PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Efriam Haldi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Triston Rioka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rioka has chosen Life Is Beautiful as his entrance music. Efriam Haldi has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Haldi
vs
Rioka

167 cm
26
144 lbs
10 - 8 - 0

164 cm
27
189 lbs
10 - 0 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Dangerous knees
Granite chin

Excellent grappler
Good kicks
Good gas tank

Steel Penn's All 160

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the super heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 8 - 0, fighting out of London, Efriam Haldi!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Triston Rioka!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Colin Fotheringham and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rioka shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Haldi counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Rioka misses with a takedown attempt
and Haldi counters with a nice uppercut.
Rioka closes this distance looking for a takedown but Haldi circles away.
Efriam Haldi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Triston Rioka.
Rioka shoots and misses
and Haldi counters with a nice leg kick.
Haldi misses with a double jab.
Rioka fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Haldi avoids it really well and circles away.
Rioka tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Haldi swivels and escapes.
Rioka gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Haldi counters by clinching up.
Rioka is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Haldi pulls him back up using the underhooks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Haldi lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Haldi is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Haldi lands a body punch.
Haldi trying to land knees to the body.
Haldi missing with knees to the body.
Rioka tries to score a body lock takedown but Haldi shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Rioka is working for takedown but Haldi is calmly controlling the position for now.
Rioka looks winded!
Haldi unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Haldi lands a nice knee to the body.
Haldi lands a knee to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Haldi with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Haldi's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Haldi unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Haldi with a knee to the head.
Haldi connects with a knee to the head.
Rioka wants a takedown.
Haldi tries to land knees in the clinch but Rioka avoids the damage to the body.
Haldi connects with a knee to the head.
Haldi putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Rioka in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Haldi lands an elbow inside.
A right handed body shot lands from Haldi.
Haldi missing with knees to the body.
Haldi missing with knees to the body.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Knees in the clinch landing for Haldi.
Rioka on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Haldi working Rioka over with knees to the body.
Haldi scores a nice knee to the body.
Haldi throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Rioka blocks it with crossed arms.
Haldi throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Rioka blocks it with crossed arms.
Rioka has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Haldi after a bit of a struggle.
Haldi is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Haldi lands a knee to the body.
Haldi lands an elbow that stopped Rioka in his tracks for a moment.
Haldi missing with knees to the body.
Haldi with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Haldi lands a nice knee to the body.
Rioka drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Haldi gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Rioka managing to block the knees to the body from Haldi.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Haldi gets underhooks to prevent Rioka's takedown attempt.
Knees in the clinch landing for Haldi.
Haldi taking a breather.
Rioka goes for a takedown attempt but Haldi pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Haldi scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Rioka doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Haldi counters with an inside leg kick.
Rioka fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Rioka ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Haldi is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Rioka with a poor takedown
and Haldi counters with a leg kick.
Rioka tries for a takedown but Haldi sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rioka misses with a takedown

and Haldi counters by moving into the clinch.
Haldi lands an elbow inside that Rioka shrugs off.
Rioka has Haldi pressed up against the ropes and is working for takedown. Haldi manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Rioka can't get the takedown.
Haldi taking a breather.
Rioka takes an elbow to the forehead.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Haldi stops a takedown attempt from Rioka.
Haldi lands a damaging elbow.

It looks like Triston Rioka has been cut.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Rioka blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Haldi misses with a knee to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Efriam Haldi dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Triston Rioka's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Rioka with a poor takedown

and Haldi counters by clinching up.
Haldi prevents a takedown attempt there.
Efriam Haldi has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Haldi throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Rioka blocks it with crossed arms.
Rioka has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Haldi is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Efriam Haldi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Triston Rioka.
Rioka managing to block the knees to the body from Haldi.
Rioka has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Haldi is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Haldi working Rioka over with knees to the body.
A knee to the head by Haldi.
Rioka takes a knee right on the jaw!
Haldi holding his opponent close, against the ropes.
Haldi lands a nice knee to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Haldi wants to stall.
Haldi landing knees to the body.
Rioka is breathing heavily.
Haldi unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Haldi stalling the fight.
Haldi lands a body shot in the clinch.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Haldi lands a damaging elbow.
Rioka managing to block the knees to the body from Haldi.
Rioka goes for a takedown attempt but Haldi pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Haldi misses with a few strikes there.
Rioka shoots for a takedown but Haldi saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Rioka gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Haldi makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Triston Rioka seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rioka with a poor takedown
and Haldi counters with a good low kick that Rioka was not able to check.
Rioka fails with the takedown
and Haldi counters with a two punch combo.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Haldi fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Haldi with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Efriam Haldi is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rioka misses with a takedown
enabling Haldi to counter with a crisp jab.
Good exchange - Haldi coming out on top.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Haldi throws a good cross that connects.
Rioka shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Haldi counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Rioka blocks a head kick by Haldi.
Nice takedown defense from Haldi. No joy for Rioka on that attempt.
Haldi lands a really nice looking cross but Rioka seems unphased.
Rioka tries for a takedown but Haldi circles away easily
letting Haldi counter with a right hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rioka doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Haldi counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Haldi is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Rioka can do to turn this around?
Haldi explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Nice shot lands for Haldi.
Haldi moves into range and connects with a jab.

Rioka is rocked!
Rioka tries for a takedown but Haldi circles away easily
enabling Haldi to counter with a crisp jab.
Rioka is still on wobbly legs! Can Haldi finish him?
Haldi shakes his hands by his side, trying to relax. Rioka takes his eyes off the ball for a moment - Haldi sees the opportunity and cracks him with a massive hook! Rioka bends double and collapses on top of himself - he's out! The crowd are going absolutely nuts! Wow, what a knockout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:51 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Efriam Haldi!
Efriam Haldi is the new super heavyweight champion!
During a confident post fight interview, Efriam Haldi thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.