PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between bj Ferguson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Floyd Howard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). bj Ferguson could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Floyd Howard's chin.

Ferguson
vs
Howard

164 cm
29
135 lbs
8 - 6 - 0

150 cm
25
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Experienced

Good takedowns
Brawler
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the bantamweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, bj Ferguson!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Floyd Howard!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Stewart Dunkirk and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Howard is trying hard to land a takedown here. Ferguson sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Howard shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Howard wants to clinch.

Howard clinches up with Ferguson and pushes him back against the cage.
Howard misses with a hook from the clinch.
Howard wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Howard has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Ferguson regains guard immediately.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Howard prevents Ferguson from getting back to his feet.
Howard trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Ferguson pulls Howard in close to his closed guard and prevents Howard from doing any damage or advancing position.
Howard looking to sit in guard and control but Ferguson gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howard wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Ferguson manages to pass to side control.
Howard pushes Ferguson off looking to stand but Ferguson dives back in and keeps control.

Howard with the active half guard here but Ferguson passes nicely into side control.
Ferguson wants to take a breather but Howard manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Ferguson.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ferguson has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Howard is proving hard to escape from.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Howard can do anything to dispel that myth.
Howard is trying to keep Ferguson in close.
Ferguson trying to control but Howard is working from the bottom.
Howard throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Howard pulls Ferguson in close to his closed guard and prevents Ferguson from doing any damage or advancing position.
Ferguson throwing strikes from guard but Howard blocks nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ferguson seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up. bj Ferguson wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Ferguson forces Howard back against the cage and clinches.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Howard tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Ferguson avoids it.
Still in the clinch, Ferguson scores with a nice short uppercut.
Ferguson controlling the action here for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Howard has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Ferguson avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
bj Ferguson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Floyd Howard.
Howard tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Howard trying to land knees to the body.
Ferguson is trying to stall.
Howard jumps guard but Ferguson turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Ferguson has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Howard avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Ferguson working hard to break the clinch.

Ferguson manages to break the clinch.
Howard keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Ferguson is looking to clinch but Howard is avoiding it.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Howard shoots for a takedown but Ferguson saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Howard stuffs the takedown.
Howard circles away from the clinch attempt.
Howard stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Howard wants it to stay on the feet.
Howard throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Ferguson tries a head kick but it misses.
Howard swats away the attempt to clinch by Ferguson.

Ferguson drives through and clinches with Howard against the cage.
Ferguson tries to pull guard but Howard forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

Howard breaks the clinch.
Howard shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Ferguson defends it nicely.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Howard fails with an attempt to clinch.
A big right from Ferguson misses.
Ferguson looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Howard avoids the head kick by Ferguson.

Ferguson closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Howard did well to prevent Ferguson getting side control.
Ferguson is breathing heavily.
Ferguson keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
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!
Howard trying to control here.
Ferguson not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Ferguson will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Howard tries to kick Ferguson off but Ferguson keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Howard wants to get back to full guard.
Howard is refusing to be controlled, as Ferguson sits in half guard.
Ferguson tries to pass the half guard into mount. Howard knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Ferguson trying to control the action but Howard is working from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up. bj Ferguson wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Ferguson closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Howard to the mat! Howard manages to get full guard.

Howard has his foot on Ferguson's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Ferguson works his way back into a safe position though.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.

Howard looking for subs off his back but Ferguson has passed one foot through into half guard.
Ferguson trying to control the action but Howard is working from the bottom.

Ferguson is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Ferguson wants to get back to his feet.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Ferguson thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Howard's head.
Howard is looking for a sweep. Ferguson is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Howard trying to control here.
Ferguson sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Howard defending well though.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ferguson throwing shots but Howard is blocking nicely.
Howard has hold of Ferguson's hands but Ferguson slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Ferguson controlling the pace.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

bj Ferguson dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Howard clinches up against the cage.
Howard is looking to break free of the clinch but Ferguson has double underhooks.
Ferguson controlling the action here for a moment.
Howard is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Ferguson throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Howard with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Howard wants to take the fight to the mat but Ferguson manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

Ferguson drags the fight down to the ground.
Howard wants to control from the top but Ferguson keeps moving.
Howard working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ferguson controls Howard momentarily but Howard frees himself.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Howard is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Ferguson keeping full guard, as Howard tries to pass.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Floyd Howard hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Howard leaves Ferguson with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Howard throws a head kick but Ferguson moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Howard looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Ferguson!
Howard is breathing heavily.
Howard scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Ferguson is squirming around, avoiding Howard's attempts to control the action.
Ferguson is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Howard looking to control but Ferguson is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Ferguson is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howard looking to control and managing it successfully.
Howard lands a big elbow.
Ferguson tries to lock up and control but Howard gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Howard wants to control but Ferguson has made it back to half guard. Nice work.

