Ryan Couture recovers from knockdown to win

Ryan Couture submitted Jimmy Spicuzza with an armbar 1:22 into the first round in the main event of a Tuff-N-Uff amateur card at the Orleans on Saturday night.

Couture was knocked to the ground by a punch, but was able to lock in the submission when Spicuzza followed him to the ground in an attempt to finish the lightweight fight.

“He drilled me. He caught me with that overhand right. I knew he had a good one, I just didn’t see it coming,” said Couture, the son of Ultimate Fighting Championship Hall of Famer Randy Couture. “I was definitely on my heels and reeling and still figuring out where I was by the time he was in my guard.

“I knew from experience that generally what he does is just flurries of punches on guys, so I was quick to try to get a hold of his head and control his posture and tie his arms up. Luckily, I was able to find that angle with my hips on him and lock that armbar in and get myself out of there because I was definitely still recovering and would have needed a minute to get my bearings about me.”

Spicuzza , a Palo Verde High School graduate, said he made an error in going after Couture so aggressively.

“Once I rocked him a little, the killer instinct comes in and you just want to finish him. I didn’t keep my pace well, and I wasn’t cautious of the armbar,” Spicuzza said. “I was just so anxious to try to finish. (I was) thinking, ‘I’m going to finish Ryan Couture. I’m going to win this.’ I didn’t stay tight enough on the ground, and that’s the name of the game.”

Couture, who will turn 27 on Thursday, said he has one more amateur fight scheduled this year. After that, he will assess his options on turning professional, he said.

Tuff-N-Uff will have another amateur card Friday at The Orleans.

Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509.