PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Dominick Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Isaiah Ferguson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). On his way into the cage it seems that Dominick Cruz has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Dominick Cruz seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Cruz
vs
Ferguson

150 cm
18
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

165 cm
25
145 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Cuts easily

Good takedowns
Brawler
Very confident

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dominick Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Isaiah Ferguson!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Chris Downing and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ferguson shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Cruz but Cruz pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Ferguson with a poor takedown
and Cruz counters with an inside leg kick.
Ferguson waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Cruz.
Ferguson throws a combination. Cruz tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Horrible takedown by Ferguson or perhaps it was just good defense by Cruz which made him look bad.
Dominick Cruz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Isaiah Ferguson.
Cruz avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Cruz thumps Ferguson with a low kick.
Ferguson misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Cruz.
Cruz misses with a series of wild punches.
Ferguson loads up on a big right hand but Cruz slips the punch.
Ferguson darts in trying to clinch

and Cruz counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Cruz.
Cruz has Ferguson pressed against the cage, preventing Ferguson from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cruz gets control of Ferguson's arms and successfully pulls guard. Cruz will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Ferguson trying to control but Cruz is working from the bottom.

Cruz is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Ferguson trying to control but Cruz is working from the bottom.
Cruz could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Ferguson stopping the sweep attempt from Cruz.
Cruz throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ferguson drops back looking for a leg! Cruz is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Cruz manages to kick Ferguson off! Ferguson jumps back into Cruz's guard.
Cruz wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Ferguson trying to control but Cruz is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Isaiah Ferguson hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Cruz swats away the attempt to clinch by Ferguson.

Cruz scores with a takedown into Ferguson's guard.
Cruz postures up.
Cruz wants to control from the top but Ferguson keeps moving.
Cruz looking to sit in guard and control but Ferguson gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Ferguson working some strikes from top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz trying to keep a closed guard but Ferguson is proving a slippery customer.
Cruz is breathing heavily.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Ferguson passes into half guard.
Cruz might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Cruz is staying active underneath Ferguson, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Ferguson works his way into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cruz is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Ferguson is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ferguson fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Ferguson pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Ferguson trying to control but he's not successful this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Ferguson is looking to score with low kicks.
Ferguson shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Cruz shoots in and bounces Ferguson off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Cruz trying to control the position from guard on top but Ferguson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Isaiah Ferguson has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ferguson looking to control.
Ferguson is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Cruz is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Dominick Cruz has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Ferguson tries a head kick but it misses.
Ferguson throws a body kick that misses.
Cruz leaves Ferguson with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Ferguson darts in trying to clinch

and Cruz holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Cruz jumps guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ferguson wants to control from the top but Cruz keeps moving.
Ferguson passes easily into side control. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Cruz's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Cruz is not content to let Ferguson control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ferguson scores with punches from side control.
Ferguson trying to control the action but Cruz is working from the bottom.

Ferguson in side control, working for a kimura. He's got hold of an arm and he's torquing it... Cruz is tapping! That's the end of the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:56 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Isaiah Ferguson!