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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Dave Semenko (ranked 34 p4p, 6 weight class) and Akoni Gray (ranked 27 p4p, 5 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.
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| 191 cm
31
220 lbs
12 - 1 - 0 |
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189 cm
32
210 lbs
26 - 4 - 1 |
Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible |
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Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin |
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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of
12 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dave Semenko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of
26 - 4 - 1, fighting out of New York, Akoni Gray!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Yukihiro Shimada and Hirohito Nitta.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gray ducks under a wild hook from Semenko.
Crunch! Gray slams his shin into Semenko's torso.
Gray misses with a looping left.
Semenko throws a leg kick that is checked
and Gray counters with a stiff right hand.
Semenko on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Gray scores with a sloppy right hand. Semenko should have avoided that one.
Gray throws a left and a right that both miss
and Semenko counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Gray throws a leg kick but Semenko checks it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A head kick misses from Semenko.
Gray looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Gray throws a poor cross that misses
and Semenko counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Semenko lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
It looks like Akoni Gray has been cut.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gray moves away from the strike by Semenko.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Semenko looks to land a right hand but Gray moved out of range.
Semenko takes one on the button.
Gray throws a body kick that misses.
Semenko has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Guerrilla MMA in the buildup to the fight.
Gray throws a nice looking combination but Semenko bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Gray avoids the body shot from Semenko.
Gray keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Semenko chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Gray can pounce on him.
Gray throws a wild body kick that Semenko sees coming a mile off.
Gray rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Semenko counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
A shot to the body from Gray misses
and Semenko counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Gray throws a predictable looking body shot
and Semenko counters with a lovely straight right hand!
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gray throws a low kick, looking for Semenko's leg but Semenko calmly moves out of range.
Gray with a jab.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Gray rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Semenko moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
A lazy body kick from Gray
and Semenko counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Gray cracks Semenko with a good jab.
Semenko looks to land a left hand but Gray moved out of range nicely.
Semenko throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Gray jabs Semenko to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Gray throws a leg kick but Semenko moved away.
Gray throws a lazy right hand but Semenko sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Gray has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
Gray on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Semenko walks into a stiff left hand from Gray.
Nice defenses there by Gray.
Gray pulls out of a head kick attempt.
As Gray backs away, Semenko returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Gray steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Semenko.
An inside leg kick lands from Semenko.
Akoni Gray seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Semenko lands with a right hand.
A jab from Gray misses.
Gray jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Gray is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Semenko had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
Semenko rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Gray counters with a nice uppercut.
Semenko misses with the combination.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gray looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Semenko tries to bum rush Gray with a series of wild strikes but Gray uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Semenko sets himself, and Gray steps forward looking for the clinch! Semenko avoids it this time.
Semenko misses with a wild body shot.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Gray cracks Semenko with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Gray closes the distance and pushes Semenko back into the cage.
Semenko swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Gray goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Gray lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Semenko backwards.
Gray lands a body shot in the clinch.
Semenko prevents a body shot from Gray.
Semenko lands a right hand.
Gray pushes Semenko back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Gray takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
A close round but Akoni Gray will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Akoni Gray's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Semenko. Gray shrugs it off though.
Semenko uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Gray.
Semenko throws a nice outside leg kick.
Gray lands a leg kick that knocks Semenko off balance momentarily.
Semenko throws a shot from downtown. Gray moves away and avoids it.
Semenko ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Gray moves away.
Semenko throws the left hand but Gray avoids the punch easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Semenko throws a hook but Gray avoids it easily.
Gray dips to his left and cracks Semenko with an uppercut!
Gray misses with a kick to the body.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Semenko throws a looping overhand right but Gray ducks down to avoid it.
A clash of legs there as Semenko blocks the low kick.
Semenko scores with a kick to the body.
Gray tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Semenko lands with a cross.
A looping hook to the body misses from Semenko. Gray does a little dance to reset his feet.
Semenko misses with a hook to the body
and Gray counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Gray scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Semenko misses with an attempted mid kick.
Gray is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Gray lands a nice shot to the body.
Semenko misses with a low kick.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Semenko throws a body punch but Gray moves out of range.
Gray waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Semenko.
The fighters circling - Semenko throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Gray cracks Semenko with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Semenko comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Semenko throws a body kick that misses
and Gray counters with a thumping low kick.
Semenko ducks under a wild hook from Gray.
Gray throws a leg kick but Semenko moved away.
Gray on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Semenko. Semenko obviously looking to wear him down.
Gray moves out of range as Semenko strikes.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gray is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Gray motions for Semenko to come forward. Gray throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Semenko throws an overhand right that lands on Gray's shoulder, as Gray tries to avoid the shot.
Semenko throws a body shot but no joy.
Gray ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Semenko moves away.
Gray swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Semenko counters with a straight right hand.
Gray on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Semenko tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Gray was well out of range. Poor timing from Semenko.
Semenko throws out a leg kick but Gray moves out of range and Semenko only half commits.
Gray looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Semenko tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Gray was well out of range. Poor timing from Semenko.
Good work by Semenko as he checks the leg kick.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice defenses there by Gray.
Gray throws a head kick but Semenko moves out of range.
Gray fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Semenko has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Gray moves out of range of the body kick.
Gray is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Semenko with a body shot.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Semenko.
The fight stays on the outside here - Gray looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Gray moves out of range of the body kick.
Gray moves away from the strike by Semenko.
Gray moves out of range as Semenko strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
That was a close second round but I would say that Dave Semenko will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Akoni Gray's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.
Semenko misses with a low kick.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Gray.
Dave Semenko is winning the standup battle so far.
Gray motions for Semenko to come forward. Gray throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Gray changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Gray does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
A big left from Semenko misses.
Semenko lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Semenko staying out of range there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Semenko misses with a hook.
A shot to the liver by Gray. Beautiful body shot.
Gray scores with the left hand. Semenko knows he should have avoided that one.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Gray scores with a nice head shot.
Gray with a hook.
A jab from Gray does it's job there.
Gray gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Semenko prevents a body shot from Gray.
Gray blocking some punches.
Semenko with a knee to the head.
Gray works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Gray misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Semenko lands a shoulder strike.
Semenko's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Gray avoiding damage as Semenko throws knees to the body.
Gray fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Semenko misses with a punch to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Semenko lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Gray backwards.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gray struggles to land a body shot inside as Semenko controls his hands.
Gray tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Gray.
Semenko using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Gray takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Gray misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Semenko breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Gray misses with a hook.
Gray blocks the body kick.
Semenko lands a slapping body shot.
Gray connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Semenko's hands.
Gray connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Gray checks a leg kick nicely.
Semenko slips under a jab.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gray connects with a crisp jab.
Gray on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Semenko. Semenko obviously looking to wear him down.
Gray lands a slapping body shot.
Semenko throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Semenko pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
A low kick from Semenko misses
and Gray counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Gray is looking to clinch.
Gray fails with an attempt to clinch.
Gray cracks Semenko with a good jab.
Gray looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gray with a hook.
Semenko throws a body punch but Gray moves out of range.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Gray in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
A jab from Gray does it's job there.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gray moves out of range of the body kick from Semenko.
Semenko misses with a wild combination.
Gray looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Gray fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Semenko manages to avoid it.
It looked like Semenko wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Gray looks to land a combination. Semenko sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Semenko is rocked!
Gray drops a shoulder and throws an uppercut that cracks Semenko right on the button. Semenko goes down! Gray follows him to the mat and finishes the job with more strikes! Gray gets the win via TKO!
Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Akoni Gray!
Akoni Gray decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
56% |
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