PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Steve Licken (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Randy Couture (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Randy Couture is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Licken
vs
Couture

193 cm
24
225 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

185 cm
26
230 lbs
6 - 5 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Good takedowns
Brawler
Knockout power

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 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Steve Licken!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Randy Couture!
The judges for this bout are Patrick Alders, Radbod Blank and Aafke Stam.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Licken shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Couture manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Couture is pulling down on Licken's head. It's preventing any offense from Licken, at least for the moment.

Licken avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Couture working a defensive guard here.

Couture is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Licken defends well.
Licken has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Licken in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Couture wants to get back to his feet but Licken is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Licken controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Couture looking for a sweep. Not yet Couture, not yet.
Licken is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Couture is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Couture wants to sweep but no luck.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Couture wriggles free and stands up.

Couture rushes Licken and presses him up against the cage.
Couture takes a knee right on the jaw!

It looks like Randy Couture has been cut.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Licken.
Couture prevents the takedown attempt.
With the fighters up against the cage, Licken throws an elbow but misses.
Licken lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Licken misses with a knee to the head.
Couture wants a takedown but no success here.
Couture is working Licken over against the cage.
Couture takes an elbow to the temple.
Licken looking to throw knees to the head but Couture is blocking nicely.
Couture wants to stall.
Couture blocks the elbow strike.
Couture blocks the elbow strike.
The referee is keeping an eye on Couture - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Licken looking to throw knees to the head but Couture is blocking nicely.
Licken changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Couture fights it off and pushes away nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Couture has closed the distance and engaged Licken in a clinch.
Licken throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Couture blocks it with crossed arms.
Licken can't get the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Steve Licken. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Licken can't get the takedown.
Licken scores with a knee to the head.
Licken is breathing heavily.

Couture turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Couture manages to end up in side control.

Couture looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Couture tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Couture has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Licken wants to control but Couture postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Licken is being controlled here.
Licken tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Couture wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Couture wants to control but Licken is keeping him busy.
Licken wants to control but Couture postures up.
Couture lands a decent elbow from side control.
Licken on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Licken tries to get out of the position.
Licken is trying to buck Couture off.
Couture misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Licken is looking for a sweep.
Licken pushes Couture away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Couture gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Randy Couture will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Randy Couture's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Licken darts in trying to clinch

and Couture counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Couture.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Couture's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Licken tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Licken keeping moving, preventing Couture from controlling successfully.
Couture content to stall in guard here.
Licken managing to control the position.
Couture trying to control but Licken is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Couture keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Licken's head.
Couture pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Licken is keeping the position for now.
Licken tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Couture pushing down on Licken's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Couture content to control rather than advance.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Couture is looking to take a break and control but Licken is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Couture is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Couture working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Licken's thigh. Licken counters though and makes it back to full guard.

Couture is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Licken is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Licken has escaped and now he's on top!
Couture is breathing heavily.
Couture controls Licken momentarily but Licken frees himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Couture preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Licken throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Couture works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Couture keeping moving, preventing Licken from controlling successfully.
Licken throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Licken throws a big right hand that misses.

Couture is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Licken defends well.
Licken wants to control from the top but Couture keeps moving.

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.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Licken tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Couture counters with a single leg into guard. Licken didn't expect that.
Licken is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Couture is controlling him.
Licken keeping full guard, as Couture tries to pass.
Licken looking to control but Couture passes into half guard.
Couture throwing shots but Licken is blocking nicely.
Licken pushes Couture off looking to stand but Couture dives back in and keeps control.

Couture is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Licken is looking to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Randy Couture showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Randy Couture's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Licken tries to clinch but Couture moves away

and Couture counters by moving into the clinch.
Couture stops a takedown attempt from Licken.
Licken tries for a takedown but Couture manages to get underhooks.
Licken looks to throw an elbow but misses.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Couture.
Licken gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Couture.
Licken changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Couture fights it off and pushes away nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Steve Licken. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Couture fails with a takedown attempt.

Licken clinches with his opponent.
Couture blocks an elbow strike.
Licken tries a knee to the head but Couture blocks it.
Couture stops a takedown attempt from Licken.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Couture works on Licken's body with a couple of short punches.
Licken wants a takedown but no success here.

Couture pulls guard effortlessly.
Licken 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Couture wants to sweep here but Licken controlling him for the moment.

Licken got a little sloppy there for a moment and Couture has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Licken has managed to get both his arms back between Couture's legs - danger averted.
Couture will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Couture pulls Licken in close to prevent any damage.
Couture bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Licken's guard.
Licken is trying to hold Couture in close to prevent damage but Couture has managed to pass into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Licken preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Couture is pressing down on Licken's thigh, looking to free his foot. Licken is holding on for now.
Licken has a hand on Couture's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Couture takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Couture controlling from mount.
Couture misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Couture tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Licken is controlling an arm, preventing Couture from taking his back. Although keeping him in mount is no better to be honest.
Licken really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Poor strikes thrown by Couture there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Licken knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Couture on the ground.
Licken is looking to improve his position but Couture isn't that keen on the idea.
Couture content just to control the position here.
Steve Licken has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Licken is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Licken swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Couture wants to control the pace but Licken is squirming around nicely.
Licken really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Couture trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Couture misses with a head shot.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Couture wants to control the pace but Licken is squirming around nicely.
Randy Couture is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Licken tries to reverse the position but Couture maintains control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Randy Couture comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Couture 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 Patrick Alders scores the fight 27:30
Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight 27:30
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Randy Couture!