomon with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Couture stuffs the takedown.
Couture misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Solomon.
Left hook, right uppercut from Couture.
A combination from Couture does no damage.
Solomon tries to clinch but Couture moves away
and Solomon takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Solomon shoots in but no luck this time.
Andy Couture has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Abubakar Solomon.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Couture scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Solomon doesn't seem bothered though.
A jab from Couture does it's job there.
Couture keeps the fight on the outside.
Andy Couture is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Couture scores with a jab.
Solomon takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Solomon takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.

Solomon is rocked!
Solomon wants to clinch.
Solomon tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Couture swivels and escapes.
Solomon is breathing heavily.
Solomon tries to clinch
and Couture counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Couture lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Couture.
Solomon is still on wobbly legs! Can Couture finish him?
Couture cracks Solomon with a nasty uppercut that draws ooohs from the crowd and sends Solomon tumbling backwards onto the mat. He tries to recover but Couture pounces and lands a hail of unanswered strikes that forces the referee to step in to end the fight! Solomon is not happy but he gave the referee no choice!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:02 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Andy Couture!
An out of breath Andy Couture thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.