PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Brooks Sumner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dan Couture (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Sumner
vs
Couture

192 cm
26
212 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

189 cm
26
223 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Brooks Sumner!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Dan Couture!
The judges for this bout are Michael Johnstone, Daniel Franklin and Peter Branson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sumner looks to score with a jab to the body but Couture is just out of range.
Sumner throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Dan Couture seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Couture throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Couture comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Sumner digs a good body shot into Couture's ribs.
Couture with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Sumner definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Couture keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Sumner.
Sumner throws a body shot but no joy.
Couture's coach down at Harambe Remembrance Hall was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Couture's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Sumner slips under a jab from Couture.
Couture looks to land a right hand but Sumner moved out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Couture tests Sumner's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Sumner doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
A telegraphed right hand from Sumner misses the target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sumner lands a nice shot to the body.
Couture scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Couture digs a good body shot into Sumner's ribs.
Sumner throws a looping overhand right but Couture ducks down to avoid it.
Sumner throws an overhand right that lands on Couture's shoulder, as Couture tries to avoid the shot.
Couture jabs at Sumner's body.
Couture misses with an uppercut
and Sumner connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
A telegraphed right hand from Sumner misses the target.
Sumner defending well as Couture loads up on a big left hand.
Sumner was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Couture avoids the body shot from Sumner.
Sumner on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Couture jabs at Sumner's body.
The fighters circling - Couture throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Sumner throws a big counter combination but Couture scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sumner takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Sumner looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Sumner scores with a nice head shot.
Sumner misses with a hook
letting Couture counter with a right hand.
Couture misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Sumner.
Couture looks to land a left hand but Sumner moved out of range nicely.
Left hook, right uppercut from Couture.
Sumner takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Couture misses with a wild body shot.
Sumner staying out of range there.
Couture fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Sumner manages to avoid it.
Sumner throws a combination that misses
and Couture counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Couture throws a predictable looking body shot
and Sumner counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Couture lands with an uppercut that bounces Sumner off the cage and back into range.
Couture misses with a wild body shot.
Couture digs a good body shot into Sumner's ribs.
Couture throws a body shot but no joy.
Couture fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Sumner manages to avoid it.
Couture misses with a two punch combination.
A jab from Couture misses.
Nice defenses there by Sumner.
A quick step to the side and Sumner tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Sumner misses with a wild body shot.
Couture scores with a hook to the body. Sumner takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Couture misses with a body shot.
A shot to the liver by Couture. Beautiful body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Couture lands a slapping body shot.
Couture lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Couture fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Couture is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Sumner rather than just go for the knockout.
Sumner defending well as Couture loads up on a big left hand.
Sumner throwing a counter right hand but Couture manages to avoid it.
Sumner closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Sumner lands a slapping body shot.
Sumner swings away with a body shot that misses
and Couture makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Couture throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Sumner is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Couture.
Couture just misses with a punch to the body.
Couture throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Couture avoids the body shot from Sumner.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dan Couture dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Sumner gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Couture.
Couture misses the shot to the body.
Sumner looks to score with a jab to the body but Couture is just out of range.
Sumner misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Couture.
Sumner throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Couture on the side of the head.
Couture avoids the body shot from Sumner.
A nice side step and Couture releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Couture just misses with a punch to the body.
A little feinted left hand from Sumner on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Sumner tries to clinch up.
Couture walks into a left hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Couture throws a series of punches but Sumner moves out of range.
Sumner uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Couture.
