PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Cathal Doherty (ranked 1644 p4p, 1640 weight class) and Shane Fergusson (ranked 241 p4p, 240 weight class). Doherty comes to the cage accompanied by Jeremy- Pearl Jam. Fergusson has chosen Scotland the brave as his entrance music. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Doherty
vs
Fergusson

188 cm
21
193
5 - 3 - 0

185 cm
21
189
5 - 3 - 0

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Cathal Doherty!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Shane Fergusson!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, Steven Brown and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Fergusson tries to clinch up.
It looked like Doherty wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Doherty throws a jab but it's blocked by Fergusson.
Fergusson throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Doherty.
Doherty misses with a hook. Fergusson ducked under it nicely.
Doherty stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Fergusson.
Doherty scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Fergusson lands with a good body shot.

Fergusson has taken the fight to the clinch.
Fergusson lands a shoulder strike.
Fergusson swings wildly with an uppercut but Doherty uses good head movement to avoid it.
Fergusson misses with a body punch.

Doherty manages to break the clinch.
Fergusson drops his hands momentarily and Doherty takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
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!
Doherty misses with a hook. Fergusson ducked under it nicely.
Fergusson throws a solid leg kick but Doherty takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Fergusson.
Fergusson throws a hook to the side of Doherty's head but Doherty sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Doherty misses with an uppercut.
Fergusson getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Fergusson throws a head kick that half lands.
Doherty has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Doherty definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Doherty drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Doherty uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Fergusson.
Doherty throws out a loose jab but Fergusson uses good head movement to avoid it.
Doherty slips under a jab.
Doherty throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Doherty swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Fergusson appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Fergusson defending well as Doherty loads up on a big left hand.
Fergusson throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Doherty takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Fergusson throws a sloppy head kick and Doherty moves out of range easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fergusson uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Doherty.
Doherty loads up on a big right hand but Fergusson slips the punch.
Doherty looks to throw the jab but Fergusson is out of range.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Fergusson! But no joy.
Fergusson connects with a good right hand that stumbles Doherty. Doherty circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Fergusson lands a jab to Doherty's midsection.
Fergusson bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Doherty's head.
Fergusson looks to land a right hand but Doherty moved out of range.
Fergusson slips under a jab from Doherty.
Doherty is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Doherty rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Fergusson counters with a thumping low kick.
Doherty is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Fergusson connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Fergusson throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
An attempted straight right counter from Doherty misses the target.
Doherty tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Fergusson was well out of range. Poor timing from Doherty.
Doherty on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Fergusson has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
Shane Fergusson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Fergusson cracks Doherty with a right hand to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Doherty uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Fergusson.
Fergusson thows a leg kick but Doherty checks it
and Fergusson takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Fergusson throws a poor cross that misses
and Doherty cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
A big left from Doherty misses.
Fergusson takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Fergusson lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Doherty ducks under a wild hook from Fergusson.
Fergusson lands a really nice looking cross but Doherty seems unphased.
Fergusson throws a sloppy head kick
and Doherty counters with a straight right hand.
Doherty throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Doherty throws a hook to the side of Fergusson's head but Fergusson sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Doherty uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Fergusson.
Doherty ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Fergusson turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A slow jab from Doherty misses its intended target.
Fergusson tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Doherty was well out of range. Poor timing from Fergusson.
Doherty blocks a jab.
Fergusson throws a leg kick but Doherty sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Fergusson misses with a straight right.
Doherty throws a shot from downtown. Fergusson moves away and avoids it.
Fergusson looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Doherty throws a right hand that Fergusson ducks under and follows up with a left that Fergusson also avoids with ease.
Nice shot lands for Doherty.
Fergusson lands with a nice body kick.
Jab from Doherty.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Doherty misses with a hook. Fergusson ducked under it nicely.
Doherty slips a jab and a cross from Fergusson.
Doherty lands a nice shot that snaps Fergusson's head back.
Fergusson throws a poor cross that misses
letting Doherty counter with a right hand.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Shane Fergusson dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Fergusson throws a head kick that misses.
Fergusson misses with a looping right.
Doherty avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Fergusson rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Doherty counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Fergusson connects with a looping right hand.
Fergusson throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Doherty stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Fergusson.
A decent looking cross lands there for Doherty.
Doherty throws a looping overhand right but Fergusson ducks down to avoid it.
Doherty walks into a left hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Doherty throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Fergusson rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Doherty moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Doherty throws a shot from downtown. Fergusson moves away and avoids it.
Fergusson throws out a powerful jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Doherty misses with a looping right.
Doherty throws a looping overhand right but Fergusson ducks down to avoid it.
Fergusson scores with a hook.
Fergusson has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Doherty swings for the body but Fergusson moves out of range.
Fergusson misses with an uppercut.
Fergusson takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Doherty thuds his right hand into Fergusson's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Fergusson moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Doherty throws a jab when Fergusson was well out of range.
Fergusson appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Doherty misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Fergusson counters with a leg kick.
Doherty fails to land with a series of punches.
Fergusson doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
A good leg kick by Fergusson.
Doherty misses with an uppercut. Fergusson saw that one coming.
Nice body kick from Fergusson.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Doherty with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Fergusson to score with a decent uppercut.
Fergusson throws a low kick but Doherty moves out of range easily.
Fergusson displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Doherty throws out the jab.
Doherty throws the left hand but Fergusson avoids the punch easily.
A jab lands there for Doherty.
Fergusson scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Doherty doesn't seem bothered though.
Fergusson misses the body punch
letting Doherty counter with a right hand.
Fergusson lands an overhand right.
Doherty throws a looping overhand right but Fergusson ducks down to avoid it.
Fergusson misses with a lunging right hand
and Doherty counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Donk. Doherty catches Fergusson right on the button with a cross.
Doherty slips a jab and a cross from Fergusson.
A little feinted left hand from Doherty on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Fergusson avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Doherty throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Fergusson looks to throw the jab but Doherty is out of range.
Fergusson throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Nice defenses there by Doherty.
A decent looking cross lands there for Fergusson.
Doherty is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Doherty slips a jab from Fergusson.
Fergusson staying out of range there.
A looping hook to the body misses from Fergusson. Doherty does a little dance to reset his feet.
A big left from Fergusson misses.

Doherty lands a left and a right that send Fergusson crashing to the mat, dazed. Doherty thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!

Fergusson is rocked!

It looks like Shane Fergusson has been cut.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Fergusson lands a glancing blow to the side of Doherty's head.
Fergusson throws a solid leg kick but Doherty takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Fergusson.
Fergusson blocks a jab.
It seemed like Fergusson was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Fergusson is looking to slow Doherty down with leg kicks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Doherty takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Fergusson on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Fergusson is still on wobbly legs! Can Doherty finish him?
Fergusson throws an overhand right that lands on Doherty's shoulder, as Doherty tries to avoid the shot.
Doherty cracks Fergusson with a nasty uppercut that draws ooohs from the crowd and sends Fergusson tumbling backwards onto the mat. He tries to recover but Doherty pounces and lands a hail of unanswered strikes that forces the referee to step in to end the fight! Fergusson is not happy but he gave the referee no choice!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:20 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Cathal Doherty!
Cathal Doherty bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.