PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Lorenzo Thompson (ranked 5396 p4p, 25023 weight class) and Yale Semnick (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Thompson
vs
Semnick

197 cm
25
245
1 - 1 - 0

182 cm
18
245
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Self confident

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Lorenzo Thompson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Yale Semnick !
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Jack Bonds and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thompson looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Semnick is fending him off so far but Thompson persists. Nope, Semnick circles away and we're back to standing.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Semnick has eaten all the pies!
Semnick on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Thompson looks for a takedown but Semnick sprawls well.
Semnick fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Thompson avoids it really well and circles away.
Semnick is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Thompson.

It looks like Yale Semnick has been cut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Thompson has Semnick up against the cage in a clinch.
Thompson is working for takedown but Semnick is calmly controlling the position for now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lorenzo Thompson. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Thompson manages to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Semnick shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Thompson as he avoids it easily.
Thompson went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Semnick stuffs the takedown.
Semnick tries to clinch up.
Thompson is trying hard to land a takedown here. Semnick sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Thompson dives in and grabs Semnick 's left leg, looking for a takedown. Semnick pushes down on Thompson's head and hops out.
Thompson fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Thompson closes the distance and clinches up with Semnick , looking for a takedown. Thompson pushes Semnick against the cage but Semnick circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Semnick tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Thompson counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Semnick kicks Thompson off and gets back to his feet.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Thompson avoids the body shot from Semnick .

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Thompson clinches up with Semnick and pushes him back against the cage.
Semnick is trying to force a seperation but Thompson has the dominant position.
Semnick is trying to push Thompson away but Thompson has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Thompson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Thompson dives in for a single leg takedown but Semnick sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Thompson goes for a takedown attempt but Semnick pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Nice sprawl there from Thompson as Semnick shoots in.
Semnick fails with the takedown
and Thompson counters with a stiff right hand.
Semnick fails with an attempt to clinch.
Semnick displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Thompson.
Thompson fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Semnick avoids it really well and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Semnick fails with the takedown.
Semnick goes for a double leg but Thompson avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Thompson continues to drive forward.
Semnick tries to close the distance and clinch but Thompson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Semnick looks to clinch
and Thompson counters with a two punch combo.
Semnick shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Thompson counters with a crisp right hand that drops Semnick ! Thompson lets Semnick back up to his feet, looking for a finish!

Semnick is rocked!
Thompson looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The fight stays on the outside here - Semnick looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Semnick has a takedown stuffed.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thompson stuffs the takedown.
Thompson feinted with a counter takedown.
No luck for Thompson with that takedown attempt.
Semnick misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Thompson has managed to clinch.
Semnick tries for a takedown but Thompson manages to get underhooks.
Thompson has Semnick pressed against the cage, preventing Semnick from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Thompson keeps control of Semnick as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Thompson can't get the takedown.

Thompson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Semnick on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Lorenzo Thompson dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Yale Semnick 's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Semnick tries to keep at a distance but Thompson has taken the fight into the clinch.

Thompson breaks from the clinch.
Thompson tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Semnick defends well and Thompson ends up having to push Semnick into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

Thompson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Horrible takedown attempt by Semnick or perhaps it was just good defense by Thompson, which made it look bad.
Semnick on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Thompson darts in and clinches Semnick up against the cage.
Semnick can't get the takedown.

Thompson decides to pull guard.
Thompson looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Semnick stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Thompson swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Thompson tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Thompson is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Semnick slips nicely into half guard.
Thompson trying to get back to full guard but Semnick takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Thompson wants to hold on but Semnick pushes him away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Semnick thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Thompson on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Thompson tries to get out of the position.
Semnick trying to control but Thompson is having none of it.
Semnick throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Thompson tries to lock up and control but Semnick gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Thompson tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Semnick looking to ground and pound but Thompson is blocking nicely.
Thompson tries to control the position but Semnick now has his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thompson is trying to stand back up.
I really don't envy Thompson right now.

Semnick is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Thompson knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Thompson for a finish.

Thompson preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Semnick .
A bit of a pause in the action here. Semnick controlling the positon.
Semnick tries to keep control of the position but Thompson is staying busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Semnick controls the action.
Semnick is looking to control Thompson but Thompson is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Thompson wants to control his opponent's hands but Semnick gets his hands free.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Thompson tries to escape the position.

Semnick patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Yale Semnick showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Yale Semnick 's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Thompson shoots in for a takedown but Semnick shows good takedown defense.
Semnick is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Thompson throws a head kick but Semnick moves out of range.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Thompson manages to break the clinch.
Semnick on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.

Thompson has closed the distance and engaged Semnick in a clinch.

Thompson breaks from the clinch.
Thompson goes for a double leg but Semnick avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Semnick continues to drive forward.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thompson lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

Thompson manages to break the clinch.
Thompson stuffs the takedown attempt from Semnick . Semnick gets slowly back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Thompson. No joy for Semnick on that attempt.
Thompson with a poor takedown

and Semnick counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lorenzo Thompson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Thompson is trying to stand up here but Semnick is controlling him well.
Thompson is looking for a sweep. Semnick is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Semnick misses with a head shot. Thompson uses the momentum to regain guard.
Semnick is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Semnick stopping the sweep attempt from Thompson.
Thompson wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thompson is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Semnick is controlling him.

Thompson is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Semnick is aware though and is defending well.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Horrible takedown attempt by Thompson or perhaps it was just good defense by Semnick , which made it look bad.

Semnick throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Thompson tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Semnick is in Thompson's guard.
Semnick controlling from the top position.

Thompson looking for subs off his back but Semnick has passed one foot through into half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thompson is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Thompson won't allow Semnick to pass to mount.
Semnick works his way into full mount!
Semnick wants to control the pace but Thompson is squirming around nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Thompson wants to control but Semnick is having none of it.
Thompson is in all sorts of trouble here.
Semnick throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Semnick can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Thompson is looking to escape.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Semnick controlling from mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Yale Semnick .
I think Semnick has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Yale Semnick !