PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Josh Ferguson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Walter Rothko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Ferguson
vs
Rothko

165 cm
31
128 lbs
25 - 27 - 1

178 cm
28
147 lbs
8 - 12 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Brown Belt
Dangerous knees
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 25 - 27 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Josh Ferguson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Walter Rothko !
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Tiny Johnson and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rothko tries to clinch up.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Rothko .
Rothko shoots in looking for a takedown but Ferguson manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Rothko 's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Ferguson shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Ferguson gets to his feet - back to striking we go!

Ferguson closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Rothko to the mat! Rothko manages to get full guard.
Ferguson might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Ferguson won't allow Rothko to get back to his feet.

Rothko is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Ferguson won't allow Rothko to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rothko is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Rothko stops Ferguson from getting back to his feet.
Well, if Rothko is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

Ferguson looking for submissions off his back.
Rothko trying to control the pace.
Rothko seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ferguson is trying to control but can't.
Ferguson is looking for a sweep. Rothko is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ferguson blocking the ground and pound attempt from Rothko .
Rothko sitting and controlling from the half guard.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Ferguson throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Rothko wants to lay and pray for a moment but Ferguson keeps working.

Walter Rothko has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
A head kick misses from Ferguson.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ferguson tries a head kick but it misses.
Ferguson moves to clinch but Rothko breaks away
and Rothko counters with a leg kick.

Ferguson scores with a takedown into Rothko 's guard.

Ferguson avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Rothko throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Ferguson postures up.
Ferguson knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Rothko on the ground.
Rothko keeping moving, preventing Ferguson from controlling successfully.
Rothko is controlling Ferguson's posture.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ferguson has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Rothko is proving hard to escape from.
Rothko not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Walter Rothko was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Ferguson looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Rothko !
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Ferguson decides to stand up, so the ref orders Rothko to his feet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rothko doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Ferguson counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Josh Ferguson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Walter Rothko .
Rothko shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Ferguson pinned against the cage. Ferguson gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Ferguson fails with a takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josh Ferguson dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Rothko shoots in looking for a takedown but Ferguson manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Rothko 's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Ferguson keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Rothko shoots in looking for a takedown. Ferguson tries to sprawl out of it but Rothko 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.
Josh Ferguson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Walter Rothko .
Rothko fails in his attempt to clinch.

Ferguson feints and as Rothko raises his hands in defense, Ferguson changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Ferguson showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Ferguson here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rothko preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Ferguson has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Ferguson postures up.
Ferguson is looking to stand up but Rothko won't let him.
Ferguson landing with the ground and pound.
Rothko looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Rothko manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Ferguson manages to get himself to full guard.
Rothko trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Rothko is still trying to improve position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rothko trying to control but Ferguson is working from the bottom.
Rothko not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rothko is pushing down on Ferguson's leg trying to pass to half guard. Ferguson is fighting to maintain full guard but Rothko has managed to sneak the leg through.
Rothko trying to control the pace.
Rothko tries to stand but can't do so whilst Ferguson controls his leg.
Rothko tries to pass the half guard into mount. Ferguson knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ferguson wants to control but Rothko is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Rothko prevents Ferguson from standing back up.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Rothko fails with the takedown.
Rothko throws a head kick that misses.
Ferguson lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Ferguson tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rothko paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rothko misses with a few strikes there.
Rothko tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Ferguson doesn't manage to clinch there - Rothko circles away.
Ferguson is looking to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ferguson closes the distance and clinches up with Rothko , looking for a takedown. Ferguson pushes Rothko against the cage but Rothko circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Ferguson shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Ferguson was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Rothko tries to improve position but can't.
Ferguson is looking to take a break and control but Rothko is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Ferguson scoring with punches from side control.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Ferguson decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Ferguson looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josh Ferguson dominated that second round.
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 dives in and scores a takedown into Rothko 's guard.
Rothko pulls Ferguson in close to prevent any damage.
Rothko is trying to hold Ferguson in close to prevent damage but Ferguson has managed to pass into half guard.
Rothko flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Ferguson missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Ferguson tries to stand and escape but Rothko is controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rothko slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Rothko working for submissions but it's allowed Ferguson to get to half guard.
Rothko moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Ferguson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rothko swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Rothko controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ferguson trying to control the position from guard on top but Rothko is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Rothko looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Ferguson stopping the sweep attempt from Rothko .
Rothko wants to get back to his feet but Ferguson passes into half guard.

Rothko looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Rothko is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Ferguson pulls his head out easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rothko wants to get back to his feet.
Ferguson is trying to control the action in half guard but Rothko is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Ferguson scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Ferguson tries to pass the half guard into mount. Rothko knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Rothko is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Rothko moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ferguson missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Rothko keeping full guard, as Ferguson tries to pass.

Rothko is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Ferguson trying to control the position from guard on top but Rothko is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rothko is trying to control the position from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Walter Rothko .
Well Ferguson has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 George Francis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 30:28
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Josh Ferguson!
Post fight, Josh Ferguson took to the microphone: 'I new coming in he was gonna be tough. But tonight I was tougher. We need a flyweight division! Do it! Make it happen please. (16-14-1)'.