Here`s a sight that doesn`t come around often in mixed martial arts.
During the PFL Europe 2 event held on Saturday at the ING Arena in Brussels, Belgium, a remarkably rare submission occurred on the undercard. Levi Batchelor successfully applied an Ezekiel choke to defeat Fahdi Khaled.
While a frequent maneuver in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competition, the Ezekiel choke is seldom seen in MMA due to the absence of a gi, which typically provides the necessary grips. Despite its rarity, it`s not entirely unprecedented; heavyweight veteran Aleksei Oleinik notably used this technique for 14 finishes in his career. However, its appearance is uncommon, especially in the lighter weight divisions. Clearly, Levi Batchelor wasn`t deterred by this.
As their bantamweight contest approached its conclusion, Batchelor established side control over Khaled and threatened an arm-triangle choke. Khaled defended the initial attack, allowing Batchelor to transition smoothly into the Ezekiel choke. He secured the hold and applied pressure. A moment of confusion followed as Khaled appeared to tap, potentially interspersed with attempts to punch Batchelor, causing Batchelor to momentarily release the choke. Fortunately, any potential controversy was avoided, as it became clear when Batchelor stood up to celebrate that Khaled had been rendered unconscious by the submission.
Oliver Croft