Couture displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Couture showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Sumner.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Couture throws a body punch but Sumner moves out of range.
Sumner staying out of range there.
Couture avoids the body shot from Sumner.
Couture misses with a straight right.
Couture lands with a nice body punch.
Couture throws an ugly left hook that misses
enabling Sumner to counter with a crisp jab.
Couture moves forwards but Sumner connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Couture looks to land a right hand but Sumner moved out of range.
A swing and a miss from Couture.
Couture throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Couture misses the shot to the body.
Couture misses with a few strikes there.
Sumner wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sumner displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Couture throws out the jab.
Sumner takes a swing at Couture's ribcage but misses.
A telegraphed right hand from Couture misses the target.
Couture has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Sumner cracks Couture with an open hand slap.
Sumner throws a body shot but no joy.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Couture misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Couture listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Sumner doesn't manage to clinch there - Couture circles away.
Couture ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Sumner misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Couture.
Couture misses with a lunging right hand
and Sumner counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Sumner uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Couture.
Sumner swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Couture lands a jab to Sumner's midsection.
Sumner keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Couture.
Sumner scores with a decent looking hook.
Couture ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Sumner moves away.
A right-left combo lands from Couture.
Couture lunges at Sumner with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Sumner's hand.
Sumner takes one to the side of the head.
Couture moves out of range as Sumner strikes.
Couture moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Sumner moves out of range of the strikes.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A looping hook to the body misses from Couture. Sumner does a little dance to reset his feet.
Couture swats away the attempt to clinch by Sumner.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sumner throws a right and a left that both miss.
A little jabbing left from Couture on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Couture misses with a double jab.
Couture throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Couture shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Sumner keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Couture just misses with a punch to the body.
Sumner keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Couture.
Sumner takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Couture throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Sumner avoids a punch combination nicely.
Sumner takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dan Couture showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Couture swings away with a body shot that misses
and Sumner counters with a left to the body.
Couture lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Sumner circles away quickly and effectively.
Sumner throws a good cross that connects.
A big left from Couture misses.
Sumner is looking to counter punch.
Couture throws a poor cross that misses
and Sumner counters with a straight right hand.
Sumner uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Couture.
Couture misses with a wild combination.
Couture throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sumner lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Couture tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Sumner was well out of range. Poor timing from Couture.
Couture misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Sumner.
Couture throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Couture throws a looping overhand right but Sumner ducks down to avoid it.
A quick step to the side and Sumner tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Sumner slips under a jab.
Sumner is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Sumner throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Sumner misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Couture takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
A combination from Couture does no damage.
Sumner takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Sumner scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Couture takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Couture waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Sumner.
Couture misses with an uppercut.
It looked like Sumner was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Couture.
Couture misses with a body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A slow jab from Couture misses its intended target.
Sumner is looking for a counter combo.
A swing and a miss from Sumner.
Couture swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Couture moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Couture scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Couture connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Sumner tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Couture counters with a nice body shot.
Sumner tries to clinch up but Couture circles away and keeps his distance.
Sumner misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Couture.
Sumner avoids the body shot from Couture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Couture throws a poor cross that misses
and Sumner counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Sumner throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.

