PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Reijo Halli (ranked 1057 p4p, 1701 weight class) and Eero Jukola (ranked 134 p4p, 214 weight class). Halli kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Clint Eastwood - Gorillaz. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Halli
vs
Jukola

177 cm
38
165
18 - 13 - 1

165 cm
38
148
25 - 14 - 1

BJJ Red Belt
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Bondi MMA 🏝️

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 18 - 13 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Reijo Halli!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 25 - 14 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Eero Jukola!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Shigeki Sano and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jukola misses with a straight left.
Jukola throws a low kick but Halli avoids it.
Jukola throws a body punch but Halli moves out of range.
Jukola lands a nice looking body shot.
Halli throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

Halli shoots in and gets a takedown into Jukola's guard.
Jukola keeping moving, preventing Halli from controlling successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Halli stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Jukola swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Jukola looking for a guillotine here but Halli defends easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jukola trying to control the position.
Halli pushes down on Jukola's leg and manages to get into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Halli working the head and body with strikes.

Jukola looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Jukola is looking for a sweep. Halli is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Halli is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Jukola looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Halli is trying to work for a kimura but Jukola is defending well.
Jukola is in trouble now - Halli has advanced to mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jukola is squirming around, avoiding Halli's attempts to control the action.
Jukola working to try and regain half guard.
Jukola tries to lock up and control but Halli gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Halli with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Jukola is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

Halli working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Jukola tries to hold on but Halli pushes him away.
Jukola manages to regain half guard. Good work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jukola blocking the ground and pound attempt from Halli.
Halli wants to control but Jukola is keeping him busy.
Halli wants to free his trapped foot but Jukola is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Jukola works his way to full guard. Good work.
Halli sitting in guard here, content to control.
Halli will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Halli stands and throws Jukola's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Halli tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jukola is looking for a sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Halli just content to control the position.

Halli thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Jukola is looking for a sweep.

Halli is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Jukola knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Jukola is looking to regain half guard here but Halli keeps moving and retains side control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Reijo Halli dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Halli shoots in looking for a takedown. Jukola tries to sprawl out of it but Halli keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Jukola manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Jukola moves out of range as Halli strikes.
Jukola avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
A big left from Halli misses.
Halli scores with the left hand. Jukola knows he should have avoided that one.
Halli sizes up Jukola with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Jukola looks to land a body kick but Halli moved away.
A jab from Jukola does it's job there.
Jukola throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jukola uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Halli.

Halli darts in and clinches Jukola up against the cage.
Halli lands a nice shot to the body.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Jukola.
Jukola swings wildly with an uppercut but Halli uses good head movement to avoid it.

Halli is trying to trip Jukola. He has hold of a leg but Jukola is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Halli persists though and gets the takedown into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jukola tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Jukola looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Jukola looking to control.
Halli is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Jukola can do to turn this around?

Jukola escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Halli gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Halli trying to control the position from guard on top but Jukola is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Halli scoring with some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Halli thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Jukola escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Halli gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Jukola escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Halli gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Halli wants to control from the top but Jukola keeps moving.
Halli sitting in guard here, content to control.
Halli forces his way into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jukola is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Halli works his way into full mount!
Jukola tries to hold on but Halli postures up.
Jukola has given up his back here. Will Halli look for the submission or keep pounding away?
Halli biding his time, looking for the opening.
Jukola is in a world of trouble here. He's outmatched on the ground here and he'd better get Halli off his back sharpish unless he wants to be submitted.
Jukola is in bad spot here.
Jukola manages to reverse the position and now he's in Halli's guard. Nice work there by Jukola.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Halli wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Jukola cracks Halli with a solid left hand.
Jukola throwing strikes from guard but Halli blocks nicely.

Halli is looking for a triangle but Jukola pushes his legs off easily.
Jukola with a nice head shot there.
Jukola won't allow Halli to sweep him here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Halli keeping moving, preventing Jukola from controlling successfully.
Jukola postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Halli looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Reijo Halli dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Halli bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Jukola gets back to half guard.

Halli is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Halli is looking for a kimura here.
Jukola gets back to full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Jukola is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jukola wants to sweep here but Halli controlling him for the moment.

Jukola working for a triangle but Halli defends it easily.
Halli forces his way into half guard.
Halli is nestled in close to Jukola, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Halli is keen to just control but Jukola is a slippery customer.
Halli sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Jukola defending well though.
Jukola wants to control but Halli is keeping busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Jukola is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Halli seems to be looking for submissions.
Jukola is looking for a sweep. Halli is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Jukola gets full guard.
Jukola looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Halli trying to control but Jukola is working from the bottom.

Jukola is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Halli defends well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Jukola escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Halli gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Jukola takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Halli got a little sloppy there for a moment and Jukola has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Halli has managed to get both his arms back between Jukola's legs - danger averted.
Halli looking to pass the guard.
Halli wants to control from the top but Jukola keeps moving.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Jukola tests Halli's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Halli swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Jukola.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jukola circles away from the clinch attempt.
An inside leg kick lands from Jukola.
Jukola lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Jukola just misses with a punch to the body.
Eero Jukola seems to be getting the better of the standup.
The fight stays on the outside here - Halli looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Halli throws a hook but Jukola blocks it.
Jukola steps in looking to counter with the mid kick but it doesn't connect.
Halli lands a jab.
Jukola scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Halli doesn't seem bothered though.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Halli forces Jukola back against the cage and clinches.
Halli can't get the takedown.
Halli scores with a shoulder strike.
Reijo Halli is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Jukola pressing his opponent against the cage.
Eero Jukola has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Jukola doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Reijo Halli.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Halli, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Ren Mimura scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Reijo Halli!
Reijo Halli decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.