A truly rare sight unfolded on the undercard of PFL Europe 2 in Brussels on Saturday, when Levi Batchelor defeated Fahdi Khaled using an Ezekiel choke.
While a common finish in Brazilian jiu-jitsu competition, the Ezekiel choke is seldom successfully applied in MMA due to the absence of a gi for obtaining grips. It`s not entirely unprecedented, however; heavyweight veteran Aleksei Oleinik notably employed this technique throughout his career, securing 14 victories with it. Nevertheless, it remains an exceptionally uncommon submission, particularly within the lighter weight divisions. Levi Batchelor demonstrated its viability in his bantamweight bout.
As the fight neared its conclusion, Batchelor was in side control on Khaled. After initially threatening an arm-triangle choke, Batchelor transitioned to the Ezekiel choke, cinching it tight. A moment of ambiguity arose as Khaled`s movements were unclear – potentially a tap or defensive strikes – leading Batchelor to briefly release the hold. Any uncertainty was quickly resolved when Batchelor stood up to celebrate, revealing that Khaled had been rendered unconscious by the submission.
