PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Rodrigo Diaz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Qadir Ferguson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Diaz
vs
Ferguson

177 cm
18
177 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

178 cm
21
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Counter fighter
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Rodrigo Diaz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Qadir Ferguson!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Valeri Chadov and Fedor Mirinova.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ferguson has managed to clinch.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Diaz.
Diaz wants to take the fight to the mat but Ferguson manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Diaz is trying to drag Ferguson to the mat but Ferguson just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Diaz is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Ferguson pulls him back up using the underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rodrigo Diaz. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Diaz escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Diaz tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ferguson swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Diaz closes the distance and clinches.

Ferguson breaks the clinch.

Diaz tries to sprawl but Ferguson drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Ferguson prevents Diaz from improving his position.
Diaz is trying to maintain the position but Ferguson is very close to passing his half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ferguson decides to return to a standing position.
Rodrigo Diaz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ferguson keeps the fight on the outside.
Ferguson shoots for a double leg takedown but Diaz sprawls well. He's pushed Ferguson's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Ferguson shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Diaz as he jumps to the side.
Ferguson looks for a takedown but Diaz sprawls well.
Ferguson throws a head kick but Diaz moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Nice sprawl there from Ferguson as Diaz shoots in.
Ferguson swats away the attempt to clinch by Diaz.
Ferguson misses with the combination.
Diaz will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Diaz rushes Ferguson and presses him up against the cage.
Diaz tries for a takedown but Ferguson manages to get underhooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Ferguson to keep the fight standing.
Diaz tries to pull guard but Ferguson forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Diaz as Ferguson tries to tie him up.

Ferguson manages to break the clinch.
Diaz tries for a takedown but Ferguson sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Diaz fails with a takedown attempt.
Diaz is breathing heavily.

Ferguson gets a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ferguson pulls Diaz into guard.
Diaz trying to control but Ferguson is working from the bottom.

We're going to have a standup here because Rodrigo Diaz wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Ferguson tries for a takedown but Diaz circles away easily

and Diaz counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Diaz drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Qadir Ferguson will probably get the nod.
That's time! Diaz's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Diaz fails with the takedown

and Ferguson counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Diaz's guard now.
Diaz is adopting a defensive guard.
Diaz not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Diaz looking for a sweep. Not yet Diaz, not yet.
Ferguson pushing down on Diaz's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Diaz wants to get back to full guard but Ferguson has mounted him!
Ferguson controlling the pace for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz trying to control the position from guard on top but Ferguson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ferguson seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

Diaz got a little sloppy there for a moment and Ferguson has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Diaz has managed to get both his arms back between Ferguson's legs - danger averted.
Diaz is looking to work some ground and pound but Ferguson has wrist control.
Diaz working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Diaz being controlled here momentarily.
Ferguson avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz throwing strikes but missing.
Ferguson working a defensive guard here.
Diaz trying to control the position from guard on top but Ferguson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Diaz tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Ferguson counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Diaz misses with a takedown attempt

and Ferguson counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz is trying to get back to full guard.
Ferguson looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Ferguson seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Diaz does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Ferguson is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Diaz missing with punches from the bottom.
Ferguson wants to control but Diaz is keeping him busy.

Qadir Ferguson has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Diaz fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rodrigo Diaz. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ferguson slaps away a takedown attempt from Diaz, before circling back to the center of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ferguson misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Ferguson tries to land a front kick but Diaz steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Rodrigo Diaz is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Diaz fails with the takedown.
Diaz tries to clinch there but Ferguson circles away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ferguson stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Ferguson wants it to stay on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Qadir Ferguson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get 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.

Diaz tries to close the distance and clinch but Ferguson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Diaz dives in for a single leg takedown but Ferguson sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Diaz is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Diaz has Ferguson pressed against the cage.
Ferguson lands a left hand.
Diaz keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Ferguson's efforts to push away.
Diaz jumps guard but Ferguson turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rodrigo Diaz. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Diaz wants a takedown but no success here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Diaz turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Ferguson tries to buck Diaz off but Diaz is having none of it.
Ferguson manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Ferguson moves into full guard.
Ferguson utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Ferguson is pulling down on Diaz's head to control his posture.
Diaz postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Diaz being controlled here momentarily.
Diaz wants to control from the top but Ferguson keeps moving.
Diaz has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ferguson seems keen to control Diaz's posture.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Ferguson is defended easily by Diaz.
Diaz fails with an attempt to clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Diaz fails in his attempt to clinch.
Ferguson stuffs the takedown attempt from Diaz. Diaz gets slowly back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Diaz closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Ferguson to the mat! Ferguson manages to get full guard.
Diaz throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Diaz being controlled here momentarily.
Diaz trying to control but Ferguson is working from the bottom.
Ferguson is controlling Diaz's posture.
Diaz throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Ferguson works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diaz trying to control the position from guard on top but Ferguson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Rodrigo Diaz just wasn't active enough.
Diaz goes for a double leg but Ferguson avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Ferguson continues to drive forward.
Ferguson is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Diaz tries to score a body lock takedown but Ferguson shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Diaz wants to take the fight to the mat but Ferguson manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Ferguson is trying to drag Diaz to the mat but Diaz just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

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 Rodrigo Diaz.
I think Ferguson has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 28:29
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Qadir Ferguson!