It looks like Dan Couture has been cut.
Sumner misses the jab.
Couture now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Sumner swinging wildly here.
Couture doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Couture dips to his left and cracks Sumner with an uppercut!
Couture lands the left hand.
Sumner slips under a jab.
Sumner just misses with a punch to the body.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Couture!

Sumner has Couture up against the cage in a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A short right from Couture on the inside.
Couture cracks Sumner with a nice body shot.
A left hand lands to the body for Couture.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A right handed body shot lands from Couture.
Couture lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Sumner backwards.
Couture presses Sumner against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Couture.
Sumner takes a shot to the head.

Couture manages to break the clinch.
Couture lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Couture connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Sumner momentarily.
Sumner avoids the body shot from Couture.
Sumner on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Dan Couture seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Couture scores with a jab to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dan Couture really dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Dan Couture's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Couture's corner calls for a 1-2. Couture obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Couture looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Sumner tries to counter by clinching up but Couture breaks away and moves out of range.
Sumner throws a jab but it's blocked by Couture.
Couture misses with a straight right.
Sumner takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Couture rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Sumner moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Sumner jabs at Couture's body.
Couture moves out of range as Sumner strikes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice jab there from Couture.
Sumner looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Couture scores with a hook.
Couture has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Sumner finds it's way round the side to connect with Couture's head.
Sumner takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sumner avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Sumner throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
enabling Couture to counter with a crisp jab.
Couture scores with a jab to the jaw.
Couture throws a series of punches but Sumner avoids them all with ease.
The crowd cheers as Couture lands an impressive looking overhand right. Sumner doesn't seem phased though.
Couture thuds a left hand into Sumner's body.
Couture throws a body punch but Sumner moves out of range.
Couture uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Sumner.
Sumner doesn't manage to clinch there - Couture circles away.
Couture unleashes a big counter combination but Sumner bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Sumner jabs at Couture's body.
Sumner takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Couture throws a series of punches but Sumner moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Sumner looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Couture lands a nice looking body shot.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Couture fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Sumner looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Couture lands a slapping body shot.
Couture lands with a straight right. Sumner didn't see that one coming.
Couture throws a big shot that misses.
Couture tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Sumner was well out of range. Poor timing from Couture.
Sumner tries to clinch up but Couture circles away and keeps his distance.
Couture looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Couture ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Sumner moves away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Couture thows a left - swing and a miss!
Sumner keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Sumner misses with a series of wild punches.
Sumner swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Couture just misses with a punch to the body.
Sumner tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Couture manages to circle out of the way.
Couture feints a jab promting Sumner to slip. Couture then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Sumner slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Couture misses with a hook. Sumner ducked under it nicely.
The fight stays on the outside here - Sumner looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Sumner staying out of range there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Couture slips a jab from Sumner.
A big left from Couture misses.
A cross from Sumner lands.
A telegraphed right hand from Couture misses the target.
Sumner ducks under a wild hook from Couture.
Couture fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Sumner tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Couture manages to circle out of the way.
Couture takes a swing at Sumner's ribcage but misses.
Sumner looks to score with a jab to the body but Couture is just out of range.
Sumner moves out of range as Couture strikes.
Couture misses with a wild body shot.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sumner looks to score with a jab to the body but Couture is just out of range.
Couture throws a series of strikes that have Sumner backpedaling.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dan Couture dominated that fourth round.
The cut man is working on Dan Couture's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Couture lands the left hand.
Couture throws a right and a left that Sumner avoids nicely.
Sumner lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Couture throws a right hand that misses

and Sumner counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Sumner.
Sumner misses with a hook to the ribs.
Sumner lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Couture.
Couture tries to circle away but Sumner has him pinned against the cage.
A nice right hand lands inside from Sumner.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Couture.
Sumner tries to pull guard but Couture won't allow it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Couture blocks a punch to the side of the head.
A shot in the inside from Couture.
Couture lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Sumner working aggressively here.
Couture stalls.
Couture's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Couture blocking some punches.
Sumner misses with a short punch on the inside.
Sumner misses with a short punch on the inside.
Couture working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Sumner lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Couture.
Dan Couture seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Couture is wobbling all over the place through exhaustion. Will he make it to the final bell?
Sumner tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Couture has had enough of the clinch but Sumner keeps him there for the moment.
Couture blocks a body shot from Sumner.
Sumner lands with a right to the head.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Couture manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Couture scores with a shot to the side of Sumner's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sumner fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Sumner scores with a shoulder strike.
Sumner looking to stall.
Stalling in the clinch from Couture.
Sumner jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Couture walks away with a smile on his face. Sumner gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Brooks Sumner. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sumner takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Couture lands with a hook. Sumner tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Couture throws a body shot but no joy.
Couture lands with a nice body punch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Couture lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Couture.
Couture swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Couture stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Sumner tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Couture paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Brooks Sumner has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Couture uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Sumner.
Sumner defending well as Couture loads up on a big left hand.
Dan Couture is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Couture scores with a hook to the body. Sumner takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Couture throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Sumner swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Couture throws a right and a left that both miss.
A swing and a miss from Sumner.
Sumner ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Sumner was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Sumner slips a jab and a cross from Couture.
Couture displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Sumner throws out the jab.
Sumner misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Couture.
Couture looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Couture thuds a left hand into Sumner's body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Couture lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Couture.
Sumner loads up on a big right hand but Couture slips the punch.
Couture misses the shot to the body.
Sumner is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Sumner swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Couture counters with a series of strikes. Sumner will be more careful next time no doubt.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Couture thuds his right hand into Sumner's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Couture throws a right and a left that both miss.
Couture swings for the body but Sumner moves out of range.
Couture lands a right hook to the body.
Couture stuns Sumner with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Sumner connects with a right hand. Couture shakes it off.
Couture waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Sumner.
Couture looks to land a right hand but Sumner moved out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dan Couture comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Couture has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Michael Johnstone scores the fight 45:50
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 45:50
Judge Peter Branson scores the fight 45:50

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dan Couture!
Dan Couture is the new light heavyweight champion!
A less than humble Dan Couture misjudged his post fight interview somewhat and came across a little too arrogant whilst trying to hype up his own abilities.