PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Xavier Rush (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Ferreira (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.

Rush
vs
Ferreira

183 cm
27
140 lbs
12 - 7 - 0

180 cm
28
145 lbs
14 - 7 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
Heavy handed

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 12 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Xavier Rush!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, James Ferreira!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Gregory Folan and Ian Loll.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ferreira circles away from the clinch attempt.
Good leg kick by Ferreira there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Rush throws a right hand that Ferreira ducks under and follows up with a left that Ferreira also avoids with ease.
Rush is looking to clinch.
Rush misses with a wild combination.
Rush wants to clinch.
Ferreira showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Rush.
Ferreira connects with a right hand. Rush shakes it off.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rush is looking to clinch but Ferreira is avoiding it.
Rush wants to clinch up but Ferreira keeps it at a distance.
Rush fails in his attempt to clinch.
Ferreira ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Ferreira scores with a shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rush tries to clinch but Ferreira moves out of range.
Rush throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Xavier Rush seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ferreira swats away the attempt to clinch by Rush.
Rush fails in his attempt to clinch.
Rush doesn't manage to clinch there - Ferreira circles away.
Ferreira keeps the fight on the outside.
Rush tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rush wants to clinch.
Ferreira avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rush doesn't manage to clinch there - Ferreira circles away.
Rush swinging wildly here.
Rush fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Rush tries to clinch but Ferreira moves out of range.
Rush is looking to clinch but Ferreira is avoiding it.
A punch combination from Rush misses.
Rush fails in his attempt to clinch.
Ferreira circles away from the clinch attempt.
Ferreira avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rush fails with the takedown.
Rush really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Rush throws a series of punches but Ferreira moves out of range.
Ferreira lands a head shot.
Rush looks to throw the jab but Ferreira is out of range.

Rush gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Ferreira to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Ferreira wants to control from the top but Rush keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ferreira postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Ferreira trying to control the position from guard on top but Rush is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ferreira controls from within his opponent's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rush is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Ferreira content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Rush keeping moving, preventing Ferreira from controlling successfully.
Ferreira slips nicely into half guard.
Ferreira is just content to waste time from the top position. Rush takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ferreira trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Ferreira dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Ferreira avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rush misses with a series of wild punches.
Rush misses with a takedown
and Ferreira counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Ferreira throws a nice outside leg kick.
Rush misses with a double jab
and Ferreira makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Rush darts in trying to clinch
and Ferreira counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Rush darts in trying to clinch
and Ferreira counters with a nice uppercut.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Ferreira.
Ferreira lands a nice leg kick that just misses Rush's sensitive parts.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rush throws a hook but Ferreira avoids it easily.
Rush misses the shot to the body.
Rush throws a left and a right that both miss
and Ferreira counters with a good low kick that Rush was not able to check.
Rush wants to clinch but Ferreira slips to the side
and Ferreira counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Ferreira sizes up Rush with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Rush takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Rush closes the distance but Ferreira moves to the side

and Ferreira counters with a single leg into guard. Rush didn't expect that.
Ferreira stopping the sweep attempt from Rush.
Ferreira loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ferreira lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Ferreira prevents Rush from getting back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rush has momentary wrist control but Ferreira slips an elbow through the middle.
Rush controlling the position.
Ferreira works over Rush with some ground and pound from guard.
Rush avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Ferreira wants to control from the top but Rush keeps moving.
Ferreira throwing strikes but missing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rush keeping moving, preventing Ferreira from controlling successfully.
Ferreira with a nice head shot there.

Rush pushes Ferreira off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

Ferreira feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Rush working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Ferreira.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rush keeping moving, preventing Ferreira from controlling successfully.
Rush wants to get back to his feet but Ferreira is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Ferreira 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.
Ferreira trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Ferreira in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Ferreira showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Rush throws a combination that misses
and Ferreira counters with a straight right hand.
Rush shoots and misses
and Ferreira counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Rush tries to clinch
and Ferreira connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Rush tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Ferreira counters with a nice leg kick.
Rush throws a combination that misses
and Rush takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Ferreira paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Rush misses with a combination
and Ferreira connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Ferreira lands a lovely overhand right.
Ferreira uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Rush has time to react.
Rush tries to clinch
and Ferreira counters with a nice uppercut.
Rush throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Ferreira counters with a right hand to the body.
Rush tries to move into range but Ferreira moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Xavier Rush is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rush tries for a takedown but Ferreira circles away easily

and Ferreira counters by clinching up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ferreira has Rush pressed against the cage, preventing Rush from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Rush working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Ferreira lands a right hand.
Rush is pushing Ferreira up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Ferreira lands an uppercut.

Rush is rocked!
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Ferreira.
Rush fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Ferreira content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Rush has a couple of punches blocked by Ferreira.
Rush is trying to break the clinch but Ferreira has him pressed against the cage.
Ferreira displaying some good clinch control by pressing Rush up against the cage.
A short body shot lands from Ferreira as the two fighters clinch.
Rush is looking to break free of the clinch but Ferreira has double underhooks.
Rush can't break the clinch.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Rush misses with the head strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Rush throws a head punch that misses.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Rush.
Rush wants to break the clinch but can't.
Ferreira throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Ferreira is trying to stall.

Rush breaks from the clinch.
Rush works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Rush takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
A punch lands to the side of Rush 's head but he takes it in his stride.
James Ferreira seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Ferreira closes the distance and pushes Rush back into the cage.
Ferreira goes for a takedown attempt but Rush pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Rush closes the distance and clinches.
Rush is trying to break the clinch but Ferreira has him pressed against the cage.
Xavier Rush has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rush working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Ferreira landing knees to the head.

It looks like Xavier Rush has been cut.

Rush breaks from the clinch.
Ferreira chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Rush closes the distance but Ferreira moves to the side
and Ferreira connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Ferreira connects with a looping right hand.
Rush fails with the takedown

and Ferreira counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Xavier Rush. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rush misses with the head strike.
Ferreira blocks an uppercut.
Rush is trying to break free.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Rush.
Rush wants to get back to striking at distance but Ferreira won't allow it.
Rush swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Ferreira lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Oh Rush is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Rush swings wildly with an uppercut but Ferreira uses good head movement to avoid it.
Ferreira blocking some punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ferreira crunches a lovely knee into Rush's ribcage.
Ferreira stalls.
Rush seems to have got his legs back now.
Rush wants to get back to striking at distance but Ferreira won't allow it.
A shot in the inside from Rush.
Rush has a couple of punches blocked by Ferreira.
Rush misses with a short punch on the inside.
Ferreira tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
James Ferreira is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Ferreira successfully pulls guard.
Ferreira controls Rush momentarily but Rush frees himself.

Ferreira working for a triangle but Rush defends it easily.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ferreira trying to control the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
James Ferreira comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Ferreira has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Trevor Gratis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... James Ferreira!