Round 1
Cowboy opens with a leg kick. Tony is stalking. Cowboy is jabbing. The gap is so close and both men land jabs.
3:30 and Tony lands some punches. Cowboy responds.
3:00 left and both men trade leg kicks.
Tony is bobbing and weaving. Both men are trading shots.
Tony continues to push the pace. Cowboy looks affected by the pace.
1:00 left and Tony lands a couple body kicks. Cowboy is jabbing well but so it Tony.
Tony is cut over the right eye.
The round ends with a big flurry by both men.
My score - Tony - 10-9
Round 2
Tony comes out fast and lands a kick. Tony continues to push the pace. Tony's combinations are freezing Cowboy.
Tony looks like he is dancing in there.
Cowboy lands a 1 2 but Tony sticks Cowboy in the nose. Cowboy is bleeding from the nose.
Cowboy lands a head kick but Tony walks through it and lands punches and elbows.
Cowboy gets a take down with 2:00 left but Tony it back up.
Tony's jab is making a mess out of Cowboy's nose.
Cowboy his him in the groin but Tony just comes forward.
Every time Cowboy lands Tony lands two.
Tony lands a hard left elbow and a solid 2.
Tony his Cowboy with a 2 after the bell.
My score - Tony - 10-9
Round 3
Cowboy's face is messed up. Donald's right eye is closed. They are going to the replay to see if the strike caused the eye to shut.
Cowboy blew his nose and his eye closed.
Final Result - Tony Ferguson by TKO
Tony looks very sad and was hovering around Cowboy to make sure he was OK.
When Joe goes to Tony for the interview Tony tells Joe to talk to Cowboy first. Tony talks after and just praises Cowboy. Tony's face is relatively unmarked and Cowboy's face is the most busted up I have every seen.
I am pretty desperate to see Tony fight Khabib and it would be a massive loss for the sport if we don't get to see it someday or when one of them has begun to decline.
This was a massive win for Tony, Cowboy's record isn't the best so people may not hold him in high regard but this was a really determined Cowboy who was genuinely seeking the belt, not the same Cowboy who turned up against Darren Till without even knowing who he was fighting.
Round 1 could have gone either way but I too gave it to Tony, then round 2 was all Tony! He was lighting Cowboy up and seemed to have some kind of laser guided target system set on Cowboy's nose because he was hitting it dead on every time he went for it.
In one sense it was a shame to see it end the way it did, but it was really a blessing for Cowboy who would have only taken some unnecessary punishment in the third round. Tony showed no signs of slowing down or gassing, he can go all night.