A truly unusual submission finish recently captivated viewers at PFL Europe 2.
Held on Saturday at the ING Arena in Brussels, Belgium, the event`s undercard featured one of the most seldom-seen submission techniques in mixed martial arts. Levi Batchelor secured a victory over Fahdi Khaled using the distinctive Ezekiel choke.
While the Ezekiel choke is a staple technique in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, where the gi provides essential grips, its appearance is a rarity in MMA due to the absence of traditional grappling attire. Nevertheless, it`s not entirely unprecedented. Notably, former heavyweight contender Aleksei Oleinik made the move a signature of his career, finishing an impressive 14 bouts via Ezekiel choke. Despite this, it remains an uncommon sight, particularly in the lighter weight classes, making Batchelor`s successful execution all the more remarkable.
The bantamweight contest was nearing its conclusion when Batchelor, working from side control against Khaled, initially set up an arm-triangle choke. When Khaled defended this threat, Batchelor skillfully transitioned to the Ezekiel choke. He locked the hold tightly and applied pressure. A brief moment of ambiguity arose when Khaled appeared to either tap out or potentially strike Batchelor, causing a momentary release of the choke. However, any potential controversy was quickly resolved; as Batchelor rose to celebrate, it became evident that Khaled had been rendered unconscious by the submission.
