PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Hollis Ferguson (ranked 5823 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ibragim Magomedov (ranked 8973 p4p, 0 weight class). Hollis Ferguson has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Ferguson
vs
Magomedov

217 cm
18
161 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

177 cm
19
155 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Hollis Ferguson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ibragim Magomedov!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Aleksandr Martynov and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Magomedov misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Magomedov lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Ferguson circles away quickly and effectively.

Magomedov moves into the clinch successfully.

Magomedov escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Ferguson moves into range and clinches up with Magomedov.
Magomedov tries to score a body lock takedown but Ferguson shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Magomedov is pressed up against the cage. Ferguson has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Magomedov down to the mat. Magomedov avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Ferguson shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Magomedov pinned against the cage. Magomedov gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ferguson misses with a body shot.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Ferguson.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Magomedov looks for a takedown but Ferguson sprawls well.
Magomedov leaves Ferguson with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hollis Ferguson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Magomedov fails with the takedown
and Ferguson counters with a big head kick but Magomedov shrugs it off.
Magomedov uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Ferguson.
Ferguson tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Ferguson looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Ferguson tries to stand but Magomedov is controlling from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Ferguson accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Magomedov can do anything to dispel that myth.

Magomedov is working an open guard so Ferguson takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Ferguson takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

It looks like Hollis Ferguson has been cut.
Ferguson shoots in looking for a takedown but Magomedov manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Ferguson's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Magomedov decides to pull guard.
Ferguson wants to get up but he can't break Magomedov's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Ferguson will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Magomedov bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Ferguson's guard.

Ferguson throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Magomedov content to stall in guard here.
Ferguson trying to keep a closed guard but Magomedov is proving a slippery customer.
Ferguson trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Magomedov stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ferguson swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Ferguson looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Magomedov has picked Ferguson up and slammed him! Ferguson can't keep hold of the triangle and Magomedov manages to pass to side control!
Ferguson is breathing heavily.
Magomedov happy to just control the position for now.
Ferguson is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Magomedov's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Magomedov passes into side control, despite Ferguson's attempt to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ibragim Magomedov dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Hollis Ferguson's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Magomedov rushes Ferguson and presses him up against the cage.
Ferguson throws a punch but it's blocked by Magomedov.
Magomedov is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Magomedov breaks the clinch.
Ibragim Magomedov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ferguson shoots in for a takedown but Magomedov shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Ferguson has a takedown stuffed.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice takedown defense from Ferguson. No joy for Magomedov on that attempt.
Ferguson fails with an attempt to clinch.

Magomedov clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Magomedov has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Ferguson is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Magomedov as Ferguson tries to tie him up.
Magomedov is trying to break free.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Magomedov jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Ferguson walks away with a smile on his face. Magomedov gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Hollis Ferguson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ibragim Magomedov.
Ferguson goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Ferguson looks for a takedown but Magomedov sprawls well.
Ferguson really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ferguson lands a right hook to the body.
A looping hook to the body misses from Ferguson. Magomedov does a little dance to reset his feet.
Ferguson fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.

Ferguson closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Magomedov wants to stand back up but Ferguson manages to pass into side control.
Ibragim Magomedov has got the better of the ground game so far.

Ferguson is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Magomedov is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Magomedov wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Magomedov is trying to control Ferguson's posture but Ferguson avoids it.
Magomedov tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Magomedov manages to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Ferguson is thwarting Magomedov's attempts to control the position.
Ferguson wants to stand up but Magomedov has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Magomedov missing with punches from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Ferguson is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Magomedov is looking to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Hollis Ferguson will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Hollis Ferguson's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Ferguson shoots in for a double leg but Magomedov sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Ferguson jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.

Magomedov closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Magomedov ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Magomedov no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Magomedov pulls Ferguson in close to his closed guard and prevents Ferguson from doing any damage or advancing position.
Magomedov is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ferguson tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ferguson punching from the bottom.
Magomedov controlling the action here.
Magomedov's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Magomedov tries to pass the half guard into mount. Ferguson knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Ferguson tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Magomedov manages to move to mount!
Magomedov trying to control but Ferguson is having none of it.
Ferguson tries to hold on but Magomedov postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ferguson tries to control the position but Magomedov now has his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ferguson trying to control but not successfully.
Magomedov controls the action.
Ferguson can't escape the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Ferguson defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Magomedov's arms.
Magomedov has good solid back control here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Magomedov has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Ferguson has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!

Ferguson is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ferguson trying to get back to his feet but Magomedov is in full control for now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ibragim Magomedov comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Magomedov 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ibragim Magomedov!