PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Sunny Day (ranked 1714 p4p, 83 weight class) and Nobunaga Tanaka (ranked 1897 p4p, 94 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Day
vs
Tanaka

150 cm
28
130 lbs
9 - 6 - 0

170 cm
21
140 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Excellent grappler
Good kicks
Good gas tank

Vikai Gear

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 9 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Sunny Day!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Nobunaga Tanaka!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Roosa Järviläinen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tanaka takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Day swings for the body but Tanaka moves out of range.
Horrible takedown attempt by Tanaka or perhaps it was just good defense by Day, which made it look bad.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Day lands with a light punch inside.
Day tries to work over Tanaka's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Tanaka putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Day in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Day digs a right hand into Tanaka's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Tanaka's gas tank.
Tanaka stalling the fight.
Tanaka stalling in the clinch.
Tanaka continues to stall. The referee tells him to work or he's going to break them up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Day wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Tanaka manages to pull guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Day is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Tanaka is on top in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tanaka scoring with punches to the head and body.

Day looking for a guillotine here but Tanaka defends easily.
Tanaka wants to pass the guard but Day is keeping the position.
Tanaka is working Day over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tanaka advances position into side control!
Tanaka cracks Day with a big elbow.
Day tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tanaka tries to score with some ground and pound. Day controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Tanaka scoring with punches and elbows.
Day is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Tanaka is one step ahead and moves to full mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka looking to control but Day is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

Tanaka with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Tanaka working his ground and pound in the gym. So far it seems to be working well.
Day wants to control but Tanaka is having none of it.
Tanaka is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Day might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Tanaka looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Tanaka working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Day is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

Tanaka working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Day takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Tanaka prevents Day from getting the reversal.
Day on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Day tries to get out of the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka landing strikes, looking to finish!
Tanaka has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Tanaka takes his opponent's back. Perhaps a chance to lock up a rear naked choke here.
You can see the frustration on Day's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Will Tanaka go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?
Day trying to control the action but Tanaka just sinks the hooks in.
Tanaka is throwing strikes from the back here. Oh that last one was to the back of the head. Tanaka gets a warning from the referee. He throws another strike to the back of the head straight away though and the referee has seen enough. He breaks up the two fighters and stands them back up. Tanaka gets a real talking to here and is lucky not to get a point deducted. Tanaka apologises and we restart here on the feet.
Day throws a hook but Tanaka avoids it easily.
Sunny Day seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Day lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Day throws a jab but it's blocked by Tanaka.
Tanaka ducks right into an uppercut from Day.

Day tries to keep at a distance but Tanaka has taken the fight into the clinch.
Day misses with a shot to the kidneys.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Day up against the cage.
Day throws a punch but it's blocked by Tanaka.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

Tanaka breaks from the clinch.
Tanaka looks to land a body kick but Day moved away.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A big left from Day misses.

Tanaka gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
The referee calls for Tanaka to work.
Day working aggressively here.
Day struggles to land a body shot inside as Tanaka controls his hands.
Tanaka goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Day cracks Tanaka with a nice body shot.
Tanaka is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Day is keeping busy.
Day misses with a body punch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nobunaga Tanaka dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Tanaka thows a body kick. Day tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Day misses the body punch

and Tanaka moves into the clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Tanaka.
Tanaka just leaning against Day, taking a breather.

Day's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Day throws a lazy uppercut

and Tanaka counters with a nice double leg into side control. Day won't be happy with that.
Day can't do much from the bottom here.
Day is trying to improve his position.
Tanaka wants to lay and pray for a moment but Day keeps working.
Nobunaga Tanaka has got the better of the ground game so far.
Day on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Day wants to control but Tanaka postures up.
Tanaka tries to move to mount but Day blocks the move with his legs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Day can't do much from the bottom here.
Tanaka trying to control the action but Day is working from the bottom.
Day tries to bench press Tanaka off him but Tanaka keeps the position.
Day can't do much from the bottom here.
Tanaka has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Tanaka is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Day knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Tanaka in side control, working for a kimura. He's got hold of an arm and he's torquing it... Day is tapping! That's the end of the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:56 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Nobunaga Tanaka!
Nobunaga Tanaka thanked the fans post fight for their support.