The Fight Report: XFC 24
With Nick Newell avoiding a losing battle and bowing out of the promotion, the XFC Lightweight Title is up for grabs, as Scott “Hot sauce” Holtzman faces veteran fighter John Mahlow in the XFC 24 main event. More shining stars of XFC are on tap as well, so let’s dig into the action and see what’s going down on Friday.
Scott Holtzman vs. John Mahlow: Originally set to fight Nick Newell for the title, Scott Holtzman is instead fired up to grab the vacant strap, taking on John Mahlow. Holtzman has torn through the competition in his short career, having a suffocating grappling game and pace that few can hope to match. With a strong win over Jason Hicks last time out, he looked better than ever and primed to hold some promotional gold. Mahlow is a relative unknown, but brings over a decade of BJJ experience under the Machado brothers, and a freakish amount of natural strength. This is a dangerous fight for Holtzman, as shaking Mahlow off of a limb could prove impossible, yet his superior cardio and seamless striking to grappling transitions make him a favorite to hold the title at the end of the night.
Reggie Pena vs. Ricky Rainey: With an opponent dropping off of the card Reggie Pena draws late replacement Ricky Rainey for a stellar match-up. Pena has balanced a career in professional boxing with his MMA career and stays busy year round with both pursuits. Bringing a wealth of skill to the cage, it’s not his boxing that shines generally, but his fast takedowns and top control; hitting single legs with ease. Rainey is a sharp muay thai striker whom had a scare in his last bout, but will move back up to Middleweight to avoid his hellish weight cut and iron out his cardio issues. It’ll be interesting to see how Pena engages his foe, as Rainey should easily control the outside and make those level changes dangerous for Pena with fast knee strikes. Even still, Pena holds a size advantage here and his iron jaw and wrestling should see him through Rainey in relative safety.
Luis Santos vs. David Courchaine: Long time veteran of the sport Luis Santos will make a quick turnaround at XFC, taking on a rising star in David Courchaine. Santos brings hard-style muay thai and a willingness to learn new techniques and skills that has helped him stay afloat in his career, having moved to the US to learn the intricacy of American wrestling. Courchaine is a lifelong wrestler himself whom is a part-time fighter that has had some great success in his career despite this. Coming off of a win over Lloyd Woodard, Courchaine will look to use his physicality against Santos and send him packing. This one is up in the air, as both men have one punch power, and Courchaine’s raw power makes up some ground against Santos’ experience. The only thing we can say for sure is that this will be a bloodbath and only the toughest man will have his hand raised.
Eric Reynolds vs. Kevin Forant: A fun fight in the Lightweight division, Eric Reynolds will look to rebound from his last loss, taking on undefeated fighter Kevin Forant. Reynolds has seen and done it all in his career and always gives an honest effort in the cage, oftentimes winning through force of will and the composure that comes from a lifetime of fighting. Forant himself is a rugged individual whom uses a grinding style of power punches, clinch tactics and top control to shut down opponents, but will face a major step up in competition with Reynolds. This is a defining moment for both men, but I have to give Reynolds the edge with his excellent cardio and slicker-than-expected submission game, catching a tough contender in Forant and forcing him to tap out.
About the Author (Author Profile)
I'm a 20+ year veteran of martial arts and a fan of MMA since UFC 1, when my world was thrown on its head by the budding sport. I'm obsessive in the pursuit of martial abilities and have competed across the country in everything from Vale Tudo to archery to Scottish broadsword. Once my body broke down, I picked up a pen and went in the direction of writing. I specialize in betting advice, predictions, and I'm a walking encyclopedia of MMA trivia. I own a cafe in Exeter, NH called Hammersmith Sandwich Company and write out of my office between customers.Subscribe
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