PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kimbo Slaissi (ranked 233 p4p, 2709 weight class) and Tupa Halloo (ranked 41 p4p, 338 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Slaissi
vs
Halloo

189 cm
25
271
13 - 5 - 0

188 cm
40
225
20 - 6 - 0

Great wrestler
World class MT
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Conquer
HELLBENT

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kimbo Slaissi!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Tupa Halloo!
The judges for this bout are Skip Squint, Eliza Hachem and Bruno Hogan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Slaissi moves into the clinch.
Slaissi is trying to break the clinch but Halloo is controlling him.
Halloo throws a head punch that misses.
Slaissi swings wildly with an uppercut but Halloo uses good head movement to avoid it.
Slaissi fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

Slaissi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Halloo shoots in looking for a takedown. Slaissi tries to sprawl out of it but Halloo keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Slaissi manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Slaissi throws a head kick but Halloo moves out of range.
Halloo throws out a counter right but Slaissi avoids it with no problem.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Halloo gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
letting Slaissi counter with a right hand.
Halloo has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Halloo uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Slaissi.

Halloo throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Slaissi tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Halloo is in Slaissi's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Halloo trying to control but Slaissi is working from the bottom.
Halloo slips nicely into half guard.
Slaissi controlling the position for now.
Slaissi is trying to get back to full guard.
Halloo works his way into full mount!
Slaissi really wants to buck Halloo off and get back to his feet.
Halloo trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Halloo controlling from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Slaissi controls the position.
Slaissi's coaches at Brotherhood MMA have been working on his defensive grappling in preparation for this fight so let's see if he can get out of this tricky position.
Halloo is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Halloo takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Slaissi is working to get back to half guard.
Halloo is stalling here but it's allowed Slaissi to get half guard.
Halloo stalling away here and it's allowed Slaissi to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Slaissi looking for a sweep. Not yet Slaissi, not yet.
Halloo stays in close to Slaissi's body and controls the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Halloo being controlled here momentarily.
Halloo content to stall in guard here.
Halloo pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Slaissi is keeping the position for now.
Halloo wants to control from the top but Slaissi keeps moving.
Halloo in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Slaissi managing to control the position.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Slaissi is on top in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Slaissi trying to control the position from guard on top but Halloo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Slaissi postures up.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Halloo 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.
Halloo is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Slaissi looking to pass the guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Kimbo Slaissi will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Slaissi takes one on the button.

It looks like Kimbo Slaissi has been cut.

Halloo closes the distance and clinches.
Halloo tries to work over Slaissi's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Halloo misses with the head strike.
Halloo has a couple of punches blocked by Slaissi.
A shot in the inside from Slaissi.
Slaissi doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Halloo misses with the head strike.
A nice left hand lands by Halloo.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Halloo misses with the head strike.
A head punch on the inside from Halloo fails to land.
Slaissi lands a hook to the side of the head.
Slaissi misses with some punches.
Slaissi fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Halloo blocks an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Halloo working aggressively here.
A head punch on the inside from Halloo fails to land.
Slaissi blocking some punches.
Halloo working aggressively here.
Slaissi lands a hook that snaps the head of Halloo backwards.
Slaissi blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Slaissi tries to circle away but Halloo has him pinned against the cage.
Halloo misses with some punches.
Halloo throws a punch but it's blocked by Slaissi.
Slaissi lands a right hand.

Slaissi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Halloo closes the distance and clinches up with Slaissi, looking for a takedown. Halloo pushes Slaissi against the cage but Slaissi circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Slaissi was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Halloo.
Slaissi went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Halloo has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Halloo there as he acknowledges the shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Halloo throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Slaissi was covering up waiting for the punch and Halloo finishes the takedown easily into guard.

Slaissi pushes Halloo off and scrambles back to his feet.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A lazy left from Slaissi finds it's target.
Halloo doesn't manage to clinch there - Slaissi circles away.
Halloo shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Slaissi pinned against the cage. Slaissi gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Kimbo Slaissi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tupa Halloo.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Slaissi jabs Halloo right on the nose. Halloo blinks but takes it well.
Halloo fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Slaissi avoids it really well and circles away.
Slaissi thinks about countering with a head kick.
Halloo wants to clinch up but Slaissi keeps it at a distance.
Halloo lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Halloo tries for a takedown but Slaissi sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Tupa Halloo is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Slaissi on the wrong end of a nice hook.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Slaissi clinches with his opponent.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Slaissi obliges.
Slaissi lands an uppercut.
Slaissi presses Halloo against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Kimbo Slaissi has scored more points in the clinch so far.
A right hook to the body lands for Slaissi.
Halloo is breathing heavily.
Slaissi lands a left hand.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Slaissi lands a left hand.
Slaissi lands on the inside with an uppercut.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Halloo.
A head punch on the inside from Halloo fails to land.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Halloo.
A right hook to the body lands for Slaissi.
Slaissi lands a right hand that snaps the head of Halloo backwards.
Slaissi tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Halloo's elbow.

Slaissi's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Kimbo Slaissi dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Kimbo Slaissi's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Slaissi checks a low kick from Halloo.
Slaissi tries a head kick but it misses.
Slaissi keeps the fight on the outside.
Slaissi has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Halloo gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Slaissi counters with a nice right hand that sends Halloo toppling to the canvas! Halloo scrambles and gets back to his feet - can Slaissi finish him?!

Halloo is rocked!
Halloo doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Slaissi rattles Halloo with a well-timed uppercut counter. - Halloo tries to back away and recover but his hands are down low and he gets tagged again, sending him stumbling down to the canvas. Slaissi dives in after him and quickly finishes the job with a trio of brutal punches, leaving Halloo stiff and motionless on the mat!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:36 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Kimbo Slaissi!
Kimbo Slaissi retains his heavyweight title!
Kimbo Slaissi thanked the fans post fight for their support.