[quote=@Willy Vereb]
I also wonder how people in the Arena judge the description of collateral effects from more powerful attacks. No hits, enemy completely avoided the attack but then the player describes it as the explosion destroying half the ring, limiting the space they can fight in.
Alternatively the same thing happens but the player describes the effects of the enemy's attacks along with the way he dodged.
Either way it's an abuse.
[/quote]

I don't quite see the abuse here. If you have the power of the attack described well in the character sheet, then the effects are rather predictable and the extent of its ability to damage the arena is known to all participants of the fight, allowing them to fairly judge beforehand how advantageous it would be and regulate it.

[quote=@Willy Vereb]
Similarly, defining the battle in "turns" is a nice way to simplify things but it doesn't always work.
Some actions take more time while others require less. You have to judge the "time window" your opponent gave you with that.
[/quote]

Yes, timing is actively used throughout the arena. Most of us do tend to lean towards a realistic depiction of combat.