PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Benoit Rousseau (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Maxim Semenov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Rousseau
vs
Semenov

171 cm
25
153 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

176 cm
25
145 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid boxing
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

CEC Nutrition Q160

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Benoit Rousseau!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Maxim Semenov!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Fedor Mirinova and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Semenov fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Semenov fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Semenov fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Benoit Rousseau has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Maxim Semenov.
Semenov has a takedown stuffed.
Semenov shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Rousseau but Rousseau pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Semenov tries for a takedown but Rousseau sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Semenov closes this distance looking for a takedown but Rousseau circles away.
Semenov fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Semenov takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Semenov on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Rousseau fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Semenov looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Maxim Semenov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Semenov looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Rousseau is fending him off so far but Semenov persists. Nope, Rousseau circles away and we're back to standing.
Rousseau fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Rousseau uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Semenov has time to react.
Rousseau ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Rousseau ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Rousseau throws a series of punches but Semenov moves out of range.
Benoit Rousseau is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Semenov tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Rousseau swivels and escapes.
Rousseau lands a right hook to the body.
A right-left combo lands from Rousseau.
Rousseau lands with a shot to the body.
Rousseau swings for the body but Semenov moves out of range.
Rousseau misses with a body shot.
Rousseau stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Rousseau wants it to stay on the feet.
Semenov shoots for a takedown but Rousseau saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Semenov shoots in looking for a takedown but Rousseau manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Semenov's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Semenov misses with a takedown attempt - Rousseau sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Semenov looks gassed!
Semenov misses with a takedown attempt - Rousseau sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Semenov misses with a takedown attempt
and Rousseau cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Semenov takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Semenov closes this distance looking for a takedown but Rousseau circles away.
Semenov takes a jab right on the kisser.
Rousseau connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Rousseau is looking to wear down Semenov with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Rousseau thuds a left hand into Semenov's body.
Rousseau fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Rousseau scores with a jab.
Semenov fails to land the takedown.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Semenov wants to clinch up but Rousseau keeps it at a distance.
Semenov is trying hard to land a takedown here. Rousseau sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Rousseau fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Semenov looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Semenov dives in and grabs Rousseau's left leg, looking for a takedown. Rousseau pushes down on Semenov's head and hops out.
Semenov tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Rousseau swivels and escapes.
Semenov moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Rousseau lands with a good body shot.
Rousseau throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Rousseau blocks the body kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rousseau stuffs the takedown attempt from Semenov. Semenov gets slowly back to his feet.
Semenov has a takedown stuffed.
Rousseau fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Semenov manages to avoid it.
Rousseau fails to land with a series of punches.
Rousseau thows a body shot but no joy.
Rousseau with a jab.
Semenov will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Semenov moves in looking to clinch but Rousseau pushes him off.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Semenov tries to clinch there but Rousseau circles away.
Semenov fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Rousseau swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Benoit Rousseau dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Rousseau jabs at Semenov's body.
Semenov tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Rousseau swivels and escapes.
Semenov shoots for a takedown but Rousseau saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Horrible takedown by Semenov or perhaps it was just good defense by Rousseau which made him look bad.
Benoit Rousseau has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Maxim Semenov.
Rousseau fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Semenov manages to avoid it.
Semenov shoots in but Rousseau avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Rousseau dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Maxim Semenov is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Semenov looks to clinch
and Rousseau connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Rousseau misses with a two punch combination.
Good standup being displayed there by Rousseau as he connects with a hook.
Semenov fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Semenov uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Rousseau.
Semenov shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Rousseau as he avoids it easily.
Semenov shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Rousseau counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Semenov thinking.
Semenov is breathing heavily.
Rousseau cracks a nice hook into Semenov's ribs.
Semenov dives in and grabs Rousseau's left leg, looking for a takedown. Rousseau pushes down on Semenov's head and hops out.
Rousseau stuffs the takedown attempt from Semenov. Semenov gets slowly back to his feet.
Rousseau works the jab nicely.
Semenov is trying desperately to land a takedown but Rousseau is having absolutely none of it. This is turning into a bit of a nightmare for Semenov.
Rousseau lands with a nice combination. Semenov backs away looking to recover.
Nice takedown defense from Rousseau. No joy for Semenov on that attempt.
Rousseau misses with a series of wild punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Semenov is trying hard to land a takedown here. Rousseau sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Benoit Rousseau is winning the standup battle so far.
