PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Khalifa Khalifa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Johny Witson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Khalifa comes to the cage accompanied by Habibi Ya Nour El Ain. Johny Witson told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Khalifa
vs
Witson

190 cm
36
197 lbs
18 - 18 - 0

185 cm
26
201 lbs
10 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very strong

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 18 - 18 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Khalifa Khalifa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Johny Witson!
The judges for this bout are Francis DeMontford, Bruno Hogan and Topper Green.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice takedown defense from Witson. No joy for Khalifa on that attempt.
Khalifa listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Witson stuffs the takedown attempt from Khalifa. Khalifa gets slowly back to his feet.
Khalifa fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Witson avoids it really well and circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Khalifa Khalifa. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Khalifa shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Khalifa fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Witson avoids it really well and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Khalifa uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Witson.
It looked like Khalifa was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Johny Witson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Khalifa shoots in for a takedown but Witson shows good takedown defense.
Khalifa has a takedown stuffed.
Witson let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Khalifa on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Khalifa throws a hook to the side of Witson's head but Witson sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Witson has worked on his takedown defense in the runup to this fight and it is paying off so far.
Khalifa slips under a jab.
Witson swings for the body but Khalifa moves out of range.
Khalifa feinted with a counter takedown.
Witson tries to close the distance and clinch up but Khalifa swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Witson connects with a solid leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Khalifa shoots in for a takedown but Witson shows good takedown defense.
Witson fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Khalifa takes one to the side of the head.
Witson throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Witson tries to clinch but Khalifa is having none of it.
Witson tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Khalifa is able to avoid easily.
Witson comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Witson scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nice takedown defense from Khalifa. No joy for Witson on that attempt.
Witson connects with a solid leg kick.
Khalifa ducks down and throws a hook to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Khalifa shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Witson as he avoids it easily.
Witson is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Witson tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Khalifa was well out of range. Poor timing from Witson.
Witson lands with a straight right. Khalifa didn't see that one coming.
Witson thumps Khalifa with a low kick.

Witson has managed to clinch.
I was talking to Khalifa's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Witson can't find room to land a body shot as Khalifa controls the action.
Witson stalling the fight.
Khalifa can't get the takedown.
Witson tries to throw a body punch but Khalifa avoids it by throwing Witson back against the cage.
Witson doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Khalifa looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Witson lands a knee to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Khalifa is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Witson is defending well.
Khalifa takes a knee right on the jaw!
Witson lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Witson tries to land knees in the clinch but Khalifa avoids the damage to the body.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Khalifa letting Witson take a breather here.
Khalifa can't get the takedown.
Stalling in the clinch from Witson.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
A hook to the body from Witson.

Khalifa breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Witson takes one on the button.
Khalifa slips a jab from Witson.
Khalifa appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
The fight stays on the outside here - Witson looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Johny Witson dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Witson fails with an attempt to clinch.
Khalifa has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Witson.
A jab from Witson finds it's way through Khalifa's defenses.
Witson has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Khalifa avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Witson clobbers Khalifa with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Witson lands a really nice looking cross but Khalifa seems unphased.

Khalifa is rocked!
Khalifa leaves his chin hanging out and Witson seizes the opportunity with an uppercut! Khalifa crumbles to the floor in a heap, and the referee steps in and tends to the downed fighter! What a knockout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:38 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Johny Witson!
Our winner, Johny Witson, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.