PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Flo Holl (ranked 1262 p4p, 3200 weight class) and Darken Rahl (ranked 143 p4p, 318 weight class). Darken Rahl acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Holl
vs
Rahl

178 cm
22
145
1 - 1 - 0

168 cm
34
146
13 - 11 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Great elbows
Good chin

Olympic wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Conquer
Brooklyn Apothecary

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Flo Holl!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 11 - 1, fighting out of New York, Darken Rahl!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Stewart Dunkirk and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rahl throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Holl.
A slow jab from Holl misses its intended target.
Rahl with the counter takedown but Holl avoids it easily.
Holl fails in his attempt to clinch.
Holl connects with a leg kick.
Holl is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Rahl.
Holl slips a straight right by Rahl.
Rahl misses with an uppercut.
Holl fires out a quick counter leg kick but Rahl just manages to avoid it.
Holl staying out of range there.
Holl misses with a wild body shot.
Rahl scores with a hook to the body. Holl takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Holl checks a low kick from Rahl.
Holl fails with an attempt to clinch.
Nice body kick there by Holl.
Holl scores with a head kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Holl uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Rahl.
Holl throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
And Rahl tries to counter it with a takedown but Holl pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Rahl looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holl tries to land a front kick but Rahl steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Holl ducks under a wild hook from Rahl.
Holl throws a quick counter kick to the body but Rahl avoids it.
Rahl throws out a loose jab but Holl uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rahl scores with a jab to the body.
Holl misses with a hook. Rahl ducked under it nicely.
A slow jab from Holl misses its intended target.
Holl misses with a hook. Rahl ducked under it nicely.
Rahl drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Holl defends it well.
Holl misses with a low kick.
Holl connects with a jab.
Holl attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Rahl misses with a looping left.
Holl tries to move into range but Rahl moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Rahl takes a kick to the side of the head.
Rahl cracks Holl with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Holl with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Rahl darts in and clinches Holl up against the cage.
Holl misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Rahl.

Rahl pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Holl tries to score with a low kick but Rahl moves his leg out of the way.
Holl is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rahl's corner calls for a 1-2. Rahl obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.

Holl tries to keep at a distance but Rahl has taken the fight into the clinch.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Rahl.
Holl tries to land knees in the clinch but Rahl avoids the damage to the body.
Holl working Rahl over with knees to the body.
Holl with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Holl creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Rahl misses with some punches.
Rahl can't find room to land a body shot as Holl controls the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holl landing some nice looking knees to the body.

Rahl breaks from the clinch.
Rahl chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Holl can pounce on him.
Holl scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Holl throws a front kick that sends Rahl stumbling back into the cage.
Holl takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Holl throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Holl fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Rahl.
Rahl misses with a low kick.
Holl throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Holl with the inside leg kick.
Rahl on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Holl. Holl obviously looking to wear him down.
Holl ducks right into an uppercut from Rahl.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rahl scores with a three punch combo!
Rahl throws a series of punches but Holl avoids them all with ease.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Holl moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Nice body kick from Holl.
An inside leg kick from Holl misses.
Rahl drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Rahl takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Holl looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Rahl jabs Holl right on the nose. Holl blinks but takes it well.
Rahl throws a low kick but it's checked well by Holl.

Rahl drives through and clinches with Holl against the cage.

Rahl breaks from the clinch.
A big left from Rahl misses.
Holl attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Rahl is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Holl misses with the body kick

and Rahl decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Holl's guard.
Holl 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.
Rahl wants to stand but Holl has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Darken Rahl will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Rahl checks a leg kick.
Holl misses with a head kick.
Rahl throws a hook but Holl blocks it.
Holl tried to score with a low kick but Rahl checks it.
Rahl tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Holl lunges at Rahl with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Rahl's hand.
Holl tries to close the distance and clinch but Rahl swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rahl swats away the attempt to clinch by Holl.
Rahl misses with a looping right.
Holl fakes the leg kick and cracks Rahl in the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Holl is looking to clinch.
Rahl walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Holl checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Holl connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Rahl on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Holl. Holl obviously looking to wear him down.
Holl scores with a leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holl throws a low kick but it's checked well by Rahl.
Holl checks a low kick from Rahl.
Rahl throws a right and a left that Holl avoids nicely.
Holl connects with a leg kick.
Holl takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Holl slips under a jab from Rahl.
Rahl keeps the fight on the outside.
A nice leg kick lands there from Holl.
A thudding body kick lands there by Holl!
Holl fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Rahl.
Jab from Rahl.
Rahl connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Holl lands with a nice body kick.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rahl throws a big shot that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Holl keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Rahl.
Holl gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Crunch! Holl slams his shin into Rahl's torso.
Holl lands with a thumping leg kick.
Rahl displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Rahl pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Holl throws a nice outside leg kick.

