PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Bakar Ben Khalifa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ezio Castillo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ben Khalifa kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is The Prodigy - Warrior's Dance. The key to victory for Bakar Ben Khalifa has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Ben Khalifa
vs
Castillo

173 cm
22
144 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

170 cm
25
145 lbs
6 - 6 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Determined

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 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Bakar Ben Khalifa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Ezio Castillo!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Castillo dodges the punch combination from Ben Khalifa.
Ben Khalifa looks to land a combination but Castillo avoids it well.
Ben Khalifa tries to clinch but Castillo moves out of range.
Ben Khalifa's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Ben Khalifa duly obliges.
Ben Khalifa just misses with a punch to the body.
Ben Khalifa jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Ben Khalifa throws a shot to the body.
Nice sprawl there from Ben Khalifa as Castillo shoots in.
Nice uppercut there from Ben Khalifa.
Good exchange - Ben Khalifa coming out on top.
Ben Khalifa scores with a nice strike.
Castillo shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Ben Khalifa pinned against the cage. Ben Khalifa gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Ben Khalifa gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Castillo to score an easy takedown into full guard.

Castillo is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Ben Khalifa is looking to stand up but Castillo isn't so interested in that idea.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ben Khalifa pushes Castillo off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Ben Khalifa scores with a leg kick.
Bakar Ben Khalifa seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ben Khalifa scores with a jab to the head.
Castillo looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Ben Khalifa is fending him off so far but Castillo persists. Nope, Ben Khalifa circles away and we're back to standing.
Bakar Ben Khalifa has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ezio Castillo.
Castillo displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Ben Khalifa throws out the jab.
Castillo slips under a jab from Ben Khalifa.
Castillo shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Ben Khalifa sprawls well. Ben Khalifa wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Castillo gets slowly back to his feet.
Ben Khalifa misses with a looping left.
Nice sprawl there from Ben Khalifa as Castillo shoots in.
Castillo dives in and grabs Ben Khalifa's left leg, looking for a takedown. Ben Khalifa pushes down on Castillo's head and hops out.

Ben Khalifa closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Ben Khalifa stands up.

Ben Khalifa clinches up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ben Khalifa wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Ben Khalifa breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ben Khalifa displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Castillo.
Castillo shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Ben Khalifa pinned against the cage. Ben Khalifa gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Castillo looks gassed!
Ben Khalifa lands an overhand right.

Ben Khalifa clinches with his opponent.

Ben Khalifa breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Castillo shoots in but Ben Khalifa avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Castillo on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Ben Khalifa misses the jab.
Ben Khalifa throws a jab but it's blocked by Castillo.
Castillo takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.

Castillo drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ben Khalifa is trying to get back to his feet.

Ben Khalifa sneaks out the side door and pushes Castillo away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Castillo looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Castillo fails with the takedown.
Castillo misses with a takedown attempt
and Ben Khalifa counters with a left to the body.
Ben Khalifa cracks Castillo with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Ben Khalifa bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Castillo's head backwards.
Ben Khalifa lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.

Ben Khalifa looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Ben Khalifa seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Castillo moves into full guard.
Ben Khalifa has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Castillo is proving hard to escape from.
Castillo working a defensive guard here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Castillo working for a triangle but Ben Khalifa defends it easily.
Ben Khalifa wanted to stand there but Castillo had control of the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bakar Ben Khalifa dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Ben Khalifa wants to clinch.
Castillo takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Ben Khalifa misses with a kick to the body.
Ben Khalifa is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Castillo looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Ben Khalifa throws a right hand that Castillo ducks under and follows up with a left that Castillo also avoids with ease.

Castillo changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Ben Khalifa looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

Castillo is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Ben Khalifa is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Ben Khalifa wants to get back to his feet but Castillo drags him back down.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Castillo working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Castillo is breathing heavily.
Ben Khalifa is looking to reverse the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ben Khalifa pushes Castillo away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Castillo gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Castillo shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Castillo trying to control but Ben Khalifa is having none of it.

Castillo looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Ben Khalifa is trying to escape the mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ben Khalifa is working hard here to advance position.

Castillo jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Ben Khalifa manages to avoid the submission attempt.

Castillo tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Castillo tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Castillo has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Ben Khalifa manages to work his way to half guard, despite Castillo's best efforts.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Castillo performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

Castillo is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Ben Khalifa is just riding it out for now. Castillo eventually gives up the hold.
Ben Khalifa tries to kick Castillo off but Castillo keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Ben Khalifa has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Castillo is working away from the top position though.
Castillo wants to control but Ben Khalifa is keeping him busy.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Ben Khalifa is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Castillo's half guard.
Castillo moves into full guard.

Castillo has his feet on Ben Khalifa's thighs here. He's pushed Ben Khalifa off and worked for a very quick armbar from the bottom! He's flipped onto his stomach and he's cranking hard on the arm! Ben Khalifa screams in pain and taps out! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:51 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Ezio Castillo!