PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Akoni Gray (ranked 1 p4p, 1 weight class) and Dave Semenko (ranked 26 p4p, 7 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Gray
vs
Semenko

189 cm
36
210 lbs
37 - 4 - 1

191 cm
34
220 lbs
17 - 4 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

KOMBAT KLOTHING
UnderGround Clothing Co.

HELLBENT
Conviction

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 37 - 4 - 1, fighting out of New York, Akoni Gray!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dave Semenko!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gray looks to score with a jab to the body but Semenko is just out of range.
A countering left hand to the body from Semenko misses.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Semenko, right into the meat.
A jab from Semenko misses.
A little feinted left hand from Gray on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Gray moves forwards but Semenko connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Semenko has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Gray is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Semenko ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Semenko wants to counter the offense by Gray and move into the clinch position.
A solid leg kick lands there for Semenko.
Semenko keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Gray.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Semenko uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Gray.
Gray takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Semenko misses with a wild body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Semenko closes the distance and pushes Gray back into the cage.
Semenko takes a shot to the head.
Semenko misses with a body punch.
Gray definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Gray misses with a short punch on the inside.
Gray wants to get back to striking at distance but Semenko won't allow it.

Gray escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Gray thows a leg kick but Semenko checks it
and Semenko counters with a stiff right hand.
Gray throws an off balance right hand
and Semenko counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

It looks like Akoni Gray has been cut.

Semenko moves into range and clinches up with Gray.
Gray takes a shot to the head.
Semenko misses with a punch on the inside.
Gray misses with a hook from the clinch.
Gray lands an uppercut.
Semenko lands a good knee to the midsection. Gray won't want to take too many of those.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gray tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Semenko misses with a punch to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gray lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Semenko backwards.
Semenko lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Semenko lands with a right to the head.
Semenko tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Gray's elbow.
Semenko takes a shot to the head.
Gray misses with a hook from the clinch.
Knees to the body from Semenko.
Semenko tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Semenko swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Gray tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Gray misses with a punch on the inside.
Gray is trying to break the clinch but Semenko has him pressed against the cage.
Gray has a couple of punches blocked by Semenko.
Gray misses with a punch to the body.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Gray.
Gray makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Semenko takes a shot to the head.
Gray managing to block the knees to the body from Semenko.
Gray blocks a punch to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Semenko throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Gray blocks it with crossed arms.

Gray's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Semenko buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Semenko misses with a hook
and Gray counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Gray rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Semenko counters with a left to the body.
Gray slips a jab from Semenko.
And Gray counters with a quick kick to the body but Semenko blocks it.
Semenko lands with a nice body punch.
Semenko throws a sloppy head kick
and Gray cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Gray tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Semenko looks to score with a jab to the body but Gray is just out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gray takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Semenko tries to bum rush Gray with a series of wild strikes but Gray uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Good leg kick by Semenko there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Gray circles away from the clinch attempt.
Gray swats away the attempt to clinch by Semenko.
Gray throws the left hand but Semenko avoids the punch easily.
Gray lands with a hook. Semenko tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Semenko misses with a body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dave Semenko dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Akoni Gray's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Gray scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Semenko doesn't seem bothered though.
Semenko scores with a hook to the body. Gray takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Semenko tries to close the distance and clinch but Gray swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
It looked like Gray wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Gray steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Semenko.
A solid body kick from Semenko.
Gray has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Gray there as he acknowledges the shot.
Semenko avoids the body shot from Gray.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Gray checks a leg kick.
Gray lands a nice shot that snaps Semenko's head back.
Semenko misses with a double jab.
A quick step to the side and Gray tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gray gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Semenko.
Gray throws a head kick but Semenko moves out of range.
Gray takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Semenko takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Semenko moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Semenko throws a leg kick but Gray moved away.
Semenko connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Gray throws a poor cross that misses
and Semenko counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Semenko looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Semenko throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Semenko avoids the body shot from Gray.
Dave Semenko seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A cross from Semenko lands.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Semenko scores with a shot to the body.
Semenko motions for Gray to come forward. Semenko throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Gray looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Semenko throws a head kick that misses
letting Gray counter with a right hand.
Semenko misses with an uppercut
and Gray counters with a straight right hand.
Gray has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Semenko thows a leg kick but Gray checks it
and Gray cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Gray throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Semenko connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Semenko will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Semenko instigates a clinch.
A nice right hand lands inside from Gray.
Semenko can't find room to land a body shot as Gray controls the action.
Dave Semenko seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Gray lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Gray is trying to maintain a safe position but Semenko gets an underhook and turns Gray into the cage.
A right hook to the body lands for Semenko.
Semenko has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Semenko lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Gray on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Gray swings away with an uppercut that misses.

Gray breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Gray rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Semenko counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gray ducks under a wild hook from Semenko.
A counter left hand to the body from Gray misses its target.
Semenko with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Gray throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
A good leg kick by Gray.

Semenko closes the distance and pushes Gray back into the cage.
Semenko lands a body punch in the clinch.
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.
The cut man is working on Akoni Gray's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Semenko keeps Gray at a distance using the push kick.
An inside leg kick lands from Gray.
Semenko cracks Gray with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Gray explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Semenko is looking to clinch.
Semenko takes a jab right on the kisser.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Semenko clinches.
Semenko misses with a knee to the head.

Gray escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Semenko is looking to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Semenko misses with an uppercut. Gray saw that one coming.
Gray throwing a counter right hand but Semenko manages to avoid it.
Gray tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Gray throws a big shot that misses.
Gray throws a lazy uppercut
and Gray takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Gray takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Gray takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Semenko lands a jab to the head.

Semenko moves into the clinch.
Semenko can't find room to land a body shot as Gray controls the action.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gray looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Semenko cracks Gray with a nice body shot.
Gray is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Semenko goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Gray tries a body shot but Semenko blocks it.
A short left from Gray.
Gray stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Gray avoiding damage as Semenko throws knees to the body.
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!
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Gray wants to get back to striking at distance but Semenko won't allow it.
Gray working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Semenko lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Semenko doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

Gray breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Gray connects with a body shot.
Semenko connects with a body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gray thuds his right hand into Semenko's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Semenko is looking to slow Gray down with leg kicks.
Semenko throws a hook to the side of Gray's head but Gray sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Gray is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Semenko looks to land a right hand but Gray moved out of range.
Gray bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
A low kick from Gray is predictable there
and Gray takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Gray keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Semenko avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Semenko throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Gray counters with a straight right hand.
Gray on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Semenko scores with the left hand. Gray knows he should have avoided that one.
Semenko looks for the body kick but Gray saw that one coming.
Gray swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Semenko walks into a stiff left hand from Gray.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gray throws a body punch but Semenko moves out of range.
Gray takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Gray throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Semenko on the side of the head.
Gray looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Gray lands a jab.

Semenko is rocked!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dave Semenko really dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Akoni Gray's cut.
That's time! Gray's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Gray swings for the body but Semenko moves out of range.
Semenko throws a shot to the body.
Semenko scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Semenko looks to land a body kick but Gray moved away.
Semenko looks to throw a body kick
letting Gray counter with a right hand.
Semenko is still on wobbly legs! Can Gray finish him?
Semenko misses with a left hand
and Gray counters with a massive hook, right on the button! He's out cold! Damn, that was naaaaaasty! Hopefully he'll be OK.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:39 of round 4, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Akoni Gray!
After winning the bout, Akoni Gray thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.