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). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Ferguson
vs
Rothko

165 cm
32
128 lbs
27 - 30 - 1

178 cm
28
147 lbs
8 - 13 - 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 27 - 30 - 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 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Walter Rothko !
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Wesley Smith and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fight stays on the outside here - Ferguson looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rothko shoots in and drives through. Ferguson sprawls well.
Ferguson tries to clinch there but Rothko circles away.
Rothko misses with a double jab

and Ferguson counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Ferguson is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Rothko working a defensive guard here.
Ferguson is looking to stand up but Rothko won't let him.
Ferguson has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Ferguson content to stall in guard here.
Rothko looking to control but Ferguson passes into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rothko looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Rothko tries to roll over but Ferguson keeps him under control.
Ferguson stalling.
Rothko trying to hold on to Ferguson's head to control him but Ferguson postures up.
Rothko is doing well to control the position and prevent Ferguson from advancing to side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ferguson performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Rothko slips a jab and a cross from Ferguson.

Rothko gets caught flat footed, as Ferguson shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Rothko looking to control.
Ferguson slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Ferguson wants to control from the top but Rothko keeps moving.
Ferguson knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Rothko on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ferguson missing there with some ground and pound from the 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 trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Rothko can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Ferguson controls the pace.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Josh Ferguson wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Rothko fails with the takedown.
Ferguson fails to land with a series of punches.
Rothko lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Ferguson shoots in for a takedown but Rothko shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Rothko misses with a combination
and Ferguson cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Horrible takedown by Rothko or perhaps it was just good defense by Ferguson which made him look bad.
Josh Ferguson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Walter Rothko .

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rothko is looking to land body kicks.
Ferguson tries to clinch up but Rothko circles away and keeps his distance.
Rothko doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
No luck for Rothko with that takedown attempt.
Ferguson is looking to clinch but Rothko is avoiding it.

Ferguson moves into the clinch.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Ferguson obliges.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ferguson is trying to push Rothko away but Rothko has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Rothko tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Ferguson smiles and moves away.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rothko throws a leg kick but Ferguson moved away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josh Ferguson dominated that 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.

Rothko doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Rothko takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Ferguson looking to score a takedown here. Rothko is defending well but Ferguson drives through and ends up in Rothko 's guard.
Ferguson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rothko is keeping the position for now.
Rothko wants to stand and escape but Ferguson is having none of it.
Josh Ferguson overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Rothko trying to keep a closed guard but Ferguson is proving a slippery customer.
Rothko wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Ferguson is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Walter Rothko wasn't active enough on the ground.
No joy there for Rothko , who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ferguson walks forward, straight into a front kick from Rothko .

Rothko has closed the distance and engaged Ferguson in a clinch.
Ferguson is looking for a takedown.
Ferguson working hard to break the clinch.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Rothko is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Ferguson gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Ferguson goes for a takedown attempt but Rothko pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Rothko tries for a takedown but Ferguson sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Josh Ferguson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Walter Rothko .
Ferguson fails to land the takedown.
Rothko misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ferguson tries to close the distance and clinch but Rothko swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
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.
Rothko fails with the takedown.
Josh Ferguson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
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 throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Ferguson closes the distance and lands a one-two.

Ferguson closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rothko is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ferguson controls the position.
Rothko misses with an elbow from the bottom.
Rothko misses with a strike from the bottom.
Rothko sneaks back into half guard.
Rothko is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ferguson wants to free his trapped foot but Rothko is holding on for dear life with his legs.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ferguson seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Rothko does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Ferguson sitting and controlling from the half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Josh Ferguson has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Ferguson tries to bum rush Rothko with a series of wild strikes but Rothko uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Rothko tries for a takedown but Ferguson circles away easily
and Ferguson connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ferguson looks for a takedown but Rothko sprawls well.
Ferguson throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
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.
That's time! Ferguson's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Rothko takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

Ferguson closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Rothko quickly recovers to half guard.
Rothko slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Ferguson wants to control from the top but Rothko keeps moving.
Ferguson connects with a couple of short punches.
Ferguson working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

Rothko is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Rothko looking to hit a scissor sweep but Ferguson is one step ahead there.
Ferguson wants to control from the top but Rothko keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rothko is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Ferguson won't allow Rothko to get back to his feet.
Rothko can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Ferguson controls the pace.
Ferguson wants to pass the guard but Rothko is keeping the position.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Ferguson is working hard here to advance position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rothko wants to sweep here but Ferguson controlling him for the moment.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Josh Ferguson just wasn't active enough.
Ferguson misses with a head kick.

Ferguson looking to score a takedown here. Rothko is defending well but Ferguson drives through and ends up in Rothko 's guard.
Ferguson is looking to stand up but Rothko won't let him.
Ferguson showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Ferguson looking to sit in guard and control but Rothko gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rothko wants to get up but he can't break Ferguson's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Rothko wants to control from the top but Ferguson keeps moving.
Rothko tries to free his leg and advance position but Ferguson is retaining full guard.
Rothko would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Ferguson is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Rothko defends well.
Rothko pushes down on Ferguson's leg and manages to get into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rothko with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Rothko thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Ferguson wants to get back to full guard.
Ferguson is not content to let Rothko control the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rothko keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

And that's the end of the fight!
Josh Ferguson showed his dominance in that final round.
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 Tiny Johnson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Josh Ferguson!
Josh Ferguson looked relieved post fight as he said the following; '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)'.