PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Gasan Halikov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Batang Tondo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Halikov
vs
Tondo

170 cm
23
160 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

180 cm
21
166 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Gasan Halikov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Batang Tondo!
The judges for this bout are Hugh Johnson, Damien Edna and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Halikov throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Tondo tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Halikov is in Tondo's guard.
Tondo is trying to keep Halikov in close.
Halikov trying to control but Tondo is working from the bottom.
Halikov postures up.

Tondo looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Halikov prevents Tondo from getting back to his feet.
Tondo is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Tondo wants to control but Halikov is keeping him busy.
Tondo scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tondo stands up from half guard.
Halikov shoots in looking for a takedown. Tondo tries to sprawl out of it but Halikov keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Tondo manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Halikov circles away from the clinch attempt.

Tondo shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Halikov is breathing heavily.
Tondo controlling from mount.
Halikov working to try and regain half guard.
Halikov wants to hold on but Tondo pushes him away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Halikov wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Tondo sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Tondo wants to control the pace but Halikov is squirming around nicely.
Halikov tries to hold on but Tondo pushes him away.
Tondo throwing strikes here but Halikov is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Tondo trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Halikov is bucking up trying to escape but Tondo cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Tondo fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Tondo with a couple of short strikes.
Tondo lands a nice shot to the head.
Tondo landing strikes from the mount and Halikov is in trouble!
Tondo controlling his opponent.
Tondo throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tondo controlling from the full mount.
The referee warns Halikov that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Halikov tries to reverse the position but Tondo maintains control.
Tondo manages to capitalize on a mistake by Halikov to take his back!
Tondo has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Tondo scores with punches from the back.
Halikov covering up well under a series of strikes from Tondo.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Batang Tondo dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Tondo thuds his right hand into Halikov's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Tondo scores with a three punch combo!
Tondo with a poor takedown

and Halikov counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Tondo is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Tondo throws a punch but it's blocked by Halikov.
Halikov managing to block the knees to the body from Tondo.
Tondo wants to break the clinch but can't.
Halikov wants a takedown.
Tondo missing with knees to the body.
Halikov goes for a takedown in the clinch but Tondo prevents it.

Tondo pulls guard.
Halikov trying to control but Tondo is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tondo looking to hit a scissor sweep but Halikov is one step ahead there.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Tondo working a defensive guard here.
Halikov being controlled here momentarily.
Halikov missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Halikov tries to free his leg and advance position but Tondo is retaining full guard.

Halikov avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Halikov missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Tondo keeping moving, preventing Halikov from controlling successfully.
Halikov preventing the sweep.
Halikov looking to sit in guard and control but Tondo gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Tondo postures up in Halikov's guard and throws a big left but Halikov blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tondo wants to control from the top but Halikov keeps moving.
Tondo working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Tondo trying to control but Halikov is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Halikov wants to stand and escape but Tondo is having none of it.

Halikov escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Tondo gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Tondo thows a big elbow that misses.
Halikov preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Tondo advances to half guard.

Tondo stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Halikov to get to his feet.
Tondo fails to land the takedown.
Tondo with a lazy takedown attempt

and Halikov counters with a takedown into side control.
Gasan Halikov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Batang Tondo.
Tondo manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Tondo prevents Halikov from standing back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Gasan Halikov 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. This is the final round!

Tondo throws a right and a left that both miss.
Halikov doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Tondo counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Tondo has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Tondo cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
The referee warns Halikov that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Batang Tondo has got the better of the ground game so far.
Halikov really wants to buck Tondo off and get back to his feet.
Tondo looking to control but Halikov is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Halikov defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Tondo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tondo in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Tondo trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Tondo working for a submission but Halikov is keeping him at bay.
Halikov is trying to stand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Tondo breaks from Halikov's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Tondo looking to finish Halikov with some ground and pound. This is bad for Halikov!
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Tondo cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Halikov tries to lock up and control but Tondo gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Tondo scoring with strikes but Halikov is staying in there.
Halikov is looking to improve his position but Tondo isn't that keen on the idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tondo with a couple of short strikes.
Tondo connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

Tondo has hold of Halikov's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Halikov manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Halikov flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Halikov tries to hold on but Tondo pushes him away.
Tondo punching from mount but Halikov doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Tondo sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Halikov looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Halikov trying to get back to his feet but Tondo is in full control for now.
Tondo keeps control of the position easily here as Halikov tries to buck him off.
Halikov looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.

And that's the end of the fight!
Batang Tondo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Tondo has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Hugh Johnson scores the fight for Batang Tondo!
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight for Batang Tondo!
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight for Batang Tondo!

Batang Tondo wins by unanimous decision!