PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Tony Twister (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Khalifa Khalifa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Khalifa has chosen Habibi Ya Nour El Ain as his entrance music. Tony Twister could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Khalifa Khalifa's chin.

Twister
vs
Khalifa

188 cm
38
195 lbs
22 - 22 - 0

190 cm
37
197 lbs
19 - 20 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
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 22 - 22 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Tony Twister!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 20 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Khalifa Khalifa!
The judges for this bout are Damien Edna, Hugh Johnson and Ben Watson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Khalifa fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Twister takes one on the button.
Twister keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Khalifa takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Twister fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
And Khalifa tries to counter it with a takedown but Twister pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Khalifa shoots in but Twister avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Tony Twister has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Khalifa Khalifa.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A punch lands to the side of Twister 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Twister jabs Khalifa right on the nose. Khalifa blinks but takes it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Twister throws a jab when Khalifa was well out of range.
Khalifa shoots in for a takedown but Twister shows good takedown defense.
Donk. Twister catches Khalifa right on the button with a cross.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Khalifa.
Twister is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Twister manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Twister is staying active underneath Khalifa, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Twister is looking for a sweep. Khalifa is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Twister looking for submissions off his back.
Twister keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Twister tries to roll over but Khalifa keeps him under control.
Khalifa lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Khalifa wants to take a breather but Twister is having none of it.
Twister trying to control but Khalifa postures up.
Twister tries to roll over but Khalifa keeps him under control.
Twister desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Twister wants to improve his position but Khalifa is controlling well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Khalifa seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Twister does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Khalifa is looking for a kimura but Twister is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Khalifa to get the leverage.
Twister desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Twister wants to control but Khalifa is keeping busy.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
A punch combination from Twister misses.
Khalifa blocks a jab.

Khalifa decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Khalifa is trying to control the action in half guard but Twister is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Twister keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Twister keeping control of the position.
Khalifa thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Twister's head.
Twister is looking to improve his position.
Khalifa missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Twister is trying to maintain the position but Khalifa is very close to passing his half guard.
Khalifa lands strikes from half guard.
Twister keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Twister holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Twister is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Khalifa's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Khalifa's back!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Khalifa Khalifa will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Twister takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Khalifa dives in and grabs Twister's left leg, looking for a takedown. Twister pushes down on Khalifa's head and hops out.
Khalifa tries to score a power double leg takedown but Twister sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Khalifa somewhat.

Twister closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Khalifa to the mat! Khalifa manages to get full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Twister wants to control from the top but Khalifa keeps moving.
Twister is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Khalifa is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Twister trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Twister trying to control but Khalifa is working from the bottom.
Twister looking to pass the guard.
Khalifa Khalifa has got the better of the ground game so far.
Twister trying to control but Khalifa is working from the bottom.
Khalifa is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Khalifa wants to get back to his feet but Twister is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Khalifa walks into a stiff left hand from Twister.

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.
A right-left combo lands from Twister.
Twister stuns Khalifa with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Tony Twister seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Khalifa uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Twister.
Khalifa slips under a jab.
Decent striking displayed by Twister there.
Khalifa shoots in for a takedown but Twister shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Tony Twister has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Khalifa Khalifa.
Khalifa moves out of range of the strikes.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Khalifa.

Khalifa feints and as Twister raises his hands in defense, Khalifa changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Khalifa must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Twister has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

Twister has his foot on Khalifa's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Khalifa works his way back into a safe position though.
Twister pulls Khalifa in to control the position.
Khalifa trying to control but Twister is working from the bottom.
Twister not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Khalifa being controlled here momentarily.
Khalifa is looking to work some ground and pound but Twister has wrist control.
Khalifa lands a couple of digs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Twister preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Khalifa is in close to Twister's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Khalifa scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Twister keeping moving, preventing Khalifa from controlling successfully.
Twister is trying to control the position but Khalifa postures up.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Twister swings for the body but Khalifa moves out of range.
Tony Twister is winning the standup battle so far.
Twister misses with an uppercut

and Khalifa counters with a takedown into side control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Twister is trying to control Khalifa's posture but Khalifa avoids it.
Twister takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
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 Tony Twister will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Twister misses with an uppercut.
Khalifa looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.

Khalifa shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Khalifa showed some decent athleticism there.
Twister trying to control but Khalifa postures up.
Khalifa is pressing down on Twister's thigh, looking to free his foot. Twister is holding on for now.
Twister is not content to let Khalifa control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Twister preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Khalifa drops an elbow to the side of Twister's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Khalifa landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Twister slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Khalifa distracts Twister with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Twister is pulling down on Khalifa's head to control his posture.
Khalifa throws a big right hand that misses.
Twister looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Khalifa loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Twister avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Khalifa throwing strikes from guard but Twister blocks nicely.
Twister looking to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Khalifa trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Twister is pulling down on Khalifa's head to control his posture.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Twister misses with a straight right.
Twister uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Khalifa has time to react.
Twister stuns Khalifa with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.

Khalifa scores with a takedown into Twister's guard.
Khalifa landing some decent shots from guard.
Khalifa stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Twister swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Twister wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Khalifa lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Twister pulls Khalifa in close to his closed guard and prevents Khalifa from doing any damage or advancing position.
Khalifa keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Twister's head.
Khalifa preventing the sweep.
Khalifa cracks Twister with a solid left hand.
Twister trying to keep a closed guard but Khalifa is proving a slippery customer.
Khalifa postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Khalifa trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Khalifa connects with a couple of short punches.
Khalifa postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Twister manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Khalifa manages to get himself to full guard.

Twister stops Khalifa from standing up.
Khalifa is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Twister passes into half guard.
Khalifa trying to control but Twister postures up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Twister works his way into side control.

Twister tries for a kimura but Khalifa is defending well.

And that's the end of the fight!
Khalifa Khalifa comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Khalifa has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Damien Edna scores the fight 28:29
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ben Watson scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Khalifa Khalifa!
Khalifa Khalifa decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.