PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between J F Houle (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Kooch (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Houle's entrance music is Human(e) Meat (The Flensing of Sandor Katz). A fine choice. The crowd seem to be enjoying Kooch's choice of entrance music: Rusko - Tru Powwa. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

F Houle
vs
Kooch

199 cm
22
251 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

194 cm
20
255 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Good gas tank

Battalion Athletics

Syndicate Drugs
Blitzkrieg Formula 5000

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 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, J F Houle!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Mike Kooch!
The judges for this bout are Gregory Folan, Dillan Fox and Ian Loll.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kooch slaps away a takedown attempt from Houle, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Houle will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Houle throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Houle throws a sloppy head kick and Kooch moves out of range easily.

Kooch looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Houle looking to hit a scissor sweep but Kooch is one step ahead there.
Houle utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Houle not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Houle looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Houle can't keep his opponent in guard - Kooch advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Houle looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Houle gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Kooch preventing the sweep.

Kooch drops back looking for a leg! Houle is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Houle manages to kick Kooch off! Kooch jumps back into Houle's guard.
Kooch is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Houle escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Kooch gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Houle 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.
Houle working a defensive guard here.

Houle is looking for a triangle but Kooch pushes his legs off easily.
Kooch wants to control from the top but Houle keeps moving.

Kooch is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Houle looking for a sweep. Not yet Houle, not yet.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Houle looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Kooch!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Houle with good strikes from the mount here!
Kooch is looking to get to half guard.
Houle wants to control the pace but Kooch is squirming around nicely.
Kooch tries to hold on but Houle pushes him away.
Kooch is looking to improve his position but Houle isn't that keen on the idea.
Houle wants to control the pace but Kooch is squirming around nicely.
Kooch wants to hold on but Houle pushes him away.
Kooch squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Houle lands a nice shot to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Kooch prevents any damage by holding on tight.
Kooch tries to lock up and control but Houle gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Kooch is trying to escape the mount.
Kooch wants to control but Houle is having none of it.
Kooch regains half guard.
Houle missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Houle tries to pass to full mount but Kooch defends it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Kooch dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Houle tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Houle fails with the takedown

and Kooch counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Houle!
Houle is trying to escape the mount.

Kooch looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Houle regains half guard.

Kooch is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Houle defends it well.
Kooch tries to pass to full mount but Houle defends it.

Kooch seems to be working for a kimura but Houle defends the submission attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Houle looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Houle is trying to control but can't.
Houle tries to roll over but Kooch keeps him under control.
Kooch is thwarting Houle's attempts to control the position.
Houle wants to improve his position but Kooch is controlling well.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Houle swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Kooch counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Houle working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Kooch doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Kooch manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kooch sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Houle lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Kooch!
Kooch can't escape the position.
Kooch is trying to stand.
Kooch is in a horrible position here. Houle smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kooch tries to hold on but Houle pushes him away.

Houle wants to finish this one by submission but Kooch is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Houle.
Kooch is bucking up trying to escape but Houle cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Houle throwing strikes here but Kooch is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
The referee warns Kooch that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Houle trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Kooch is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Houle working Kooch over with strikes here.
Houle punching from mount but Kooch doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Kooch is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Houle postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Kooch looks a forlorn figure.
Kooch is looking to improve his position but Houle isn't that keen on the idea.
Houle in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Kooch wants to hold on but Houle pushes him away.
Kooch keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Mike Kooch will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Houle gets off balance looking for a body kick

and Kooch counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Houle's guard now.
Kooch trying to control the position from guard on top but Houle is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kooch stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Houle swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Houle is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Kooch is pressing down on Houle's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Mike Kooch has got the better of the ground game so far.
Houle is in close to Kooch's body, working some short punches and elbows.

Kooch working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Houle doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Houle manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Houle wants to control from the top but Kooch keeps moving.
Kooch takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Houle wants to get up but he can't break Kooch's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Houle postures up in Kooch's guard and throws a big left but Kooch blocks it.
Houle trying to control but Kooch is working from the bottom.
Houle stops Kooch from standing up.
Houle trying to control the position from guard on top but Kooch is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Houle working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

Kooch looking for a guillotine here but Houle defends easily.
Houle stands and throws Kooch's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Kooch wants to control but Houle postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Kooch gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Houle working Kooch over with strikes.
Houle prevents Kooch from standing back up.
Kooch is looking to control Houle's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Kooch avoid being mounted?
Houle works his foot free and advances to mount.
Kooch regains half guard.
Kooch trying to control here.
Houle not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Houle wants to pass to mount but Kooch is defending the position.

Kooch is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Houle pulls his head out easily.
Kooch trying to control from the bottom.
Kooch is trying to stand.
J F Houle has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Houle is trying to control the action in half guard but Kooch is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Houle throws a leg kick which misses Kooch's front leg but catches the back leg as Kooch tries to avoid it.
Houle misses with a double jab

and Kooch counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kooch preventing the sweep.
Kooch stands and throws Houle's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Kooch is looking to take a break and control but Houle is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Mike Kooch is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Kooch happy to just control the position for now.
Houle strikes from the bottom but Kooch takes advantage and advances to full mount!
Houle manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Houle wants to get back to full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mike Kooch comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Kooch winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Gregory Folan scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mike Kooch!