Growing up in and starting his career in the Carolinas, middleweight Bryan Battle returned to North Carolina on Friday to headline PFL Charlotte opposite Dalton Rosta.
Receiving a hero’s welcome walking out for the final fight of the evening, Battle’s reception was in stark contrast to that of Rosta, who cupped his ear while fans at the Bojangles Coliseum serenaded him with boos.
Perhaps that welcome was why Rosta refused to touch gloves when the offer was extended.
Friday’s three-round main event opened with Battle on the outside, the pair trading kicks. Dalton jabbed the body, feinted, and feinted again while Battle circled outside. An inside leg kick landed to Rosta, who went outside next. Battle worked his jab, but Rosta finally inched forward enough to change levels and land his first takedown of the fight. And while Battle was quickly back up, “Hercules” Rosta stayed on him, bodylock firmly in place.
That led to the fight stalling on the fence as Battle fought hands to break the lock, and Rosta fired knees to the thigh. Rosta finally dragged Battle down, but a scramble saw Bryan come out on top, and they were back on the feet almost immediately, leading to a quick-paced exchange. At round’s end it was Battle shooting forward, though he could not finish the takedown.
Round two opened with both men firing side kicks, and Rosta going high with a hook kick. They’d clinch up a minute in, but it was Battle taking control, at least for a moment, until Rosta reversed. Battle would break free, and the pair re-engaged at center, Battle landing a kick to the body that was almost caught. Rosta found some success with his hands, capping off a combination with a left. Battle landed a left hook of his own moments later.
With 90 seconds on the clock in round two, Rosta fired a left then shot under it, landing an easy takedown. Battle was able to reverse on the way up, only to be returned to the mat again shortly after. Back up, Battle still had Rosta all over him.
It was Battle in the driver’s seat early in round three, driving Rosta into the fence. Back at center, he doubled up on his jab. Battle walked forward, and fired a front kick, then fought off a clinch and stuffed a follow-up takedown with a sprawl. Rosta, however, stayed on the attempt. Battle would reverse, and get in the driver’s seat, but the grueling, grappling-heavy round proved unpopular with fans, and posed a question: even should Battle win the third, which was quite possible, had he managed to claim either the first or second?
Two judges felt he had done enough. Battle picked up the split decision win, taking 29-28 scores from two of the judges. He said after the win that he wants to stay busy, adding “whoever wants some can get some,” and calling it “a pleasure” to fight at home. Not a barnburner or even all that memorable in the end, but Battle gets back in the win column, shaking off a loss to Johnny Eblen.
Official Result: Bryan Battle def. Dalton Rosta by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
