Couture Earns Controversial Decision
Ryan Couture, the 30-year-old son of UFC hall of famer Randy Couture, upset former EliteXC lightweight champion K.J. Noons by split decision in a hotly contested preliminary battle at 155 pounds. Two of the three cageside judges — Nick Atwood and Jim Lambert — saw it for Couture by identical 29-28 counts; a third, Bobby Higdon, cast a dissenting 30-27 nod for Noons.
Couture (6-1, 6-1 Strikeforce) executed an intelligent game plan against the superior boxer, as he kept Noons off-balance with a variety of kicks from the outside.
Noons (11-6, 3-4 Strikeforce) answered with crisp, effective counterpunches and nearly finished it midway through the second round, when he clipped Couture in close quarters, set him on wobbly legs and swarmed with heavy artillery on the cage. Couture survived the volley, regained his wits and resumed his tactical attack.
Noons delivered the more decisive blows throughout the 15-minute affair, though he was too often caught in between, waiting for Couture to make the first move. In the end, his lack of sustained aggression cost him. Noons has dropped four of his last five bouts.