PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Walter Rothko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and bj Ferguson (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.

Rothko
vs
Ferguson

178 cm
28
147 lbs
8 - 9 - 0

164 cm
33
135 lbs
22 - 13 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Great elbows
Experienced

Decent wrestler
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 8 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Walter Rothko !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 22 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, bj Ferguson!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Cecil Peabody and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rothko closes the distance but Ferguson moves to the side
and Ferguson counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Ferguson closes the distance and pushes Rothko back into the cage.
Rothko has Ferguson pushed against the cage.
Ferguson is trying to break free.
Rothko looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Ferguson manages to pull guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Rothko is fighting to break Ferguson's control of his arms but Ferguson is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

Ferguson has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Rothko can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Rothko trying to control but Ferguson is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rothko wants to stand but Ferguson has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Ferguson not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Ferguson pulls Rothko in close to prevent any damage.
Ferguson wants to sweep but no luck.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Ferguson holds on and takes a little breather.

Walter Rothko has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Ferguson avoids the head kick by Rothko .
Ferguson lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Rothko shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Ferguson pinned against the cage. Ferguson gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Rothko closes the distance and clinches up with Ferguson, looking for a takedown. Rothko pushes Ferguson against the cage but Ferguson circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rothko with a poor takedown
and Ferguson counters with a flying knee. Nice.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Walter Rothko . That's going to take a lot out of him.

Ferguson fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Rothko to the ground. Ferguson is now in Rothko 's guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

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

Ferguson stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Ferguson rushes Rothko and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Ferguson manages to break the clinch.
Rothko looks to clinch

and Ferguson counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Rothko working a defensive guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ferguson wants to pass the guard but Rothko is keeping the position.
Ferguson preventing the sweep.
Ferguson looking to pass the guard.
Rothko wants to stand up but Ferguson is controlling him.

Rothko is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Ferguson is aware though and is defending well.
Ferguson trying to move into half guard but instead Rothko has managed to sweep!
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Ferguson can do anything to dispel that myth.
Ferguson is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rothko won't allow Ferguson to sweep him here.
Rothko wants to stand but Ferguson has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Ferguson trying to control the position here.
Ferguson is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Rothko is controlling him.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Ferguson holds on and takes a little breather.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by bj Ferguson.

Rothko fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Ferguson, pushing him back against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Ferguson drives through with a takedown into guard.
Ferguson is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Ferguson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rothko is keeping the position for now.
Rothko looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Ferguson controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Let's hope that Ferguson has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

bj Ferguson has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Ferguson looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Ferguson engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rothko trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Rothko wants to get back to his feet but Ferguson passes into half guard.
Still in half guard, Ferguson seems content to control.
Ferguson is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Rothko reverses the position - he's now on top in Ferguson's guard.
Rothko trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ferguson working a defensive guard here.
Ferguson has a closed guard, preventing Rothko from standing up.

The ref stands the fighters back up. bj Ferguson was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Ferguson displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Rothko .
Ferguson is looking to clinch but Rothko is avoiding it.
Rothko tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Ferguson swivels and escapes.

Ferguson looking to score a takedown here. Rothko is defending well but Ferguson drives through and ends up in Rothko 's guard.
Ferguson not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ferguson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rothko is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ferguson not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

OK we're going to have a standup here. bj Ferguson hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Rothko tries to clinch up
and Ferguson counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

Ferguson shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Rothko 's guard.
Ferguson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rothko swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Ferguson stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rothko tries to keep at a distance but Ferguson has taken the fight into the clinch.

Ferguson turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Ferguson manages to end up in side control.
Ferguson really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Rothko . If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Ferguson decides to stand back up. Ferguson steps back and let's Rothko get back to his feet.

Ferguson looking to score a takedown here. Rothko is defending well but Ferguson drives through and ends up in Rothko 's guard.
Rothko bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Ferguson's guard.
Ferguson trying to control the position.
Rothko preventing the sweep.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ferguson keeping moving, preventing Rothko from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

bj Ferguson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Rothko throws a sloppy head kick and Ferguson moves out of range easily.
Rothko throws a jab when Ferguson was well out of range.
Walter Rothko is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Rothko takes the fight into the clinch.
Rothko is trying to break free.
Rothko is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Ferguson decides to pull guard.
Ferguson working a defensive guard here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ferguson is controlling Rothko 's posture.
Rothko will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Ferguson wants to sweep here but Rothko controlling him for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ferguson is trying to keep Rothko in close.

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

Ferguson looking to score a takedown here. Rothko is defending well but Ferguson drives through and ends up in Rothko 's guard.
Rothko keeping full guard, as Ferguson tries to pass.
Ferguson not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Rothko looking to hit a scissor sweep but Ferguson is one step ahead there.
Ferguson must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Rothko is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Ferguson is aware though and is defending well.
bj Ferguson has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ferguson postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Ferguson content to stall in guard here.
Ferguson has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Ferguson stands and steps away. Rothko gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Rothko with a poor takedown

and Ferguson counters with a shoot takedown. Rothko fights it but they end up in guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ferguson won't allow Rothko to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rothko being controlled here, momentarily.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up. bj Ferguson was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Rothko throws a body punch but Ferguson moves out of range.

Ferguson shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Ferguson is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rothko flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Rothko is trying to stand back up but Ferguson is controlling him
Rothko trying to hold on to Ferguson's head to control him but Ferguson postures up.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ferguson slows the pace down in half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
bj Ferguson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Ferguson 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 Tiny Johnson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... bj Ferguson!
An intense looking bj Ferguson took to the microphone post fight and gave a little speech: 'This was a good fight. Can't wait for my next obstacle. (23-10)'.