PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Mikey Day (ranked 659 p4p, 581 weight class) and Eero Jukola (ranked 39 p4p, 36 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Day
vs
Jukola

170 cm
33
146
21 - 16 - 1

165 cm
29
143
17 - 7 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Warrior Fight Store

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 21 - 16 - 1, fighting out of New York, Mikey Day!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Eero Jukola!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Shigeki Fujiwara and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Day shoots in for a double leg but Jukola sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
It seemed like Jukola was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
The crowd cheers as Day lands an impressive looking overhand right. Jukola doesn't seem phased though.
Day throws a leg kick but Jukola moved away.
Jukola only half commits to the counter leg kick.
A bone on bone clash there as Day blocks the leg kick.
Jukola throws a leg kick that misses.
Jukola fails to land with a series of punches.
Jukola throws a hook to the side of Day's head but Day sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Day moves out of range of the strikes.
Jukola thows a leg kick but Day checks it
and Day counters with a nice uppercut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Day fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Day lands a really nice looking cross but Jukola seems unphased.
Day throws a body kick that misses
and Jukola makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A good leg kick by Day.
Day looks to score with a jab to the body but Jukola is just out of range.
Jukola scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Day jabs at Jukola's body.
Day throws a hook to the side of Jukola's head but Jukola sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Day backing away here, and Jukola unleashes a leg kick that just misses.

Day dives in and scores a takedown into Jukola's guard.
Day sitting in guard here, content to control.
Jukola trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Jukola wants to sweep here but Day controlling him for the moment.
Jukola trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Day connects with a couple of short punches.
Jukola throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Jukola looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Jukola wants to control but Day passes easily into half guard.
Jukola is looking to control Day's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Jukola avoid being mounted?
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jukola wants to improve his position but Day is controlling well.
Jukola is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Day sitting and controlling from the half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jukola trying to hold on to Day's head to control him but Day postures up.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Jukola punching from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Jukola on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Day throws an off balance right hand
and Jukola counters with a nice uppercut.
Jukola throws a body punch but Day moves out of range.
Day avoids the body shot from Jukola.
Day will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mikey Day. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Day pushes Jukola up against the cage in a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Day lands with a right to the head.
Jukola struggles to land a body shot inside as Day controls his hands.
Jukola misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Jukola misses with a hook to the ribs.
Day tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Jukola's elbow.
Day misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Day has a couple of punches blocked by Jukola.
Jukola misses with the head strike.
Day pushes Jukola back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Day lands a left hand.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Jukola tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Day pushes Jukola back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Jukola fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Jukola is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Day is keeping busy.
Day wants to take the fight to the mat but Jukola manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Jukola.
Day misses with a body punch.
Jukola tries to work over Day's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Jukola manages to break the clinch.
A looping hook to the body misses from Jukola. Day does a little dance to reset his feet.
An attempted straight right counter from Day misses the target.
Jukola throws out a loose jab but Day uses good head movement to avoid it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Mikey Day dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Day scores with a jab to the jaw.
Jukola lands a nice leg kick that just misses Day's sensitive parts.
Day misses with a looping left.
Jukola feints a counter leg kick.
Day misses the shot to the body.
Day ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Jukola moves away.
Day connects with a solid leg kick.
Day misses with a straight left.
Day connects with a good right hand that stumbles Jukola. Jukola circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Day throws a front kick that sends Jukola stumbling back into the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Day lands with a good body shot.
A telegraphed right hand from Jukola misses the target.
Day tries to score a power double leg takedown but Jukola sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Day somewhat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Day avoids the body shot from Jukola.

Day drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Jukola manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Day manages to get himself to full guard.

Jukola is looking to work some ground and pound but Day has wrist control.
Day utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Jukola postures up in Day's guard and throws a big left but Day blocks it.
Jukola is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Jukola trying to control but Day is working from the bottom.
Jukola throws a big elbow that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jukola wants to pass the guard but Day is keeping the position.
Jukola loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Jukola wants to stand but Day has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Jukola trying to control the position from guard on top but Day is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Jukola is pushing down on Day's leg trying to pass to half guard. Day is fighting to maintain full guard but Jukola has managed to sneak the leg through.
Jukola winds up and cracks Day with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Jukola wants to take a breather but Day is having none of it.
Day wants to get back to full guard.
Day is trying to control but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jukola slows the pace down in half guard.
Jukola looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Day works his way to full guard. Good work.
Day has momentary wrist control but Jukola slips an elbow through the middle.
Jukola trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Jukola postures up in Day's guard and throws a big left but Day blocks it.
Day has his hands on Jukola's head, controlling the position.
Day keeping moving, preventing Jukola from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jukola is looking to work some ground and pound but Day has wrist control.
Jukola missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Jukola being controlled here momentarily.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Day keeping moving, preventing Jukola from controlling successfully.
Jukola pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Day is keeping the position for now.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
A jab from Day does it's job there.
Day fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Jukola manages to avoid it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Eero Jukola will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

A looping hook to the body misses from Jukola. Day does a little dance to reset his feet.
Mikey Day seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Day misses the jab.
Jukola let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.

Day bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Jukola manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Day taking some punishment here, with Jukola in his half guard.
Day is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Jukola working the head and body with strikes.
Jukola throws a strike but Day avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Eero Jukola has got the better of the ground game so far.
Day is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Jukola wants to control from the top but Day keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Day pulls Jukola in close to prevent any damage.
Jukola throwing strikes from guard but Day blocks nicely.
Jukola wants to control from the top but Day keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Jukola throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Day works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Jukola content to stall in guard here.
Day trying to keep a closed guard but Jukola is proving a slippery customer.
Day preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Jukola throwing strikes from guard but Day blocks nicely.
Jukola throws a big elbow that misses.
Jukola in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jukola throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Day works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Day tries to land a sweep but no joy.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Jukola wants to slow Day down by chopping away at his legs.
Day shoots in but Jukola avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Jukola only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Jukola tries a head kick but it misses.
Day throws the kick towards the body but Jukola avoids it.
A countering left hand to the body from Jukola misses.
Day takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Jukola throws a leg kick that misses.
Jukola throws a big shot that misses.
Day walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.

Day is rocked!
Day throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jukola stuffs the takedown.
Nice defenses there by Jukola.
Jukola looks to throw the jab but Day is out of range.
Jukola takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Day keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Day scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Jukola tries to bench press Day off him but Day keeps the position.
Day scores with a couple of short elbows.
Jukola tries to improve position but can't.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Day in side control, just content to control the action for now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Eero Jukola comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Jukola has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Eero Jukola!
After the fight, Eero Jukola was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.