PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jack Poldi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dave Semenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Semenko's choice of entrance music: Popek - Pain be my guest. Dave Semenko has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Poldi
vs
Semenko

188 cm
28
220 lbs
14 - 7 - 0

183 cm
36
213 lbs
28 - 19 - 0

Good wrestling
Great elbows
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jack Poldi!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 28 - 19 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Dave Semenko!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Fedor Mirinova and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Poldi moves in looking to clinch but Semenko pushes him off.
A head kick by Semenko misses
and Poldi counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Semenko has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
Poldi tries to close the distance and clinch but Semenko swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Poldi moves into the clinch.
Poldi effectively controlling the action here.
Poldi is trying to drag Semenko to the mat but Semenko just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Semenko stalling the fight.
Poldi just leaning against Semenko, taking a breather.
Poldi looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Poldi managing to block the knees to the body from Semenko.
The referee calls for Poldi to work.
Poldi lands a body shot in the clinch.
Poldi stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Semenko looking for a takedown.
Semenko looks winded!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Semenko jumps guard but Poldi stands there with Semenko around his waist. Semenko gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Semenko prevents a body shot from Poldi.
Poldi gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

It looks like Dave Semenko has been cut.
Semenko tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Poldi avoids it.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Poldi looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Semenko struggles to land a body shot inside as Poldi controls his hands.
Poldi connects with a nasty looking knee right to Semenko's face.
Poldi lands a left hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Semenko lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Poldi softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Poldi can't find room to land a body shot as Semenko controls the action.
Poldi is struggling to control the position.
The crowd are getting pretty annoyed with Poldi for his constant stalling in the clinch and are voicing their displeasure.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Poldi gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Poldi misses with a punch to the body.
Semenko letting Poldi take a breather here.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Jack Poldi.
Poldi tests Semenko's chin there with a solid looking shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Poldi tries to close the distance and clinch but Semenko swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Poldi fails in his attempt to clinch.

Poldi has closed the distance and engaged Semenko in a clinch.
Poldi lands a hook that snaps the head of Semenko backwards.
Semenko lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Our sources have told us that Poldi has been working on his elbows in the gym.
Poldi dips a shoulder and cracks Semenko with a mighty uppercut! Semenko falls back against the cage and Poldi unloads with a barrage of strikes! Semenko is completely out with his eyes open, only supported by the cage! Save him ref! Eventually the ref decides to do his job and jumps in - Poldi screams abuse at the incompetent official before going over to celebrate with his corner. Brutal stuff!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:42 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Jack Poldi!
Jack Poldi retains his light heavyweight title!
After winning the bout, Jack Poldi thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.
Dave Semenko spoke after the fight, saying 'I will be back!'.