PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between John Muir (ranked 89 p4p, 17 weight class) and Dave Semenko (ranked 60 p4p, 10 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Muir
vs
Semenko

180 cm
32
226 lbs
21 - 6 - 0

191 cm
34
220 lbs
17 - 5 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Zenith Nutrition (160q/$200)
Bloodsport clothing

HELLBENT
Conviction

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 21 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, John Muir!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dave Semenko!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Semenko cracks the inside of Muir's front leg.
Semenko has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Muir 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.
Muir throws a leg kick
and Semenko counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Semenko paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Muir throws out a powerful jab.
Semenko circles away from the clinch attempt
and Semenko counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
A shot to the liver by Muir. Beautiful body shot.
Semenko takes a swing at Muir's ribcage but misses.
A looping hook to the body misses from Semenko. Muir does a little dance to reset his feet.
Muir thows a left - swing and a miss!
Muir misses with a leg kick
and Semenko counters with a nice leg kick.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Muir dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Semenko. That did some damage!
Muir lands a lovely overhand right.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Muir wants to clinch
and Semenko counters with a nice leg kick.
Muir scores with a nice right hand.
Semenko keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Semenko fails with an attempt to clinch.
Semenko walks into a left hand.
Muir misses with an uppercut.
Semenko throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Muir is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Semenko uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Muir.
Semenko now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Semenko ducks under a wild hook from Muir.
Muir takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Muir just misses with a punch to the body.
Muir takes one on the chin but seems OK.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A telegraphed right hand from Muir misses the target.
Dave Semenko is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Muir on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Semenko looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Muir is looking to slow Semenko down with leg kicks.
Muir is looking light on his feet compared to last time was saw him fight.
Semenko connects with a jab.
Muir misses with the combination.
Semenko uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Muir.
Semenko circles away from the clinch attempt
and Semenko counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Muir is lucky that one didn't land flush.
John Muir seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Semenko takes the fight into the clinch.
Muir has a couple of punches blocked by Semenko.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Muir misses with a punch on the inside.
Muir throws a punch but it's blocked by Semenko.
Semenko putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Muir in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Muir misses with a hook from the clinch.
Muir misses with a punch on the inside.
Semenko tries to work over Muir's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Muir lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Semenko or not.
Semenko swings wildly with an uppercut but Muir uses good head movement to avoid it.
A right handed body shot lands from Semenko.
Semenko softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Semenko is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Muir is defending well for now.
Semenko gets through Muir's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Semenko works on Muir's body with a couple of short punches.
Muir avoiding damage as Semenko throws knees to the body.
Muir tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Muir swings wildly with an uppercut but Semenko uses good head movement to avoid it.
Semenko tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Semenko.
Semenko struggles to land a body shot inside as Muir controls his hands.
Muir can't find room to land a body shot as Semenko controls the action.
Semenko lands on the inside with an uppercut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Semenko stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Semenko takes a shot to the head.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Semenko.
Muir lands a hook that snaps the head of Semenko backwards.
Muir swings away with an uppercut that misses.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Semenko.

Muir has Semenko pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Muir pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Semenko tumbling to the mat - Muir dives into Semenko's guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.

Semenko has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Muir is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
A nice left hand lands by Semenko.
Semenko lands a right hand that snaps the head of Muir backwards.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Muir digs a right hand into Semenko's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Semenko's gas tank.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dave Semenko dominated that round.
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 has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Muir.
Dave Semenko seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Muir lands a really nice looking cross but Semenko seems unphased.
Semenko tries to land a leg kick but Muir saw it coming and moves away.
Muir misses with a hook. Semenko ducked under it nicely.
A nice side step and Semenko releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Semenko takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Muir slips under a jab.
Muir misses with a hook. Semenko ducked under it nicely.
Semenko has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Semenko moves out of range of the strikes.
Muir misses with a wild body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Muir scores with a jab. Semenko acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Semenko misses with a body kick.
Muir swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Semenko.
A telegraphed right hand from Muir misses the target.
Semenko thinks about the counter body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Muir lands an overhand right.
Muir swings widly with a right hand
and Semenko counters with a nice body shot.
Semenko misses with a wild body shot.
Semenko slips under a jab.
Muir connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Semenko moves out of range as Muir strikes.
Muir throws a quick inside leg kick.
Semenko pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Muir half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Muir rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Semenko counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
A low kick from Muir misses
and Semenko makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Muir shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Semenko cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Semenko lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
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!
Muir uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Semenko.
Muir was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Semenko slaps away a takedown attempt from Muir, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Muir throws an overhand right that lands on Semenko's shoulder, as Semenko tries to avoid the shot.
Muir moves out of range of the body kick from Semenko.
Muir throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Semenko.
Muir throws a lazy uppercut
and Semenko connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Muir wants to clinch
and Semenko counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Semenko misses with a kick to the body
and Muir connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Muir misses with an uppercut. Semenko saw that one coming.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Semenko leaves Muir with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Muir. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Muir throws a predictable looking body shot
and Semenko counters with a lovely straight right hand!
A jab from Muir misses.
Muir walks into a jab.
Muir falls off balance throwing a combination
and Semenko counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Muir shoots for a takedown but Semenko saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Semenko lands with a nice body punch.
A shot to the body from Muir misses
and Semenko counters with a thumping low kick.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Semenko throws a leg kick which misses Muir's front leg but catches the back leg as Muir tries to avoid it.
Muir swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Muir will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Semenko thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Muir if he has to take too many more of those.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Semenko fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Muir on the side of the head.
Semenko on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Semenko ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
A lazy left from Semenko finds it's target.
Muir lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Muir throws a right hand that misses
and Semenko counters with a nice body kick.
Muir shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Nice uppercut there from Semenko.

Muir is rocked!
Semenko steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Muir.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dave Semenko showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action!

Semenko uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Muir.
Semenko keeps the fight on the outside.
Semenko takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Muir defending well as Semenko loads up on a big left hand.
Muir is looking to clinch but Semenko is avoiding it.
Muir on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Semenko. Semenko obviously looking to wear him down.
Muir is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Muir tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Semenko was well out of range. Poor timing from Muir.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Muir moves in looking to clinch but Semenko pushes him off.
Semenko swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Semenko cracks a nice hook into Muir's ribs.

Muir fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Semenko, pushing him back against the cage.
Muir swings away with an uppercut that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Muir.
Semenko is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Muir is defending well for now.
A short left from Semenko.
Good body shot from Semenko.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Semenko working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Semenko makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Semenko struggles to land a body shot inside as Muir controls his hands.
Muir wants to take the fight to the mat but Semenko manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Muir swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Semenko lands a body punch in the clinch.
Semenko lands with a left to the head.
Semenko goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Semenko lands a shoulder strike.
Semenko with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
A short uppercut from Semenko.
Muir takes a knee to the side of the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Semenko jerks Muir's head down, straight into the path of a devastating knee! Muir drops to the floor in a crumpled heap! Semenko goes to throw a finishing haymaker but pulls out - good sportsmanship from Semenko because Muir was completely out of it. That was a nice finish - just the right level of brutality to send everyone home happy.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Knee). Dave Semenko! Dave Semenko retains his light heavyweight title!
A relieved looking Dave Semenko thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.