Holl moves into the clinch successfully.
Rahl avoids a wild elbow strike from Holl.
Holl pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

Rahl breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rahl misses with an uppercut. Holl saw that one coming.
Holl moves out of range of the strikes.
Holl misses with a low kick.
Rahl changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Rahl's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Holl with the inside leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Holl has closed the distance and engaged Rahl in a clinch.
Holl fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Rahl lands a hook that snaps the head of Holl backwards.
Rahl tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Holl just misses with a elbow thrown towards Rahl's brow.
Holl stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Rahl misses with a punch on the inside.
Rahl throws a head punch that misses.
Knees in the clinch landing for Holl.
Holl misses with some punches.
Holl fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

Rahl breaks the clinch.
Holl tries to clinch but Rahl moves away

and Rahl counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Rahl.
Rahl wanted to stand there but Holl had control of the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rahl gets to his feet. Holl looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Holl blocks a jab.
Rahl takes a swing at Holl's ribcage but misses.
Holl is looking to slow Rahl down with leg kicks.
Rahl takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Rahl blocks a head kick by Holl.
Rahl takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Holl looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Rahl avoids the head kick by Holl.
Rahl misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Holl.
Holl swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Rahl swings for the body but Holl moves out of range.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Flo Holl will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Holl pushes Rahl up against the cage in a clinch.
Holl throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
A left hand lands to the body for Rahl.
Holl scores with an uppercut up the middle.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Rahl in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
Holl throws a knee to the head but misses.
Holl pushes off an throws an elbow but Rahl leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Holl fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Rahl effectively controlling the action here.

Rahl breaks the clinch.
Holl is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Holl throws a lazy body kick

and Rahl counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Rahl.
Holl wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Rahl manages to pass to side control.

Holl trying to control from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rahl seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Holl has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Rahl is working away from the top position though.

Rahl decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.

Rahl forces Holl back against the cage and clinches.
Rahl is stalling here.
A body shot lands from Rahl.
Holl with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Flo Holl has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Holl blocking some punches.
Holl missing with knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rahl lands a nice shot to the body.
Holl lands a hook to the side of the head.
Rahl on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Holl.
Holl tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Rahl holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Holl throws an elbow that misses.
Rahl tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Rahl lands a left hand.

Rahl escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Holl looks to land a body kick but Rahl moved away.
Rahl on the wrong end of a nice jab.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Holl walks into a straight right hand from Rahl.
Rahl lands a slapping body shot.

Rahl forces Holl back against the cage and clinches.
Holl pushes Rahl back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rahl's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Rahl has taken the fight to the clinch.
Rahl lands a hook that snaps the head of Holl backwards.
Holl gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Rahl avoiding damage as Holl throws knees to the body.
Rahl blocks an elbow strike.

Rahl manages to break the clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Holl looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rahl moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Rahl checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
A big right from Rahl misses.
Holl scoring well with a low kick there.
A left lands for Rahl.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rahl walks into a straight right hand from Holl.
Holl tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Holl buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.

Rahl clinches.
Holl misses with the head strike.
Rahl lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Rahl has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Holl.
Holl misses with a body punch.
Holl pushes off an throws an elbow but Rahl leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Rahl struggles to land a body shot inside as Holl controls his hands.
Holl is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Holl throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Rahl blocks it with crossed arms.
Holl is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Rahl is defending well for now.
Rahl tries to throw a body punch but Holl avoids it by throwing Rahl back against the cage.

Rahl breaks the clinch.
Rahl will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

And that's the end of the fight!
Darken Rahl comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Rahl has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 George Francis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Darken Rahl!
Darken Rahl took to the microphone after his victory and thanked his sponsors, Conquer for their support in the buildup to the fight.