PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ken Rousel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Handy Couture (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rousel comes to the cage accompanied by Never Scared. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Rousel
vs
Couture

202 cm
18
240 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

185 cm
22
220 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ken Rousel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Handy Couture!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Wesley Smith and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Couture closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Rousel tries to improve position but can't.
Couture working the ground and pound from side control.
Rousel manages to work his way to half guard, despite Couture's best efforts.
Couture lands strikes from half guard.
Rousel won't allow Couture to pass to mount.
Rousel tries to roll over but Couture keeps him under control.
Rousel has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Couture is working away from the top position though.
Rousel is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Rousel has hold of Couture's hands but Couture slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Rousel is trying to get back to full guard.
Rousel gets full guard.
Rousel wants to sweep but no luck.
Rousel is trying to keep Couture in close.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Couture throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Couture distracts Rousel with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Rousel 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.
Couture postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Couture works over Rousel with some ground and pound from guard.

Rousel 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.
Rousel is breathing heavily.

Rousel is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Rousel looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Couture cracks Rousel with a solid left hand.
Rousel bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Couture's guard.
Couture keeping moving, preventing Rousel from controlling successfully.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Couture keeping full guard, as Rousel tries to pass.
Couture lands some strikes from the bottom.
Couture will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Rousel pushes down on Couture's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Rousel will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Couture wants to get back to full guard.
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.
Rousel is trying to control the action in half guard but Couture is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Rousel is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Couture tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Rousel prevents Couture from improving his position.
Couture is not content to let Rousel control the position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Couture decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Rousel trying to control from the bottom.
Rousel punching from the bottom.
Couture slips a nice elbow through Rousel's hands, connecting with Rousel's forehead.
Couture working Rousel over with strikes.
Couture throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Rousel works his way to full guard. Good work.
Couture really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Rousel. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Couture scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Rousel is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Couture with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Couture is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Rousel avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rousel looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Couture working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

Rousel is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Couture keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Rousel's head.
Couture must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Couture stands up over Rousel, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Rousel looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Couture stands up over Rousel, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Rousel wants to get back to his feet but Couture is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Rousel manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Couture manages to get himself to full guard.
Rousel tries to stand but Couture is controlling from the bottom.
Rousel trying to control but Couture is working from the bottom.
Rousel slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Rousel in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Rousel is looking to take a break and control but Couture is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Rousel cracks Couture with a big right hand but Couture just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rousel is chipping away with strikes.
Couture gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Rousel tries to control but Couture wriggling away.
Rousel wants to stand but Rousel is holding on to him, trying to stop him posturing up.
Rousel wants to take his opponent's back but Couture doesn't allow it.
Rousel misses with a head shot.
Couture throwing hammer fists to the chest of Rousel. What's that going to do exactly?
Couture is working to get back to half guard.

Rousel is controlling this nicely and is looking to make no mistakes. Couture is trying to wiggle out of this horrible position. Couture flips to his side and attempts to get a leg in for half guard. Rousel anticipates the leg and manages to get behind Couture and secures both hooks! This could be bad! Rousel slips an arm under Couture chin and tries to position for a rear naked choke. Rousel has worked the choke in now and it looks tight. Rousel is squeezing on Couture like an anaconda would it's prey. Couture fails to tap and has fallen unconscious! We've got ourselves a winner by way of a rear naked choke!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Ken Rousel!