LAS VEGAS - The name Couture carries a lot of weight in the Las Vegas fight scene.
As far as Art Martinez was concerned, that weight was about 155 pounds.
Martinez offered Ryan Couture no more respect in the main event of Saturday's TUFF-N-UFF Amateur Fighting Championship than he would any other opponent, though the Team Fubar fighter's feelings may have changed on the Orleans Arena canvas as he tapped out 28 seconds into the second round.
Couture worked through several stiff blows by Martinez early in the first round en route to a clinch. Couture moved deftly to Martinez's back while standing, then leapt to his opponent's arm while nearly pulling off a Dustin Hazelett-esque submission. Couture missed and had to settle for pulling guard, but he quickly used that position to lock in an armbar attempt.
Martinez tried desperately to slam out of the maneuver, but Couture held tight and transitioned the hold into a very tight triangle choke. Martinez remained calm and worked his body to the side in order to relieve some of the pressure on his neck. Couture reacted by returning to an arm bar attempt, locking in the move fully just as time expired.
The second frame quickly picked up where the first left off.
After Martinez missed with a knee, Couture closed the distance and dragged his opponent to the mat. The 26-year-old then moved immediately to Martinez's back, slid his right hand under his opponent's neck and locked in the fight-ending rear-naked choke.
Following the bout, Couture said he felt good about his performance.
"I felt pretty good about it," Couture told MMAjunkie.com (
www.mmajunkie.com). "Jitters get to you, but I felt real good.
"I felt like I had him sort of desperate to end the fight on the ground with him on top. When he didn't get that, I was able to threaten with the triangle choke and almost finish him in the first. I felt like I was the better fighter everywhere the fight went, and that's what I was hoping to do."
Couture said the heavy punches that Martinez offered to open the bout proved to be glancing blows.
"I could see them coming," Couture said. "I was blocking them for the most part. They were pretty wide, so they were getting around my guard and to the back of the head a little bit. But it was nothing that hurt. That's the important part."
With his famed UFC veteran father, Randy, opting for a seat in the audience versus in his son's corner, Ryan ran his amateur record to 2-0 with the win.
In no rush to turn pro, Couture said he hopes to return to amateur action next month.
"I'm thinking March 27 I'll be fighting back in Bellingham, Wash.," Couture said. "Then I'll be looking to get back into Las Vegas by summertime."
OFFICIAL RESULTS
Ryan Couture def. Art Martinez via submission (rear-naked choke) -- Round 2, 0:28
Truett Anderson def. Chance Torres via unanimous decision
Nick Fekete def. Shawn Frye via submission (rear-naked choke) -- Round 3, 0:37
Kenny Marazolla def. Ernesto Martinez via KO (punch) -- Round 1, 0:26^
Bill Cooper def. Tommy Phelps via submission (rear-naked choke) -- Round 1, 1:48^
Christian Palencia def. Chaz Mulkey via submission (guillotine choke) -- Round 1, 1:08+
Odis Ruiz def. Joe Tussing via unanimous decision+
Sarah Weeks def. Kandice Gibson via TKO (punches from mount) -- Round 1, 1:39
Junior Gomez def. Jared Jensen via TKO (punches) -- Round 2, 1:41*
Eddie Jackson def. Johnny Batres via KO (punch) -- Round 3, 0:08^
Joshua Morgan def. Michael Ryan McNamara via split decision^
Justin Ford def. David Cabico via submission (D'arce choke) -- Round 1, 1:05+
Rich St. Claire def. Eric Bosely via KO (kick) -- Round 1, 0:12+
Victor Henry def. Wayne Wrath via KO (kick) -- Round 1, 0:21
Jamie Hernandez def. Billy Bull via unanimous decision*