Ferguson looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Howard passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Ferguson!
Ferguson tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Ferguson throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Ferguson tries to reverse the position but Howard maintains control.
Howard trying to control but Ferguson is having none of it.
Howard with good strikes from the mount here!

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Howard won't let Ferguson get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Ferguson keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
The referee warns Ferguson that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Ferguson working to try and regain half guard.
Ferguson tries to hold on but Howard postures up.
Howard working Ferguson over with strikes here.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Howard landing strikes from the mount and Ferguson is in trouble!
Howard controlling the pace for now.
Ferguson is wriggling around trying to escape.
Howard tries to control but Ferguson wriggling away.
Howard takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Ferguson wants to hold on but Howard pushes him away.
Howard tries to control but Ferguson wriggling away.
Ferguson wants to hold on but Howard pushes him away.
Ferguson is in a horrible position here. Howard smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Howard content just to control the position here.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Ferguson can't escape the position.
Ferguson is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

Howard is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Ferguson to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Ferguson shrugs it off.
Howard looking to control but Ferguson is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Ferguson is working to get back to half guard.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Ferguson holds on for dear life.
Ferguson tries to hold on but Howard pushes him away.
Ferguson tries to control the position but Howard now has his back.
Ferguson is trying to break free.

Howard has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ferguson tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Floyd Howard showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Ferguson tries to clinch but Howard moves out of range.
Howard fails with the takedown

and Ferguson counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Howard tries a knee to the head but Ferguson blocks it.

Ferguson pulls guard.
Howard with a flurry of punches that miss.
Ferguson looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Ferguson looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Howard passes into side control.
Howard lands a decent elbow from side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ferguson taking a bit of punishment here - Howard scoring with strikes.
Floyd Howard has got the better of the ground game so far.
Howard looking to control but instead Ferguson has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.
Ferguson gets full guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Howard accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Howard tries to free his leg and advance position but Ferguson is retaining full guard.
Howard trying to control the position from guard on top but Ferguson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ferguson is looking to stand up but Howard isn't so interested in that idea.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ferguson preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Howard in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Howard tries to free his leg and advance position but Ferguson is retaining full guard.
Howard advances to half guard.
Howard is stalling here. Ferguson is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Howard seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Ferguson has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Howard prevents Ferguson from improving position.
Howard is trying to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howard taking punishment in the form of punches.
Ferguson lands some shots froms side control.
Howard looking for a sweep but Ferguson has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Ferguson prevents Howard from getting the reversal.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Ferguson cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Howard can't escape the position.
Ferguson controlling from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ferguson's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Howard is looking to improve his position but Ferguson isn't that keen on the idea.
Ferguson controlling from mount.
Howard tries to reverse the position but Ferguson maintains control.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Howard is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Ferguson takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Ferguson looking to control but Howard is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Ferguson controlling from mount.

The ref stands the fighters back up because bj Ferguson just wasn't active enough.

Ferguson moves into the clinch.

That's six minutes gone in the round.

Ferguson pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Howard looking to land some kicks to the body here.
bj Ferguson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Ferguson throws a series of punches but Howard moves out of range.
Howard dives in and grabs Ferguson's left leg, looking for a takedown. Ferguson pushes down on Howard's head and hops out.
Ferguson fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Ferguson is looking to clinch but Howard is avoiding it.
Howard wants to clinch.
Ferguson misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Howard shoots in looking for a takedown but Ferguson manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Howard's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
bj Ferguson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Floyd Howard.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.

Ferguson clinches with his opponent.
Howard is looking to break free of the clinch but Ferguson has double underhooks.

Ferguson has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Howard clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Ferguson slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.
Ferguson is not going to allow Howard to sit and survive in this position.
Howard covers up after that shot from Ferguson.

Ferguson is persistently looking for the submission but Howard is defending it well.
Howard staying busy and making it hard for Ferguson to control.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Howard's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.

Ferguson is persistently looking for the submission but Howard is defending it well.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Howard is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Ferguson landing with strikes.
Howard tries to escape the position.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Howard trying to control the position but Ferguson manages to sink in the hooks.
Ferguson is throwing punches to the body, looking to soften Howard up.
Howard has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.

Ferguson is working for a rear naked choke. Howard is not defending it well and Ferguson has tightened it up quickly! This could be all over! Howard refuses to tap and goes to sleep, forcing the referee to intervene. A little trickle of blood came out of Howard's nose as his head slumped to the floor. That is naaaasty!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 9:44 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). bj Ferguson!
bj Ferguson is the new bantamweight champion!
bj Ferguson made sure to give a little speech post fight, saying 'This is my second title fight. I new he'd be tough. Im now (9-6) and you're new VTFL bantamweight champion'.