PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Cobalt Khalil (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Martin Craftt (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Khalil comes to the cage accompanied by The Hives - Walk Idiot Walk. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Khalil
vs
Craftt

173 cm
31
142 lbs
10 - 6 - 1

165 cm
29
145 lbs
14 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very strong

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

GREEN!160

Spartan Nutrition

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 10 - 6 - 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 14 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Martin Craftt!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Felipe Paraventi and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Craftt gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Craftt escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Craftt gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Craftt breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Craftt has closed the distance and engaged Khalil in a clinch.
Craftt lands a nice knee to the body.
Craftt lands a good knee to the midsection. Khalil won't want to take too many of those.

Craftt manages to break the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Khalil misses with a few strikes there.
Khalil lands a slapping body shot.
Khalil lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
A telegraphed right hand from Khalil misses the target.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Craftt moves into the clinch successfully.
Craftt is pressed up against the cage. Khalil has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Craftt down to the mat. Craftt avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Craftt breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Khalil throws a right hand that Craftt ducks under and follows up with a left that Craftt also avoids with ease.

Craftt gets a clinch.
Khalil has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Craftt is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Craftt prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cobalt Khalil. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Khalil looking to stall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Craftt connects with a knee to the head.

It looks like Cobalt Khalil has been cut.

Craftt escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Craftt clinches.
Khalil drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Craftt gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Knees in the clinch landing for Craftt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Craftt lands a damaging elbow.
Craftt lands an elbow inside.
Khalil has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Craftt is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Khalil is looking to break free of the clinch but Craftt has double underhooks.
Craftt using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Craftt taking a breather.

Craftt's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Craftt pushes Khalil up against the cage in a clinch.
Craftt is struggling to control the position.
Craftt is pushing Khalil up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Craftt just leaning against Khalil, taking a breather.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Martin Craftt dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Cobalt Khalil's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Khalil takes a swing at Craftt's ribcage but misses.
Craftt moves forwards but Khalil connects with a nice, crisp jab.

Craftt has taken the fight to the clinch.
Khalil drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Craftt gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Craftt holding his opponent close, against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Khalil wants a takedown but no success here.

Craftt breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Khalil misses with a jab, cross combination.

Craftt gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Khalil tries to break free but Craftt pushes him back against the cage.
Khalil is working for takedown but Craftt is calmly controlling the position for now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cobalt Khalil. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Craftt prevents a takedown attempt there.
Martin Craftt seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Craftt keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Khalil's efforts to push away.

Craftt breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Khalil throws a nice looking combination but Craftt bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Khalil definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Cobalt Khalil is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Craftt wants to clinch.
Martin Craftt is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Craftt drives through and clinches with Khalil against the cage.
Craftt creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Craftt scores a nice knee to the body.

Craftt escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Craftt doesn't manage to clinch there - Khalil circles away.

Craftt moves into range and clinches up with Khalil.
Craftt landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Khalil takes an elbow to the temple.
Craftt is working Khalil over against the cage.
Craftt lands a good knee to the midsection. Khalil won't want to take too many of those.
Craftt putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Khalil in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Craftt is pushing Khalil up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Khalil is looking to take this one to the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Khalil is working for takedown but Craftt is calmly controlling the position for now.
Craftt unloads a knee to the mid-section. Khalil lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

Craftt's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Martin Craftt seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Craftt closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Craftt landing knees to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Martin Craftt showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Cobalt Khalil's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

The fight stays on the outside here - Craftt looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Khalil scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Craftt is looking to clinch but Khalil is avoiding it.
The fight stays on the outside here - Craftt looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Craftt closes the distance and clinches.
Khalil tries for a takedown. No joy.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Khalil avoiding damage as Craftt throws knees to the body.
Khalil tries to circle away but Craftt has him pinned against the cage.
Craftt has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Craftt breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Craftt avoids the body shot from Khalil.
Khalil swings for the body but Craftt moves out of range.

Craftt closes the distance and clinches.
Khalil managing to block the knees to the body from Craftt.

Craftt breaks from the clinch.
Khalil just misses with a punch to the body.
Khalil is looking to wear down Craftt with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.

Craftt clinches with his opponent.
Craftt scores a nice knee to the body.
Knees to the body from Craftt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Craftt escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Craftt wants to clinch.
Craftt tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Khalil manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Craftt has taken the fight to the clinch.
Khalil tries to break free but Craftt pushes him back against the cage.
Craftt gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Khalil tries to score a body lock takedown but Craftt shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Khalil breaks the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Craftt fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Khalil, pushing him back against the cage.
Craftt manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Khalil is trying to drag Craftt to the mat but Craftt just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Cobalt Khalil has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cobalt Khalil. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Craftt taking a breather.

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.
Craftt tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Khalil avoids it.

Craftt manages to break the clinch.
Craftt is looking to clinch but Khalil is avoiding it.
Martin Craftt is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Khalil thows a left - swing and a miss!

Craftt moves into the clinch.

Craftt breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Craftt tries to clinch but Khalil moves out of range.
Khalil circles away from the clinch attempt.
Khalil tries to counter with a takedown but Craftt is quick to defend against it.
A looping hook to the body misses from Khalil. Craftt does a little dance to reset his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Martin Craftt comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Craftt 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 Emerson Jorge scores the fight 27:30
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Martin Craftt!
Martin Craftt thanked the fans post fight for their support.