PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Benny Dorsey (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sasha Arshavin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Arshavin has chosen All about us as his entrance music. Sasha Arshavin has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Dorsey
vs
Arshavin

165 cm
18
214 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

177 cm
18
207 lbs
0 - 7 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Benny Dorsey!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Sasha Arshavin!
The judges for this bout are Ryoma Takatsuka, Chris Saunders and Micheangelo Fripello.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Arshavin dives in and grabs Dorsey's left leg, looking for a takedown. Dorsey pushes down on Arshavin's head and hops out.
Dorsey moves in looking to clinch but Arshavin pushes him off.
Arshavin dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Sasha Arshavin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Dorsey closes the distance looking to clinch

and Arshavin moves into the clinch.
The referee is keeping an eye on Arshavin - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Dorsey has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Dorsey goes for a takedown attempt but Arshavin pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Dorsey attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Nice takedown defense from Dorsey. No joy for Arshavin on that attempt.
Arshavin looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Dorsey is fending him off so far but Arshavin persists. Nope, Dorsey circles away and we're back to standing.
Benny Dorsey has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sasha Arshavin.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dorsey lands a front kick.
Dorsey tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Arshavin manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Dorsey misses with a low kick.
Arshavin shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Dorsey as he avoids it easily.
Arshavin tries for a takedown but Dorsey circles away easily
and Dorsey counters with a right hand to the body.
Dorsey stuffs the takedown.
Dorsey really is a fat lump.
Arshavin misses with a hook.
Dorsey closes the distance and clinches up with Arshavin, looking for a takedown. Dorsey pushes Arshavin against the cage but Arshavin circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Arshavin.
Dorsey misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dorsey shoots in but Arshavin avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Dorsey.
Dorsey throws a sloppy head kick
and Arshavin counters with a leg kick.
Arshavin shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Dorsey shoots in for a takedown but Arshavin shows good takedown defense.

Arshavin scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Dorsey wants to get back to his feet.
Dorsey is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dorsey can't do much from the bottom here.
Dorsey is looking to reverse the position.

Arshavin stands up and beckons Dorsey to his feet.
Arshavin misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Arshavin has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.

Arshavin closes the distance and clinches.

Arshavin manages to pull guard.
Dorsey controls from within his opponent's guard.
Dorsey prevents Arshavin from getting back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dorsey sitting in guard here, content to control.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Arshavin can do anything to dispel that myth.
Arshavin managing to control the position.
Arshavin trying to keep a closed guard but Dorsey is proving a slippery customer.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Sasha Arshavin wasn't active enough on the ground.

Dorsey tries to keep at a distance but Arshavin has taken the fight into the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Dorsey's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sasha Arshavin 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.

Arshavin feints and as Dorsey raises his hands in defense, Arshavin changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Dorsey is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Arshavin is aware though and is defending well.
Dorsey is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Dorsey keeping moving, preventing Arshavin from controlling successfully.

Dorsey has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Arshavin off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Arshavin shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Arshavin shoots in for a double leg but Dorsey sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
A thudding body kick lands there by Dorsey!
Arshavin will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Benny Dorsey has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sasha Arshavin.
Arshavin is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arshavin has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Arshavin scores with a head kick. Dorsey tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.

It looks like Benny Dorsey has been cut.
Arshavin is looking to clinch.
Arshavin checks a leg kick.
Dorsey is looking to clinch.
Arshavin has a takedown stuffed.

Arshavin drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Dorsey looking to control.
Arshavin trying to control but Dorsey is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arshavin might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Dorsey haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Arshavin stops Dorsey from standing up.
Arshavin trying to control but Dorsey is working from the bottom.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Sasha Arshavin hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Dorsey misses with a head kick.
Arshavin tries to clinch there but Dorsey circles away.
Arshavin looks to land a combination but Dorsey avoids it well.
Dorsey stuffs the takedown attempt from Arshavin. Arshavin gets slowly back to his feet.
Dorsey thows a body shot but no joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Arshavin gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Dorsey blocks a body shot from Arshavin.

Dorsey manages to break the clinch.
Dorsey tries to close the distance and clinch but Arshavin swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Arshavin throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Dorsey misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Arshavin fails with a takedown attempt.

Arshavin drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dorsey is trying to buck Arshavin off.
Arshavin remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Arshavin trying to control the action but Dorsey is working from the bottom.
Arshavin prevents Dorsey from escaping the position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sasha Arshavin showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Benny Dorsey's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Arshavin fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Dorsey to the ground. Arshavin is now in Dorsey's guard.
Dorsey is trying to control the position but Arshavin postures up.
Dorsey working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Arshavin.

Arshavin drops back, looking for a kneebar! Dorsey looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Dorsey looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Dorsey!
Arshavin tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Dorsey is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Arshavin will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Dorsey trying to control the action but Arshavin is working from the bottom.
You can see the frustration on Arshavin's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dorsey controlling the position from side mount.
Arshavin tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Arshavin is working to avoid the ground and pound but Dorsey connects with a decent elbow.
Arshavin wants to get back to his feet but Dorsey drags him back down.
Arshavin takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Dorsey wants to control but Arshavin is keeping him busy.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arshavin is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Dorsey is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Arshavin tries to reverse the position but Dorsey maintains control.
Dorsey controlling from mount.
Dorsey tries to control but Arshavin wriggling away.

Dorsey swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Arshavin is now in Dorsey's guard. A big mistake from Dorsey there, giving up the dominant position!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arshavin won't allow Dorsey to get back to his feet.

We're going to have a standup here because Benny Dorsey wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
No luck for Arshavin with that takedown attempt.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Arshavin using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

Arshavin breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Dorsey shoots in and drives through. Arshavin sprawls well.
Arshavin shoots in looking for a takedown. Dorsey tries to sprawl out of it but Arshavin keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Dorsey manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arshavin fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Dorsey avoids it really well and circles away.
Benny Dorsey has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sasha Arshavin.
Arshavin lands with a thumping leg kick.

Dorsey shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Sasha Arshavin is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Dorsey got a little sloppy there for a moment and Arshavin has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Dorsey has managed to get both his arms back between Arshavin's legs - danger averted.
Dorsey sitting in guard, not really doing much.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Benny Dorsey.
Well Arshavin 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 Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 27:30
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sasha Arshavin!
An out of breath Sasha Arshavin thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.