PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Cobalt Khalil (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pavel Galati (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Khalil comes to the ring accompanied by The Hives - Walk Idiot Walk. Galati has chosen Anarchy in the UK as his entrance music. Pavel Galati struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 137.4lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Khalil
vs
Galati

173 cm
28
142 lbs
7 - 3 - 1

176 cm
26
150 lbs
6 - 10 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Experienced

Good takedowns
Decent boxing
Fast

GREEN!160

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Cobalt Khalil!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Pavel Galati!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Edson Gomes and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Galati falls off balance throwing a combination

and Khalil counters by moving into the clinch.

Galati pulls guard successfully.
Khalil stays in close to Galati's body and controls the position.
Khalil postures up.
Khalil trying to control but Galati is working from the bottom.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Khalil accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Khalil is in a tricky position. We've heard reports from his gym mates at Franklin D. Bluth Memorial Supergym that he's been drilling escapes, so let's see if he can get back to his feet.
Khalil throwing strikes from guard but Galati blocks nicely.

Galati working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Khalil doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Khalil manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Galati looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Khalil wants to pass the guard but Galati is keeping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Khalil throws a big right hand that misses.
Galati controls Khalil momentarily but Khalil frees himself.
Khalil tries to free his leg and advance position but Galati is retaining full guard.

Galati escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Khalil gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Galati utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Galati is trying to keep Khalil in close.
Galati has momentary wrist control but Khalil slips an elbow through the middle.
Khalil trying to control the position from guard on top but Galati is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Galati looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Khalil has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Khalil throwing strikes from guard but Galati blocks nicely.
Khalil trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Khalil stopping the sweep attempt from Galati.

Khalil has gone for a leg lock! Galati slips out almost immediately though and dives into Khalil's guard.

Galati looking to pass the guard.
Khalil is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Khalil keeping moving, preventing Galati from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Khalil pulls Galati in to control the position.
Khalil knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Galati on the ground.
Galati trying to control the position from guard on top but Khalil is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Galati throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Khalil works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Khalil is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Galati is controlling him.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Khalil looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Galati tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Khalil swings for the body but Galati moves out of range.
Galati tries to close the distance and clinch but Khalil swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Galati stuffs the takedown.
Galati throws a combination. Khalil tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Galati tries to clinch but Khalil moves out of range.
Galati displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Khalil tries to score a power double leg takedown but Galati sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Khalil somewhat.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Galati gets tackled into the ropes by Khalil. Khalil maintains the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pavel Galati dominated that round.
That's time! Khalil's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Galati throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Galati throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Khalil showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Galati.
Khalil seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Khalil throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Galati's waist but Galati gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Khalil off to one side.
Galati has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Khalil fails with the takedown.
Galati swinging wildly here.
Galati fails with an attempt to clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Galati wants to clinch.
Some wild striking there from Galati.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Galati leaves Khalil with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cobalt Khalil. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Galati misses with the combination.
Khalil changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Pavel Galati seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Galati tries to clinch but Khalil is having none of it.
Galati throws a series of strikes that have Khalil backpedaling.
Khalil looks for a takedown but Galati sprawls well.
Pavel Galati seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Khalil fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Galati manages to avoid it.
Galati throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Khalil.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Khalil is defended easily by Galati.
Galati raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Galati tries to clinch but Khalil moves out of range.

Khalil looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Khalil throws a big elbow that misses.
Khalil throws an elbow that misses. Galati uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Khalil's guard. Nice move by Galati!

We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Galati advances to half guard.
Khalil pushes Galati off looking to stand but Galati dives back in and keeps control.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Galati wants to pass the guard but Khalil is defending well.
Galati is stalling here. Khalil is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Galati seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Khalil has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Khalil throws a strike aimed at the side of Galati's head but Galati avoids it well.
Galati is working to avoid the ground and pound but Khalil connects with a decent elbow.
You can see the frustration on Galati's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Khalil working the body and head with strikes.
Galati taking a bit of punishment here - Khalil scoring with strikes.
Khalil tries to score with some ground and pound. Galati controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Galati is looking to regain half guard here but Khalil keeps moving and retains side control.
Sloppy strikes there by Khalil.
Galati sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Galati wants to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Khalil missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Khalil throwing shots but Galati is blocking nicely.
Khalil seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Galati does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Galati has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Khalil is working away from the top position though.
Khalil scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Galati keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Khalil is trying to control the action in half guard but Galati is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Galati trying to control but Khalil postures up.
Khalil wants to lay and pray for a moment but Galati keeps working.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Pavel Galati will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Khalil shoots for a takedown but Galati saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Khalil throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Khalil looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Galati is fending him off so far but Khalil persists. Nope, Galati circles away and we're back to standing.
Khalil closes the distance and clinches up with Galati, looking for a takedown. Khalil pushes Galati against the ropes but Galati circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Galati wants to counter with a clinch but Khalil pushes him away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cobalt Khalil. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Galati is looking to clinch.
It looked like Khalil wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Galati scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Khalil shoots in looking for a takedown but Galati manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Khalil's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Khalil lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Khalil shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Galati moves into range and clinches up with Khalil.
Galati softening up his opponent with strikes, against the ropes.
Khalil is working for a takedown up against the ropes. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Khalil wants a takedown but no success here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Khalil is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Galati pulls him back up using the underhooks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Khalil is looking for a takedown up against the ropes. Galati gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Galati breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Khalil misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Galati misses with a series of wild punches.
Pavel Galati is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Galati fails in his attempt to clinch.
Khalil throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Galati's waist but Galati gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Khalil off to one side.
Galati swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Khalil throws a nice looking combination but Galati bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Cobalt Khalil is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Galati tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Khalil paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Galati wants to clinch.
A little feinted left hand from Khalil on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Galati rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Khalil moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Khalil fails to land with a series of punches.
Khalil moves forwards but Galati connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Khalil shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Galati sprawls well. Galati wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Khalil gets slowly back to his feet.
Galati slaps away a takedown attempt from Khalil, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Galati throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Khalil changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Galati throws a series of punches but Khalil avoids them all with ease.
Pavel Galati is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Khalil keeps the fight on the outside.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Galati tries to clinch but Khalil moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Khalil shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Galati as he avoids it easily.
Khalil misses the shot to the body.
Galati slaps away a takedown attempt from Khalil, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Galati tries to clinch but Khalil is having none of it.
Khalil tries to counter with a takedown but Galati is quick to defend against it.
Galati throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Khalil attempts a counter takedown but Galati avoids it well and moves away.
Cobalt Khalil has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Galati throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
A quick step to the side and Khalil tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Khalil misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Galati swinging wildly here.
Khalil throws a series of punches but Galati moves out of range.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Khalil wants a takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Galati swings wildly with an uppercut but Khalil uses good head movement to avoid it.
Khalil tries to score a body lock takedown but Galati shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Khalil tries to score a body lock takedown but Galati shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Khalil has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Galati is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Khalil throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.

And that's the end of the fight!
Pavel Galati comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Galati winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 27:30
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 27:30
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Pavel Galati!
Pavel Galati seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.