PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Rodney Holzken (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Otso Koski (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rodney Holzken has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Holzken
vs
Koski

179 cm
22
157 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

172 cm
30
155 lbs
10 - 7 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

KAISER

KAISER
FinnFighter Nutrition (Five 160Q supps!)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Rodney Holzken!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Otso Koski!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, Joseph Jones and John Kavanagh.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Koski motions for Holzken to come forward. Koski throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Holzken's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Koski connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Holzken scrambles back to his feet.
Koski digs a good body shot into Holzken's ribs.
Koski feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Holzkens jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Koski lands a right hook to the body.
Holzken throws a hook but Koski blocks it.
Koski works the jab nicely.
Koski connects with a jab.
Koski tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Holzken scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Holzken.
Koski appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Holzken looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Holzken slips under a jab from Koski.
Holzken checks the leg kick nicely there.
Holzken lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Koski showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Holzken.
Holzken avoids the body shot from Koski.
Holzken blocks a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holzken 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.
Otso Koski seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Holzken rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
enabling Koski to counter with a crisp jab.
Koski feints and then cracks Holzken's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Holzken down.
Koski throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Holzken counters with a left and a right that stings Koski.
Holzken scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
A cross from Holzken lands.
Holzken darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Holzken is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Holzken throws an overhand right that lands on Koski's shoulder, as Koski tries to avoid the shot.
Holzken checks a leg kick.
Holzken throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Holzken takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Holzken on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Holzken misses the jab.
Koski's coach down at Netherlands Top Team & KT was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Koski's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Holzken slips a jab from Koski.
Koski on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Holzken missing with a left hand there. Koski was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

Koski has closed the distance and engaged Holzken in a clinch.
Koski slowing the pace effectively.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Koski lands an elbow inside that Holzken shrugs off.

Holzken has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Koski clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
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.

Koski preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Holzken.
Koski tries to break free.

Holzken has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Koski has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!

Holzken is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Koski has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.

Holzken is persistently looking for the submission but Koski is defending it well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Holzken looking for the RNC.
Holzken is not going to allow Koski to sit and survive in this position.

Holzken has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Holzken looking for the choke from the back.

Koski defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Holzken's arms.
Koski really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Holzken. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Koski is trying to get back to his feet but Holzken has full control of the position and if anything, Koski has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Koski wants to control his opponent's hands but Holzken gets his hands free.
Koski breaks Holzken's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.

Holzken working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Koski doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Koski manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Koski preventing the sweep.

Holzken is looking for a triangle but Koski pushes his legs off easily.
Holzken keeping moving, preventing Koski from controlling successfully.
Holzken looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Koski puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Koski is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Holzken is looking to improve his position.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Koski looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Koski seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Holzken does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Holzken wants to get back to full guard.
Holzken is not content to let Koski control the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Koski seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Holzken gets full guard.
Koski preventing the sweep.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Rodney Holzken will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

An inside leg kick lands from Koski.
Koski takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Koski uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Holzken.
Koski throws a leg kick but Holzken sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Koski.
Otso Koski seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Holzken uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Koski.
Koski keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Holzken connects with a single shot there.
Holzken throws a body punch but Koski moves out of range.
A little jabbing left from Koski on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Koski is looking to clinch but Holzken is avoiding it.
Koski blocks a jab.
Koski tries to clinch
and Holzken counters with a stiff right hand.
Koski works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Holzken shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Koski as he avoids it easily.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Holzken uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Koski.
Koski cracks Holzken with a good jab.
Holzken lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Koski circles away quickly and effectively.
Koski keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A telegraphed right hand from Koski misses the target.
Koski misses with a leg kick.
Koski just misses with a punch to the body.
Koski connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Holzken dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Holzken on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Holzken misses with a straight left.
Holzken on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Holzken misses the jab.
Holzken stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Koski.
Koski swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Holzken just misses with a punch to the body.
Holzken showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Koski.
Holzken showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Koski.
Koski throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Koski has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Koski there as he acknowledges the shot.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Koski shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Koski throws a right and a left that both miss.
An attempted straight right counter from Holzken misses the target.
Koski throws a right hand that misses
enabling Holzken to counter with a crisp jab.

Holzken looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Koski trying to control from the bottom.

Holzken is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Koski sees it coming and defends easily.
Holzken trying to pass the guard but Koski defending well.
Koski holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Koski won't allow Holzken to pass to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Holzken is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Koski has managed to free his arm - good work.
Holzken wants to pass to mount but Koski is defending the position.
Koski pushes Holzken off looking to stand but Holzken dives back in and keeps control.
Holzken is thwarting Koski's attempts to control the position.
Rodney Holzken overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Holzken wants to pass the guard but Koski is defending well.

Holzken is looking for a kimura but Koski is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Holzken to get the leverage.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Koski can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Koski is looking for a sweep. Holzken is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Holzken uses his free foot to push down on Koski's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Koski.

Holzken looking for a guillotine from mount but Koski is having none of it.
Koski tries to hold on but Holzken pushes him away.
Holzken won't let Koski get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.

Holzken moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Koski has worked his arm free - good work by Koski!

Holzken is working to tighten his grip on Koski's neck. He's isolated an arm and is working for an arm triangle. Koski has recognised the danger and is trying to turn with the submission but Holzken is really squeezing tight and eventually Koski passes out! Holzken breaks the hold and jumps onto the cage to celebrate! Submission of the night, I'd say!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:54 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Rodney Holzken!
After winning the bout, Rodney Holzken thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.