PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Tanaka Matsuda (ranked 898 p4p, 1844 weight class) and Timo Jukola (ranked 118 p4p, 247 weight class). Matsuda comes to the cage accompanied by Avenged Sevenfold - Hail to the King. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Matsuda
vs
Jukola

190 cm
23
200
7 - 2 - 0

180 cm
23
183
4 - 2 - 1

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Brooklyn Apothecary

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 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Tanaka Matsuda!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Timo Jukola!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Emerson Jorge and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Matsuda misses with a hook.
Jukola fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Jukola misses with a wild body shot.
Matsuda misses with a body shot.
Jukola is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Matsuda with a body shot.

Matsuda drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Jukola is not content to let Matsuda control the position.
Jukola is looking for a sweep.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Matsuda creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Jukola sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Matsuda tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Matsuda scoring with punches and elbows.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matsuda landing strikes.
Jukola trying to remain calm as Matsuda controls from the top position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Jukola can do anything to dispel that myth.
Matsuda throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Jukola is trying to control Matsuda's posture but Matsuda avoids it.
Matsuda wants to lay and pray for a moment but Jukola keeps working.

Matsuda tries for a kimura but Jukola is defending well.
Jukola is trying to improve his position.

Matsuda is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Jukola has escaped the position, nice work there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Matsuda working the head and body with strikes.
Matsuda has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Matsuda is working to tighten his grip on Jukola's neck. He's isolated an arm and is working for an arm triangle. Jukola has recognised the danger and is trying to turn with the submission but Matsuda is really squeezing tight and eventually Jukola passes out! Matsuda breaks the hold and jumps onto the cage to celebrate! Submission of the night, I'd say!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:28 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Tanaka Matsuda!
Tanaka Matsuda really struggled to get his t-shirt on before his hand was raised. Making sure that Conviction logo gets some air time is pretty tricky when you're all sweaty.