PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Gobal Batra (ranked 288 p4p, 39 weight class) and Kassius Halo (ranked 218 p4p, 27 weight class). Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Batra
vs
Halo

190 cm
29
209 lbs
18 - 9 - 2

187 cm
40
215 lbs
18 - 8 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Lethal high kicks
Cardio machine

BJJ Red Belt
Basic striking
Heavy handed

Sin City Allstars

Freebok (85% Laundry)
Sin City Allstars

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 18 - 9 - 2, fighting out of Helsinki, Gobal Batra!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Kassius Halo!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Alexandre Firmino and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Batra connects with a good right hand that stumbles Halo. Halo circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Batra cracks a nice hook into Halo's ribs.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Halo.

Halo looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Batra!
Halo remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Batra manages to work his way to half guard, despite Halo's best efforts.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Batra looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Halo working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.

Batra looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Batra looking for submissions off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Batra keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Halo is keen to just control but Batra is a slippery customer.
Halo looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Batra with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Halo seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Batra does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Batra looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Batra is staying active underneath Halo, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Batra's coaches at Gentlemans Offence and Defense System 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.
Halo content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

Batra looking to force a kimura from the bottom here. He's concentrating on that move too much though and Halo pushes past his half guard into mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Halo with a couple of short strikes.
Batra slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

Batra actively working from the bottom here.
Halo is figuring out what he wants to do next.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Halo scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Halo working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

Batra looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Batra actively working from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Batra is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Halo pulls his head out easily.
Halo seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Halo lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Halo moves nicely into side control.
Halo looks up at the clock and then as Batra takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Halo smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Batra wants to control but Halo postures up.
Halo cracks Batra with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Halo grinds an elbow into Batra's temple.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Halo is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Batra is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Halo cracks Batra with a big elbow.
Batra taking a bit of punishment here - Halo scoring with strikes.
Batra is trying to get back to half guard.
Batra is working hard here to advance position.
Halo scoring with punches from side control.

Halo tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Halo has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Halo is looking to take a break and control but Batra is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kassius Halo dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Nice takedown defense from Batra. No joy for Halo on that attempt.
Halo has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Batra dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Halo. That did some damage!

Halo bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Halo has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Halo cracks Batra with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Halo landing a few strikes.
Batra is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Halo's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Halo sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Batra defending well though.

Batra is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Halo pulls his head out easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Batra tries to roll over but Halo keeps him under control.
Halo wants to lay and pray for a moment but Batra keeps working.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Batra looking for submissions off his back.
Halo is nestled in close to Batra, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Halo performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Halo working over Batra with some ground and pound. Batra looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Halo looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Halo working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Batra wants to control but Halo is keeping busy.
Halo slips a nice elbow through Batra's hands, connecting with Batra's forehead.
Halo lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Batra wants to get back to full guard.
Halo is looking to advance position but Batra won't allow it.
Ground and pound from Halo.
Halo stalling.

Batra looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Halo landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Nice strikes from Halo there.
Batra tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Halo has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Batra is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Halo trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Batra in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Halo lands a heavy elbow.
Halo raining down shots from the mount!
Batra is in all sorts of trouble here.
Halo with a couple of short strikes.

Batra is rocked!
Halo prevents Batra from getting the reversal.
Oh Batra is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Halo working for a submission but Batra is keeping him at bay.
Batra tries to hold on but Halo pushes him away.
Batra seems to have got his legs back now.
Halo postures up and lands a whopping elbow - oh that's hurt Batra bigstyle! Two more strikes land for Halo and the fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:57 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Kassius Halo!
Kassius Halo made sure to give a little speech post fight, saying 'There isn't a fighter alive that I cannot make submit or go to sleep on the mat. There's no guessing, i will take you down.'.