PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Austin Worner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Josh Ferguson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Worner comes to the cage accompanied by lets go by lil john. Josh Ferguson acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Worner
vs
Ferguson

167 cm
18
135 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

165 cm
23
128 lbs
1 - 1 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Austin Worner!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Josh Ferguson!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Robert Twigg and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ferguson swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Jeez, both these guys look absolutely knackered already, that's not a good sign!
Worner is looking to clinch but Ferguson is avoiding it.

Worner rushes Ferguson and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
A short left from Worner.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Worner has Ferguson pushed against the cage.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Worner.
Worner stalls.
Worner throws an elbow that misses.

Ferguson breaks the clinch.

Worner closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Worner pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Worner lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Worner tries a knee to the head but Ferguson blocks it.
Worner missing with knees to the body.
Ferguson is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Worner pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Ferguson content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Worner looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Worner tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Ferguson avoids it.
Ferguson on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Ferguson managing to block the knees to the body from Worner.
Ferguson with a knee to the head.
Ferguson gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Worner.
Worner tries to work over Ferguson's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Worner stalling in the clinch but Ferguson improves position.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Worner.
A frustrated look appears on Ferguson's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Worner lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Ferguson tries to pull guard but Worner holds him up against the cage and eventually Ferguson drops back down to his feet.
Ferguson stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Worner lands a left hand that snaps the head of Ferguson backwards.
Good body shot from Worner.
Worner fails to pull guard.
Worner misses with a hook to the ribs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Worner lands a nice uppercut.

Ferguson pulls Worner into guard.
Ferguson keeping moving, preventing Worner from controlling successfully.
Worner slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Worner postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ferguson keeping moving, preventing Worner from controlling successfully.
Worner knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Ferguson on the ground.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Austin Worner just wasn't active enough.
Worner lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Worner wants to clinch up but Ferguson keeps it at a distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ferguson throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Austin Worner seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Worner shoots in looking for a takedown. Ferguson tries to sprawl out of it but Worner keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Ferguson manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Austin Worner. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Worner fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Worner wants to clinch up but Ferguson keeps it at a distance.
Worner displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.

Ferguson gets tackled into the cage by Worner. Worner maintains the clinch.
Worner keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Ferguson's efforts to push away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Ferguson breaks the clinch.

Ferguson closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Worner did well to prevent Ferguson getting side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Austin Worner dominated that round.
That's time! Worner's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Worner tries to clinch there but Ferguson circles away.
Worner is looking to clinch but Ferguson is avoiding it.

Worner rushes Ferguson and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Worner is defending well against a takedown attempt.

Ferguson decides to pull guard.

Ferguson looking for a guillotine here but Worner defends easily.
Ferguson looking for a sweep. Not yet Ferguson, not yet.
Ferguson wants to improve his position but instead Worner has moved into half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Worner trying to mount his opponent but Ferguson defends it.
Worner perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Worner trying to control from half guard but Ferguson is working away.
Worner controlling the action here.
Worner is trying to control the action in half guard but Ferguson is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Austin Worner just wasn't active enough.

Worner rushes Ferguson and presses him up against the cage.
Worner creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Worner is trying to stall.

Ferguson jumps guard.
Ferguson doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Ferguson looking for a sweep. Not yet Ferguson, not yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Worner controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Ferguson looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Ferguson trying to keep a closed guard but Worner is proving a slippery customer.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Austin Worner wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Worner tries to clinch but Ferguson is having none of it.
Worner swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Worner closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Worner misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Ferguson blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Worner.
Ferguson managing to block the knees to the body from Worner.

Ferguson gets control of Worner's arms and successfully pulls guard. Ferguson will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Ferguson wants to stand and escape but Worner is having none of it.
Ferguson is trying to control the position but Worner postures up.
Ferguson looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Worner pushing down on Ferguson's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Ferguson is trying to control but can't.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Worner passes into side control, despite Ferguson's attempt to control the position.
Worner trying to control the action but Ferguson is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Austin Worner dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Worner tries to clinch up.
Ferguson tries for a takedown but Worner sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Worner tries a head kick but it misses.
A punch combination from Ferguson misses.
Worner stuffs the takedown attempt from Ferguson. Ferguson gets slowly back to his feet.
Worner slaps away a takedown attempt from Ferguson, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Austin Worner has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Josh Ferguson.

Worner moves into the clinch.
Ferguson blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Ferguson wants to break free but Worner has control.
Worner gets underhooks to prevent Ferguson's takedown attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ferguson tries to pull guard but Worner won't allow it.
Ferguson blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Worner missing with knees to the body.
Ferguson wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Worner has him pressed against the cage.
Ferguson wants a takedown but no success here.
Ferguson is trying to drag Worner to the mat but Worner just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Ferguson just leaning against Worner, taking a breather.
Worner goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Worner misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Ferguson manages to break the clinch.
Worner fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ferguson is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Worner's half guard.
Ferguson seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Worner does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Ferguson throws a strike but Worner avoids it easily and moves to full guard.

Worner escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Ferguson gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Ferguson sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Worner looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Ferguson has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Worner is proving hard to escape from.
Worner is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Ferguson dives into side control.
Josh Ferguson has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ferguson landing a few strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Worner taking punishment in the form of punches.
Worner tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.
Ferguson trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Worner doesn't escape.
Ferguson is looking to control Worner but Worner is wriggling around and keeping busy.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Good control from Ferguson.

And that's the end of the fight!
Josh Ferguson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Worner 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 for Austin Worner!
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight for Austin Worner!
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight for Austin Worner!

Austin Worner wins by unanimous decision!
Austin Worner took to the mic in his post fight interview and said 'this fight is just another stepping stone towards the belt'.