PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Sean Ferguson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yoshia Denton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Ferguson
vs
Denton

177 cm
18
188 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

177 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Sean Ferguson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Yoshia Denton!
The judges for this bout are Elvis Blanc, Dillan Fox and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ferguson tries to clinch up.
Denton throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Denton is looking to clinch but Ferguson is avoiding it.

Denton gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Ferguson tries to break free but Denton pushes him back against the cage.
Ferguson misses with a body punch.
Denton jumps guard but Ferguson stands there with Denton around his waist. Denton gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Denton goes for a takedown attempt but Ferguson pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Denton tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Ferguson swivels and escapes.
Sean Ferguson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yoshia Denton.
Ferguson throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ferguson tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Denton swivels and escapes.

Ferguson shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Denton manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

Denton is looking for a triangle but Ferguson pushes his legs off easily.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Denton can do anything to dispel that myth.
Ferguson is fighting to break Denton's control of his arms but Denton is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ferguson throwing strikes but missing.

Ferguson drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Denton manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Ferguson has Denton in his guard.

Denton thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Denton stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ferguson swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Denton wants to stand but Ferguson is controlling his posture from full guard.
Denton looking to sit in guard and control but Ferguson gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Denton looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Denton is looking for a triangle but Ferguson pushes his legs off easily.
Denton looks gassed!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Denton throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

Ferguson got a little sloppy there for a moment and Denton has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Ferguson has managed to get both his arms back between Denton's legs - danger averted.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Ferguson dives in and grabs Denton's left leg, looking for a takedown. Denton pushes down on Ferguson's head and hops out.
Ferguson fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Denton shoots in for a takedown but Ferguson shows good takedown defense.
Ferguson tries for a takedown but Denton circles away easily

and Denton moves into the clinch.

Denton breaks from the clinch.
Ferguson changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Denton tries to avoid it but Ferguson manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Denton to the ground. Denton escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Ferguson tries for a takedown but Denton sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Denton darts in and clinches Ferguson up against the cage.

Denton manages to break the clinch.

Denton drives through and clinches with Ferguson against the cage.
Denton drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Ferguson gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Denton scores with an uppercut up the middle.
With the fighters up against the cage, Denton throws an elbow but misses.
Denton tries for a takedown. No joy.
Denton is trying to break the clinch but Ferguson has him pressed against the cage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ferguson tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Denton just stands there and leans against the cage.
Denton tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Ferguson smiles and moves away.
Ferguson tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Denton moves into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yoshia Denton dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Nice takedown defense from Denton. No joy for Ferguson on that attempt.
Ferguson defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Denton.
No joy there for Denton, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Denton looks for a takedown but Ferguson sprawls well.
Ferguson looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Ferguson tries for a takedown but Denton sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Ferguson doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Denton counters with a nice double leg into side control. Ferguson won't be happy with that.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sean Ferguson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Denton postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Denton tries to move to mount but Ferguson blocks the move with his legs.
Ferguson wants to control but Denton postures up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Denton tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Denton has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Denton stands up and beckons Ferguson to his feet.
Ferguson shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Denton pinned against the cage. Denton gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Nice sprawl there from Ferguson as Denton shoots in.
Denton wants to slow Ferguson down by chopping away at his legs.
Ferguson stuffs the takedown.
Ferguson misses with a takedown attempt
and Denton counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Denton closes the distance and clinches.

Denton breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Denton scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Ferguson shoots in and drives through. Denton sprawls well.
Denton throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
A head kick misses from Denton.
Ferguson changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Denton tries to avoid it but Ferguson manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Denton to the ground. Denton escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Denton fails with a takedown attempt.
Sean Ferguson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ferguson looks for a takedown but Denton sprawls well.
Ferguson closes the distance looking to clinch
and Denton counters with a one-two to the body.
Ferguson has a takedown stuffed.
Denton scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Ferguson doesn't seem bothered though.
Denton dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

Denton fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Ferguson, pushing him back against the cage.

Denton manages to pull guard.

Denton scrambles and gets back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ferguson closes this distance looking for a takedown but Denton circles away.
Sean Ferguson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Denton.

Ferguson shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Ferguson postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Denton is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Ferguson, into his guard.
Ferguson looking to hit a scissor sweep but Denton is one step ahead there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yoshia Denton 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. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Denton darts in and clinches Ferguson up against the cage.
Denton gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Ferguson.
Denton gets underhooks to prevent Ferguson's takedown attempt.

Denton drags the fight down to the ground.
Denton wants to sweep here but Ferguson controlling him for the moment.
Denton trying to control the position here.
Denton looking to hit a scissor sweep but Ferguson is one step ahead there.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ferguson prevents Denton from getting back to his feet.
Denton has control of Ferguson's left arm, preventing Ferguson from doing any damage.
Denton really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Ferguson. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Ferguson has gone for a leg lock! Denton slips out almost immediately though and dives into Ferguson's guard.
Ferguson keeping full guard, as Denton tries to pass.
Denton is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Denton lands a couple of decent looking shots.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ferguson is working an open guard so Denton takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Denton has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Denton with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Denton goes for a takedown in the clinch but Ferguson prevents it.
Denton changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Ferguson fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Ferguson doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Denton decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Ferguson's guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sean Ferguson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ferguson not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Denton is stalling in the full guard.
Denton trying to control the position from guard on top but Ferguson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ferguson working a defensive guard here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Yoshia Denton comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Denton 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 Elvis Blanc scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 27:30
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Yoshia Denton!