PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Josh Ferguson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gray Braynard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Ferguson
vs
Braynard

165 cm
23
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

186 cm
25
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Josh Ferguson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Gray Braynard!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Gwen Towbar and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Braynard tries to clinch

and Ferguson counters with a nice double leg into side control. Braynard won't be happy with that.

Ferguson looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Braynard pushes Ferguson away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Ferguson gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Ferguson lands some shots froms side control.
Braynard is pushing Ferguson's head away, looking to escape. Ferguson manages to hold on to the position though.
Braynard is not content to let Ferguson control the position.
Ferguson in side control, throwing shots but Braynard defends.
Braynard is trying to buck Ferguson off.
Ferguson working the head and body with strikes.
Braynard is trying to buck Ferguson off.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Braynard prevents Ferguson from improving position.
Braynard is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Ferguson asserts his dominance and retains side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Braynard is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Ferguson grinds an elbow into Braynard's temple.
Braynard wants to get back to his feet but Ferguson drags him back down.

Ferguson decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Braynard tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Ferguson counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Ferguson.

Ferguson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ferguson keeps the fight on the outside.
Ferguson tries to score a power double leg takedown but Braynard sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Ferguson somewhat.
Ferguson circles away from the clinch attempt.

Braynard moves into range and clinches up with Ferguson.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ferguson takes a knee right on the jaw!

It looks like Josh Ferguson has been cut.
Braynard with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Braynard using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Braynard putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Ferguson in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Ferguson throws a punch but it's blocked by Braynard.
Braynard connects with a knee to the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ferguson jumps guard but Braynard turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

Ferguson breaks from the clinch.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Braynard!
Ferguson circles away from the clinch attempt.
Braynard tries to close the distance and clinch but Ferguson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Gray Braynard seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Braynard throws a right and a left that both miss.
Braynard moves to clinch but Ferguson breaks away

and Ferguson counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Ferguson is breathing heavily.
Braynard wants to stand up but Ferguson is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ferguson looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Braynard wants to get back to his feet but Ferguson is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Ferguson gets to his feet - Braynard follows without any prompting.
Braynard fails in his attempt to clinch.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Ferguson keeps the fight on the outside.
Ferguson checks the leg kick nicely there.
Braynard swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Braynard tries to clinch

and Ferguson counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Braynard is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Ferguson is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ferguson wants to control from the top but Braynard keeps moving.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ferguson is standing up over Braynard. Braynard looks to escape but Ferguson dives into side control.
Ferguson misses with the ground and pound.
Braynard really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Ferguson. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Braynard is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Ferguson is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Ferguson looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Braynard is avoiding damage well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josh Ferguson dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Josh Ferguson's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Braynard wants to clinch.
Ferguson drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Braynard fails with an attempt to clinch.
Braynard tries to clinch but Ferguson moves away

and Ferguson counters by clinching up.
Braynard unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Ferguson keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Braynard's efforts to push away.
Ferguson tries to circle away but Braynard has him pinned against the cage.
Ferguson connects with a knee to the head.
Knees to the body from Braynard.

Braynard pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Ferguson swats away the attempt to clinch by Braynard.
Braynard fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Ferguson.
Braynard tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ferguson swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Braynard throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Ferguson makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Braynard tries to clinch but Ferguson is having none of it.
Josh Ferguson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Braynard misses with a head kick.
Ferguson tries to close the distance and clinch but Braynard swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Ferguson keeps the fight on the outside.
Braynard getting the better of the striking in that exchange.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Braynard trying to land knees to the body.

Ferguson is trying to trip Braynard. He has hold of a leg but Braynard is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Ferguson persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ferguson wants to control from the top but Braynard keeps moving.
Braynard wants to stand up but Ferguson is controlling him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Braynard is looking to stand back up but Ferguson counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Braynard.
Braynard is trying to stand up here but Ferguson is controlling him well.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Ferguson stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Braynard doesn't manage to clinch there - Ferguson circles away.
Braynard leaves Ferguson with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Braynard looks to clinch

and Ferguson counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Ferguson.
Braynard is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Ferguson is controlling him.
Braynard keeping full guard, as Ferguson tries to pass.
Braynard is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ferguson postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Braynard is looking to stand up but Ferguson isn't so interested in that idea.
Braynard keeping full guard, as Ferguson tries to pass.
Ferguson might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Ferguson trying to control but Braynard is working from the bottom.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Braynard is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Ferguson is controlling him.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Braynard throws out a leg kick but Ferguson moves out of range and Braynard only half commits.
Braynard tries to clinch but Ferguson moves away

and Ferguson counters by moving into the clinch.

Ferguson has clasped his hands together around Braynard's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Braynard is pushing Ferguson's head away, looking to escape. Ferguson manages to hold on to the position though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Braynard being controlled for a moment.
Braynard is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Ferguson has just dragged him back down to the mat.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Josh Ferguson will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Josh Ferguson's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Ferguson shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Braynard but Braynard pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Braynard works over Ferguson's head and body with a nice combination.
Braynard misses with the combination.
Ferguson tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Ferguson has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Ferguson circles away from the clinch attempt.
An inside leg kick lands from Ferguson.
Ferguson tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Braynard fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Ferguson, pushing him back against the cage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Braynard breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ferguson keeps the fight on the outside.
Braynard tries to clinch

and Ferguson counters with a nice double leg into side control. Braynard won't be happy with that.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Braynard prevents Ferguson from moving into mount.
Josh Ferguson overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ferguson stands up.
Braynard throws a one two combo.
Braynard slaps away a takedown attempt from Ferguson, before circling back to the center of the mat.
The fight stays on the outside here - Braynard looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Braynard is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Braynard pushes Ferguson up against the cage in a clinch.
Ferguson is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Braynard lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Braynard lands a good knee to the midsection. Ferguson won't want to take too many of those.
Braynard with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Braynard lands a knee to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ferguson fails to pull the fight into his guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Josh Ferguson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Braynard with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Braynard throws a knee to the head but misses.
Ferguson tries to pull guard but Braynard forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Braynard landing knees to the head.
Ferguson pushes off an throws an elbow but Braynard leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Braynard scores a nice knee to the body.
Gray Braynard seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ferguson fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Braynard tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Ferguson managing to block the knees to the body from Braynard.

Ferguson pulls guard effortlessly.
Braynard trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Braynard stands up from Ferguson's guard - Braynard perhaps looking for a knockout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Braynard tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Ferguson manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Braynard throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Braynard connects with a leg kick. Ferguson looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
The fight stays on the outside here - Braynard looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Braynard has Ferguson up against the cage in a clinch.
Braynard misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Ferguson.

Ferguson manages to pull guard.
Braynard controlling from the top position.
Braynard trying to control the position from guard on top but Ferguson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ferguson is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Braynard must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Braynard trying to control but Ferguson is working from the bottom.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Gray Braynard hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Braynard tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Ferguson avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Braynard rushes Ferguson and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Braynard tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Braynard is trying to break the clinch but Ferguson has him pressed against the cage.
Gray Braynard has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Josh Ferguson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Ferguson jumps guard and drags Braynard to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gray Braynard comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Ferguson has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Chris Downing scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 29:29
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!