Rousseau connects with a looping right hand.
Semenov shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Rousseau but Rousseau pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Semenov changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Rousseau tries to avoid it but Semenov manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Rousseau to the ground. Rousseau escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rousseau changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Nice takedown defense from Rousseau. No joy for Semenov on that attempt.
Rousseau stalks Semenov and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Semenov's face. Semenov staggers backwards, shaken.
Rousseau bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Rousseau lands with a good body shot.
Rousseau stuffs the takedown attempt from Semenov. Semenov gets slowly back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rousseau scores with a jab to the body.
Nice uppercut lands for Rousseau. That snapped Semenov's head back.
Semenov shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Rousseau defends it nicely.
Semenov looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Rousseau is fending him off so far but Semenov persists. Nope, Rousseau circles away and we're back to standing.
Rousseau lands with a good body shot.
Rousseau throws a body punch but Semenov moves out of range.
Semenov takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Semenov closes the distance and clinches up with Rousseau, looking for a takedown. Semenov pushes Rousseau against the cage but Rousseau circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Rousseau thuds a left hand into Semenov's body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Semenov shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Rousseau as he jumps to the side.
Semenov shoots in looking for a takedown. Rousseau tries to sprawl out of it but Semenov keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Rousseau manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Rousseau scores with a one two! Semenov had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Rousseau lands a body shot.
Rousseau looks to score with a jab to the body but Semenov is just out of range.
Semenov shoots in but Rousseau avoids the takedown attempt easily.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rousseau stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Rousseau wants it to stay on the feet.
Rousseau lands a jab to Semenov's midsection.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Benoit Rousseau dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Semenov fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Rousseau misses with a double jab
and Semenov counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Semenov throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Semenov tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Rousseau counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Rousseau misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Both these guys seem content to just stand up and trade with eachother but Semenov might want to think about changing up his gameplan a bit because over the course of the fight, Rousseau has got the better of the exchanges.
Rousseau stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Rousseau wants it to stay on the feet.
Semenov fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Benoit Rousseau has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Maxim Semenov.
Semenov tries for a takedown but Rousseau circles away easily
and Rousseau counters with a nice body shot.
Rousseau stuffs the takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rousseau scores with a jab. Semenov acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Semenov takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Rousseau works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Rousseau scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Rousseau connects with a looping right hand.
Semenov fails with a takedown attempt.
Semenov misses with a hook
enabling Rousseau to counter with a crisp jab.
Rousseau scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Rousseau goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
No luck for Semenov with that takedown attempt.
A left and a right from Rousseau both land. Nice combination.
Semenov walks into a left hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rousseau lands with a nice body punch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Semenov throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Rousseau's waist but Rousseau gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Semenov off to one side.
Semenov walks into a straight right hand from Rousseau.
Rousseau lands with an overhand left.
A looping hook to the body misses from Rousseau. Semenov does a little dance to reset his feet.
Semenov shoots in but no luck this time.
Semenov fails with the takedown
and Rousseau counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Rousseau's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Rousseau duly obliges.
Rousseau misses with a few strikes there.
Rousseau is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Semenov can do to turn this around?
Semenov tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rousseau paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Semenov takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Rousseau. No joy for Semenov on that attempt.
Rousseau lands a glancing blow to the side of Semenov's head.
Rousseau throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Semenov.
Semenov tries for a takedown but Rousseau sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Semenov looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Rousseau is fending him off so far but Semenov persists. Nope, Rousseau circles away and we're back to standing.
Benoit Rousseau is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Rousseau fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Semenov on the side of the head.
Rousseau takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Semenov tries to clinch up.
Rousseau slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Semenov tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Rousseau swivels and escapes.
Semenov has his takedown stuffed
and Rousseau counters with a left to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rousseau scores with a shot to the body.
Semenov shoots in and drives through. Rousseau sprawls well.
Jab, jab by Rousseau - just one landing.
Rousseau misses with the combination.
Semenov misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Rousseau scores with a shot to the body.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Semenov tries to clinch up
letting Rousseau counter with a right hand.

And that's the end of the fight!
Benoit Rousseau showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Rousseau 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 Valeri Chadov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Benoit Rousseau!
A less than humble Benoit Rousseau misjudged his post fight interview somewhat and came across a little too arrogant whilst trying to hype up his own abilities.