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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Rodney Holzken (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thiago Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.
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| 179 cm
19
157 lbs
3 - 1 - 0 |
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169 cm
26
154 lbs
2 - 1 - 0 |
Good takedowns
Basic striking
Very quick |
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BJJ Brown Belt
Counter fighter
Determined |
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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
3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Rodney Holzken!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of
2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Thiago Santos!
The judges for this bout are Francis DeMontford, Hugh Johnson and Ben Watson.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Holzken moves into the clinch.
Holzken is trying to trip Santos. He has hold of a leg but Santos is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Holzken persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Holzken won't allow Santos to sweep him here.
Holzken wants to pass the guard but Santos is keeping the position.
Santos 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.
Santos is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Holzken is aware though and is defending well.
Santos can't keep his opponent in guard - Holzken advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Santos has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Holzken is working away from the top position though.
Holzken has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Holzken controlling the action here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Santos tries to get to full guard but Holzken has control of the leg.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Holzken is looking to advance position but Santos won't allow it.
Holzken is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Santos doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Holzken.
Holzken prevents Santos from improving his position.
Santos looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Holzken prevents Santos from standing back up.
Holzken is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Santos defends it well.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Holzken is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Santos is looking to improve his position.
Holzken is working for a submission of some sort.
Santos tries to get to full guard but Holzken has control of the leg.
Holzken works his way into full mount!
Santos tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holzken working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Santos is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Santos is in all sorts of trouble here.
Holzken wants to control the pace but Santos is squirming around nicely.
Holzken wants to finish this one by submission but Santos is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Holzken.
Santos keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Santos is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Santos is squirming around, avoiding Holzken's attempts to control the action.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santos is working to get back to half guard.
Holzken wants to finish this one by submission but Santos is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Holzken.
Holzken can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Santos is looking to escape.
Santos bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Santos won't allow Holzken to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Rodney Holzken dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.
Holzken tries to close the distance and clinch up but Santos swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Holzken with a poor takedown
so Santos counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Santos won't allow Holzken to sweep him here.
Santos throws a big right hand that misses.
Santos is looking to work some ground and pound but Holzken has wrist control.
Holzken pulls Santos in close to prevent any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Santos tries to free his leg and advance position but Holzken is retaining full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Holzken keeping moving, preventing Santos from controlling successfully.
Santos throws a big elbow that misses.
The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Thiago Santos is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Santos scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Holzken moves into the clinch.
Santos has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Holzken avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Holzken is working Santos over against the cage.
Santos misses with the head strike.
Holzken goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Santos is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Holzken to keep the fight standing.
Santos is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Holzken gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Rodney Holzken has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Thiago Santos.
Holzken is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Santos can't fight it off and eventually Holzken manages to take the fight to the floor. Santos looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Holzken stands and throws Santos's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Santos prevents Holzken from improving position.
Holzken wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Santos, who protects the arm well.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Holzken is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Santos has escaped the position, nice work there.
Santos is looking for a sweep.
Holzken remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Holzken tries to advance to mount but Santos denies him.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santos is being controlled here.
Holzken goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Santos has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Holzken but great work by Santos.
You can see the frustration on Holzken's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Santos misses with the ground and pound.
Santos throws a strike aimed at the side of Holzken's head but Holzken avoids it well.
Santos wants to lay and pray for a moment but Holzken keeps working.
Santos tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Holzken parries the strikes from Santos easily there. Santos is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Holzken to escape.
Holzken regains half guard, as Santos was trying to land strikes.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Holzken wants to get back to full guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Holzken manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Santos trying to control the position from guard on top but Holzken is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Holzken looking to hit a scissor sweep but Santos is one step ahead there.
Holzken avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Santos in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
A close second round but Thiago Santos will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!
Holzken closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Santos gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Santos is in all sorts of trouble here.
Holzken is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Santos has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Santos!
Holzken pulls Santos in close to prevent any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Holzken looking to hit a scissor sweep but Santos is one step ahead there.
Santos must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Holzken is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Santos is controlling him.
Santos looking to pass the guard.
Holzken managing to control the position.
Santos cracks Holzken with a solid left hand.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Holzken pulls Santos in to control the position.
Holzken looking for a sweep. Not yet Holzken, not yet.
Holzken is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santos throws a right hand that Holzken ducks under and follows up with a left that Holzken also avoids with ease.
Santos just misses with a punch to the body.
No joy there for Santos, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Holzken decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Santos is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Holzken moves nicely into side control.
Holzken is looking to take a break and control but Santos is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Holzken just content to control the position.
Santos can't do much from the bottom here.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santos is trying to get back to half guard.
Holzken wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Santos, who protects the arm well.
Santos is looking for a sweep.
Holzken wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Santos, who protects the arm well.
Santos pushes Holzken away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Holzken gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Santos stops Holzken from passing to mount.
And that's the end of the fight!
Rodney Holzken showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Holzken has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Francis DeMontford scores the fight 30:28
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ben Watson scores the fight 30:27
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rodney Holzken!
After the fight, Rodney Holzken was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
28% |
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