PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Hollis Ferguson (ranked 25765 p4p, 0 weight class) and Victor Stroev (ranked 7776 p4p, 0 weight class). Victor Stroev has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Ferguson
vs
Stroev

217 cm
18
161 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

175 cm
20
157 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Tends to cut

Pit Bull Development

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 2 - 4 - 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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Victor Stroev!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Sergei Dronov and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ferguson is trying hard to land a takedown here. Stroev sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Stroev closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Ferguson to the mat! Ferguson manages to get full guard.
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.
Ferguson wants to sweep here but Stroev controlling him for the moment.
Stroev wants to pass the guard but Ferguson is keeping the position.
Ferguson will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Ferguson throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Ferguson keeping full guard, as Stroev tries to pass.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ferguson trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Ferguson working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Stroev.
Stroev must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stroev controlling from the top position.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Stroev misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Ferguson slaps away a takedown attempt from Stroev, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Stroev looks winded!
Stroev wants to clinch but Ferguson slips to the side
and Ferguson counters with a good, hard body kick but Stroev shrugs it off.
Ferguson stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Ferguson wants it to stay on the feet.
Hollis Ferguson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Victor Stroev.
Stroev is looking to score with low kicks.
Stroev swats away the attempt to clinch by Ferguson.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ferguson darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Ferguson wants to stand but Stroev has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Stroev can do anything to dispel that myth.
Ferguson is trying to control the action in half guard but Stroev is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Stroev wants to sweep but Ferguson has passed to side control!
Stroev looks to move to half guard but instead Ferguson has passed into mount! Damn!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ferguson has control of Stroev's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Stroev regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Stroev working to try and regain half guard.

Ferguson stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
Ferguson tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Stroev manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Ferguson changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Stroev tries to avoid it but Ferguson manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Stroev to the ground. Stroev escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Ferguson tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Stroev defends well and Ferguson ends up having to push Stroev into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Ferguson shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Stroev pinned against the cage. Stroev gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Stroev takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Ferguson pushes Stroev up against the cage in a clinch.
Stroev has Ferguson pushed against the cage.

Ferguson has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Stroev uses from the top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hollis Ferguson dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Stroev changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Ferguson tries to avoid it but Stroev manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Ferguson to the ground. Ferguson escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Ferguson feinted with a counter takedown.
Ferguson tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Stroev manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Victor Stroev is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Stroev shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Ferguson as he avoids it easily.
Stroev shoots in looking for a takedown. Ferguson tries to sprawl out of it but Stroev keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Ferguson manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Hollis Ferguson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Victor Stroev.
Ferguson tries to clinch but Stroev moves out of range.
Ferguson shoots in for a takedown but Stroev shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Stroev is breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ferguson is trying hard to land a takedown here. Stroev sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Stroev shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Ferguson counters with a head kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ferguson fails with the takedown.
Ferguson has a takedown stuffed.
Stroev shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Ferguson counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Ferguson darts in looking for a takedown but Stroev gets double underhooks and turns Ferguson into the cage.
Ferguson shoots for a double leg takedown but Stroev sprawls well. He's pushed Ferguson's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Ferguson throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Stroev swats away the attempt to clinch by Ferguson.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ferguson dives in and grabs Stroev's left leg, looking for a takedown. Stroev pushes down on Ferguson's head and hops out.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Ferguson.
Stroev throws a head kick that misses.
Stroev misses with the body kick
letting Ferguson counter with a right hand.

Ferguson shoots in and bounces Stroev off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Stroev looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Ferguson puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ferguson is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Ferguson is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Stroev is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Well, if Ferguson is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Stroev is trying to control but can't.
Ferguson prevents Stroev from standing back up.
Stroev trying to control from the bottom.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ferguson tries to stand and escape but Stroev is controlling the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Ferguson fails with an attempt to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hollis Ferguson dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Ferguson doesn't manage to clinch there - Stroev circles away.
Stroev gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Ferguson counters with a flying knee. Nice.
The fight stays on the outside here - Ferguson looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Ferguson tries to clinch but Stroev is having none of it.
Ferguson with a body punch. A glancing blow.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ferguson shoots in for a takedown but Stroev shows good takedown defense.
Nice sprawl there from Stroev as Ferguson shoots in.
Stroev tries to score a power double leg takedown but Ferguson sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Stroev somewhat.
Ferguson is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Stroev.
Stroev takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stroev fails to land the takedown.
Ferguson attempts a counter takedown but Stroev avoids it well and moves away.
Hollis Ferguson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Victor Stroev.
Stroev keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Stroev tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Ferguson shoots in looking for a takedown but Stroev manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Ferguson's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Stroev counters with a body kick.
Hollis Ferguson is winning the standup battle so far.
Stroev keeps the fight on the outside.

Ferguson moves into the clinch successfully.
Stroev looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Ferguson fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Ferguson throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Stroev blocks it with crossed arms.
Stroev gets underhooks to prevent Ferguson's takedown attempt.

Ferguson ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Ferguson no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Stroev wants to control from the top but Ferguson keeps moving.
Hollis Ferguson overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stroev with a flurry of punches that miss.
Stroev trying to move into half guard but instead Ferguson has managed to sweep!

Stroev looking to control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ferguson is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

Ferguson thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Stroev wants to sweep but no luck.

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.
Stroev wants to get back to his feet but Ferguson passes into half guard.

Ferguson wants to work for an arm triangle but Stroev is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Stroev controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Victor Stroev has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

And that's the end of the fight!
Hollis Ferguson showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Ferguson has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Illya Tyunina scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 30:27

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