Tony Ferguson looked the real deal in a three round battle with Josh Thomson at UFC Fight Night 71 this evening, outclassing the veteran on the night, leaving him caked in blood courtesy of some vicious elbow strikes.
Round One:
Good body kick from Thomson as both men look to get busy in the center of the Octagon early in this fight. A little bit of range finding going on from both fighters.
Leg kick from Ferguson, but Thomson catches it and fires off a few punches afterwards. Thomson looks for a takedown, but Ferguson rolls nicely and gets right back up.
A couple of nice kicks from Ferguson now as he starts to get a little looser. Good kick for Thomson and then Ferguson lands a solid punch to the face.
Front kick to the body from Ferguson. Thomson flurries to the body and head without finding too much of a target. They exchange in close and Thomson is able to land a right hand.
Low kick from Ferguson. Another leg kick lands and Ferguson counters with a right hand. Kick to the body from Ferguson. He starts to lands a series of kicks to the legs and body.
Ferguson leaps into a knee strike, but Thomson is able to get him to the mat instead. Ferguson throws up his legs looking for a submission, but Thomson is savvy on the mat. Final 20 seconds and Thomson postures up and lands a few punches, then is back into Ferguson’s guard for the final seconds of the round.
Round Two:
Push kick to start the round from Ferguson. Ferguson taking the center of the Octagon as he has done for much of the fight so far. Thomson moving on the outside and lands a right hook. Big flurry from Thomson and one punch almost seems to knock him down but he just does a forward roll and is back up.
Ferguson with a kick to the body. Suddenly he lands a big elbow and Thomson drops to the mat. Ferguson starts to batter Thomson with strikes including some nasty elbows as he looks for the finish. Thomson just about hanging in there for now, then he gets a break as the ref stands them up, saying that Ferguson was grabbing the cage.
Thomson doesn’t quite understand why they’ve been stood up, but they get back to it and Ferguson is on the offensive again. Thomson’s still a little dazed out there, but he’s doing his best to meet fire with fire in the striking exchanges.
To the mat they go as Thomson stumbles on a spinning backfist attempt. It’s Ferguson who ends up on his back in the ensuing scramble and he’s landing some nasty elbows from the bottom and Thomson’s face is now soaked in blood from at least one cut.
Ferguson working on a triangle attempt and He cleverly switches things up with a kimura and then straight armbar attempt, but all that blood is making it slippy and Thomson rolls out and escapes. Thomson ends the round back on the feet landing some punches to show he’s still in this fight.
Round Three:
Thomson catches a kick, but can’t get Ferguson to the mat with it. Good jab from Ferguson. He lands a solid body kick now.
Low kick and a body kick from Ferguson. Now he lands an elbow to the head. More offense now including thos good elbow shots which are opening more cuts to THomson’s already bloodied head. Thomson tries to get something off himself with a body kick.
Body kick for Ferguson. Half the round to go. Leg kick for Ferguson. Another one and Thomson lands one of his own. Huge body kick from Ferguson and that one hurt Thomson but he tries his best not to show it.
Ferguson back to a leg kick. Body punch from Thomson. Thomson doing a lot of backing away here. Big knee strike to the upper body from Ferguson puts Thomson on his butt. He’s very tough though and gets back up.
Thomson lands a spinning backfist, but Ferguson just eats it. Ferguson goes for a superman punch of the cage.
A rare mistake from Ferguson in the final seconds as he gives up his back against the cage, but Thomson just hangs on and doesn’t attempt to take him down.
Decision:
No doubts about the winner here, Ferguson put on a clinic against a talented veteran in Thomson and gets the unanimous decision victory (30-27 x2, 30-26).
