PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Rodney Holzken (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kristof Sienly (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Holzken
vs
Sienly

179 cm
24
157 lbs
12 - 6 - 0

175 cm
26
155 lbs
14 - 1 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

Arcticus University: London
Hellbent

KnockOut

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 12 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Rodney Holzken!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Kristof Sienly!
The judges for this bout are Gregory Folan, Elvis Blanc and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Holzken swings for the body but Sienly moves out of range.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Sienly, right into the meat.
Sienly steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Holzken.
Holzken keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Sienly.
Holzken misses the shot to the body.
Holzken misses with a wild body shot.
Holzken misses the shot to the body.
A looping hook to the body misses from Sienly. Holzken does a little dance to reset his feet.
Holzken throws a right hand that misses

and Sienly holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Holzken has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Sienly regains guard immediately.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Sienly looking for a guillotine here but Holzken defends easily.

Sienly is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Holzken defends well.
Sienly can't keep his opponent in guard - Holzken advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Holzken trying to mount his opponent but Sienly defends it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holzken is trying to control. Sienly wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Holzken controlling the action here.
Holzken passes to full mount!
Holzken trying to control but Sienly is having none of it.
Sienly sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.

Sienly is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Holzken pulls his head out easily.
Holzken wants to pass the guard but Sienly is defending well.
Sienly moves into full guard.
Holzken wants to control from the top but Sienly keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Holzken stands and throws Sienly's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Holzken wants to control but Sienly is keeping him busy.
Sienly prevents Holzken from moving into mount.
Sienly wants to control but Holzken postures up.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Sienly gets back to half guard.

Sienly actively working from the bottom here.
Holzken is trying to control the action in half guard but Sienly is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Sienly moves into full guard.
Sienly keeping full guard, as Holzken tries to pass.
Holzken wants to control from the top but Sienly keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holzken looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Holzken's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Holzken trying to control the position from guard on top but Sienly is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Holzken works a leg free and moves into half guard.

Sienly looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Sienly is in trouble now - Holzken has advanced to mount!
Holzken tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Sienly slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Sienly is refusing to be controlled, as Holzken sits in half guard.
Holzken sitting and controlling from the half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Holzken is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Sienly tries to reverse the position but Holzken maintains control.
Sienly manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Sienly gets back to full guard.
Sienly is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Holzken got a little sloppy there for a moment and Sienly has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Holzken has managed to get both his arms back between Sienly's legs - danger averted.

Sienly is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Holzken is aware though and is defending well.
Holzken's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Sienly can't keep his opponent in guard - Holzken advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
The fighters are battling for position here. Sienly manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Sienly looking for a guillotine here but Holzken defends easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rodney Holzken 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.

Sienly tries to clinch up.

Holzken closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Sienly did well to prevent Holzken getting side control.
Sienly wants to get back to full guard.
Holzken wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sienly keeps working.
Holzken is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Sienly wants to improve his position but Holzken is controlling well.
Holzken controlling the action here.
Holzken trying to control from half guard but Sienly is working away.
Sienly tries to roll over but Holzken keeps him under control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sienly manages to get to full guard.
Holzken trying to control the position from guard on top but Sienly is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holzken slips nicely into half guard.
Sienly tries to roll over but Holzken keeps him under control.
Holzken wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sienly keeps working.
Holzken tries to pass the half guard into mount. Sienly knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Holzken works his way into full mount!
Sienly slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

Sienly looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Holzken trying to control the pace.
Sienly is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Holzken slows the pace down in half guard.
Holzken wants to free his trapped foot but Sienly is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Holzken passes to side control.

Holzken wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Sienly, who protects the arm well.
Sienly is not content to let Holzken control the position.
Sienly gets back to half guard.

Sienly looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Sienly is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holzken perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Holzken wants to pass to mount but Sienly is defending the position.
Sienly is looking for a sweep. Holzken is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Rodney Holzken overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Still in half guard, Holzken seems content to control.
Holzken trying to mount his opponent but Sienly defends it.
Holzken prevents Sienly from improving his position.
Holzken passes to full mount!
Sienly can't escape the position.
Holzken looking to control but Sienly is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Holzken content just to control the position here.
Holzken wants to control the pace but Sienly is squirming around nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sienly gets back to half guard.
Holzken is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Sienly sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Sienly manages to get to full guard.
Sienly keeping moving, preventing Holzken from controlling successfully.
Sienly is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Sienly wants to control but Holzken is keeping him busy.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Sienly is working for a kimura but Holzken is defending it quite comfortably.
Holzken is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Sienly's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Sienly's back!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rodney Holzken dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

A thudding body kick lands there by Sienly!
Holzken slips a jab from Sienly.
Holzken throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Holzken closes the distance and clinches up with Sienly, looking for a takedown. Holzken pushes Sienly against the cage but Sienly circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Sienly fails in his attempt to clinch.
Sienly lands the left hand.
Sienly misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Holzken.
Sienly misses with an attempted mid kick.
Holzken misses with a hook.
Sienly uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Holzken.
Sienly throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sienly fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Holzken looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Sienly misses the jab.
A little feinted left hand from Holzken on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Sienly swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Sienly slips under a jab from Holzken.
Holzken throws a body shot but no joy.
A looping hook to the body misses from Holzken. Sienly does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Sienly looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Sienly cracks Holzken with an open hand slap.
Holzken uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Sienly.
Sienly moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Sienly doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Kristof Sienly is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Sienly looking to land some kicks to the body here.

Sienly rushes Holzken and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Holzken is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Sienly can't fight it off and eventually Holzken manages to take the fight to the floor. Sienly looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Holzken wants to control from the top but Sienly keeps moving.

Sienly is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Holzken avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Kristof Sienly has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Holzken works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Sienly regains full guard. Nicely done.
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!
Holzken sitting in guard here, content to control.
Holzken pushing down on Sienly's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

Holzken is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Sienly is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Holzken passes to side control.
Sienly tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Sienly prevents Holzken from moving into mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sienly is looking to regain half guard here but Holzken keeps moving and retains side control.

Holzken is trying to get an arm triangle but Sienly is defending well.
Holzken is looking to take a break and control but Sienly is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Rodney Holzken is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Sienly tries to buck Holzken off but Holzken is having none of it.
Sienly is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Sienly is refusing to be controlled, as Holzken sits in half guard.
Holzken trying to pass the guard but Sienly defending well.
Holzken frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Holzken takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sienly is working to get back to half guard.
Holzken controlling his opponent.
Sienly tries to reverse the position but Holzken maintains control.
Holzken trying to control but Sienly is having none of it.
Holzken controlling from the full mount.
Holzken tries to control but Sienly wriggling away.
Holzken is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Sienly can do to turn this around?
Sienly manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Holzken wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sienly keeps working.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Rodney Holzken.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Holzken, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Gregory Folan scores the fight 29:28
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 30:27
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rodney Holzken!
Rodney Holzken decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.