PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Joshua Shouse (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Josh Ferguson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Josh Ferguson has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Shouse
vs
Ferguson

162 cm
22
116 lbs
7 - 12 - 0

165 cm
27
128 lbs
7 - 10 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

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 7 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Joshua Shouse !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 10 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Josh Ferguson!
The judges for this bout are Stewart Dunkirk, Daniel Franklin and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ferguson fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Shouse avoids it really well and circles away.
Shouse tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Ferguson swivels and escapes.

Ferguson drives through with a takedown into Shouse 's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Shouse looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Ferguson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Shouse is keeping the position for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Shouse keeping moving, preventing Ferguson from controlling successfully.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Josh Ferguson was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Ferguson shoots and misses

and Shouse counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Shouse .

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shouse tries to stand but Ferguson is controlling from the bottom.
Shouse working some strikes from top position.
Shouse controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Ferguson trying to control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Ferguson has his foot on Shouse 's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Shouse works his way back into a safe position though.
Ferguson is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Shouse wants to stand but Ferguson has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Shouse has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ferguson looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Shouse gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Shouse throws a leg kick that is checked
letting Ferguson counter with a right hand.
Shouse misses with a head kick.
Ferguson lands with a good body shot.
Ferguson fails with an attempt to clinch.
Shouse misses with a low kick.
Shouse will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Ferguson tries to close the distance and clinch but Shouse swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Shouse digs a good hook to Ferguson's body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shouse throws a wild body kick that Ferguson sees coming a mile off.

Shouse drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Shouse knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Ferguson on the ground.
Shouse prevents Ferguson from getting back to his feet.
Shouse wants to control from the top but Ferguson keeps moving.

Ferguson escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Shouse gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Shouse stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ferguson swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Shouse stands up and waves to Ferguson to follow him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Shouse drives through and clinches with Ferguson against the cage.
Ferguson can't get the takedown.
Joshua Shouse has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Josh Ferguson.
Shouse stalls.
Ferguson looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Shouse prevents Ferguson from breaking the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ferguson drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Ferguson has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Shouse clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Joshua Shouse will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Shouse circles away from the clinch attempt.
Shouse moves in looking to clinch but Ferguson pushes him off.

Ferguson shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Ferguson showed some decent athleticism there.
Shouse is looking to improve his position.
Ferguson takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Shouse on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Shouse tries to get out of the position.

Ferguson is looking for a kimura here.
Ferguson passes the guard and advances to mount!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ferguson trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Ferguson lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Shouse is looking to get to half guard.
Ferguson trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Shouse is desperately trying to improve his position but Ferguson has a good base and remains in mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ferguson postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Shouse looks a forlorn figure.
Ferguson trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Ferguson working the ground and pound effectively.
Shouse keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Ferguson thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Ferguson avoids the attempt from Shouse to control.
Ferguson is stalling here but it's allowed Shouse to get half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shouse is refusing to be controlled, as Ferguson sits in half guard.
Shouse trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Shouse is looking to get to half guard.
Ferguson dominating with strikes here.
Ferguson prevents Shouse from getting the reversal.

Ferguson goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Shouse turns into him and now he's in Ferguson's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shouse pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ferguson is keeping the position for now.

Ferguson working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Shouse doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Shouse manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Ferguson has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Shouse can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Shouse slips nicely into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josh Ferguson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Ferguson is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Ferguson lands with a straight right. Shouse didn't see that one coming.
Ferguson takes a swing at Shouse 's ribcage but misses.
Ferguson lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Shouse circles away quickly and effectively.
Ferguson circles away from the clinch attempt.
Ferguson throws a series of strikes that have Shouse backpedaling.

Shouse moves into range and clinches up with Ferguson.
Shouse wants to take the fight to the mat but Ferguson manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

Shouse gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Ferguson regains guard.
Josh Ferguson has got the better of the ground game so far.
Shouse trying to move into half guard but instead Ferguson has managed to sweep!
Ferguson tries to free his leg and advance position but Shouse is retaining full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ferguson trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Ferguson wanted to stand there but Shouse had control of the position.

Ferguson got a little sloppy there for a moment and Shouse has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Ferguson has managed to get both his arms back between Shouse 's legs - danger averted.
Ferguson postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Ferguson looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Ferguson lands a couple of digs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Shouse is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Ferguson gets underhooks to prevent Shouse 's takedown attempt.

Ferguson breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Ferguson clinches up against the cage.
Ferguson wants to stall.
A bit of stalling here from Shouse .
Ferguson tries for a takedown but Shouse manages to get underhooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shouse is trying to pull guard but Ferguson turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joshua Shouse . That's going to take a lot out of him.

Shouse manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Shouse controls Ferguson momentarily but Ferguson frees himself.
Shouse wants to sweep but no luck.
Ferguson wants to control from the top but Shouse keeps moving.

Ferguson gets to his feet - Shouse follows without any prompting.
Ferguson tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Shouse looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Ferguson is looking to control Shouse 's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Ferguson avoid being mounted?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shouse looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Ferguson with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Shouse sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Ferguson defending well though.
Shouse working the head and body with strikes.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The fighters are battling for position here. Ferguson manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Shouse stopping the sweep attempt from Ferguson.

Shouse stands up and waves to Ferguson to follow him.
Joshua Shouse is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ferguson tries to clinch but Shouse is having none of it.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Joshua Shouse .
I think Shouse has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joshua Shouse !