WWE STAR FIGHTS 350 POUND BEAST IN MMA
Friday, June 26th, 2009
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Archive for the 'OTHER MMA NEWS' Category
BONJASKY VS OVEREEM PLUS AERTS, SCHILT, MANHOEF AND LE BANNER AT 1AM ON HDNET
Friday, March 27th, 2009
K-1 Event Producer Sadaharu Tanikawa opened the fightsport’s 16th season on Friday by announcing that Semmy Schilt will compete at the K-1 World Grand Prix 2009 in Yokohama. A three-time World GP Champ and reigning K-1 Super Heavyweight Champion, Schilt joins defending World GP Champion Remy Bonjasky and veterans Peter Aerts and Jerome LeBanner at this year’s inaugural World GP event.
The 12-bout extravaganza, set for Saturday, March 28 at Yokohama Arena, comprises the K-1 Heavyweight one-day tournament, five Superfights and three undercard bouts. The men who will do battle there met the media on Friday at the Keio Plaza Hotel in central Shinjuku.
Schilt, who will fight 28-year-old Egyptian Hesdy Gerges, said he was happy to be back in K-1. “I got the call the day before yesterday, I don’t even know the guy I’m fighting, but it’s going to be a great fight!” Gerges, who stands 200cm/6′7″ and weighs 100 kg/220lbs, was still en route to Tokyo at press conference time.
In Saturday’s Main Event, Remy Bonjasky will meet Alistair Overeem — the Dutch MMA fighter who shocked K-1 fans with a dramatic KO victory over Badr Hari last New Year’s Eve. Bonjasky has been cast in the role of avenger here, with the reputation of K-1 fighters on the line. So gravely is the test regarded that K-1 Event Producer Sadaharu Tanikawa declared a Bonjasky loss on Saturday could amount to “The end of K-1.”
The fists and feet fly on Saturday – Friday we had a rhetorical thrust and parry.
Bonjasky: “I hope it will be a fantastic event, good luck to everybody.”
Overeem scored the first point: “I am 100-percent ready. Now, we know Remy and we respect him as a three-time champion, but even more, we respect his acting — both in movies and in the ring. And so we arranged a little something…”
On cue, Overeem’s girlfriend Anne took the stage to present a plastic “Oscar” statuette to a smiling Bonjasky.
Bonjasky stood up and responded in a beat: “I will put this with all my trophies, the big ones! And Alistair, maybe you should stop the drugs, because you’re also getting big, bigger and bigger, even your clothes don’t fit you any more!”
Overeem’s comeback attempt, “I’m from Holland, everybody in Holland does drugs,” didn’t earn him the win. Will this size and power get him the glory in the ring? Or will it be Bonjasky’s speed and technique? The world is watching.
The card’s penultimate match features another Dutchman, K-1 superstar Peter Aerts, fighting Errol Zimmerman, from the Netherlands Antilles island of Curaçao.
Said Aerts: “I’ve been training hard in a new gym and my condition is good, I hope I do better than last time!”
Remarked Zimmerman: “I am very glad to be here glad to fight Peter, I don’t want to say too much till (Saturday).”
French slugger Jerome LeBanner, a K-1 veteran, will represent the old-school against explosive young kyokushin fighter Ewerton Teixeira of Brazil in another Superfight.
Teixeira: “I trained hard to get ready for this fight, and I will show my best in the ring.”
LeBanner: “I hope everyone will enjoy (Saturday’s) fight, good luck!”
A veteran kyokushin fighter, K-1 star Glaube Feitosa, will meet Japanese wunderkind Junichi Sawayashiki, in another contest between experience and youth.
Sawayashiki: “I will do my best.”
Feitosa: “I prepared myself well with kyokushin, it will be an excellent fight.”
K-1 Heavyweight Title Tournament
The K-1 Heavyweight Title Tournament is a four-man elimination, fought in a 100kg/220lbs weight class, for the K-1 Heavyweight Belt. A pair of semifinals go up early on the Yokohama card, the two winners meet in the final later in the evening.
Dutch Dynamo Melvin Manhoef will take on Japanese fighter Keijiro Maeda in the first semifinal.
Manhoef was brimming with confidence: “This is a chance, I’m the smallest and lightest fighter, but I’m going to hurt him, better I hurt him than he hurts me! I came here only to make war and bring the title home!”
Replied Maeda: “Yes, I guess I’m afraid a little bit. But here I am, a guy with a funky hairstyle, and (Saturday) I’m going to show everybody that I’m also a top fighter!”
The second semi of the K-1 Heavyweight Title Tournament sees Tyrone Spong of Suriname, making his K-1 debut, take on Gokhan Saki of Turkey.
Spong: “There is a new star in town, and the title is mine! I will bring the belt home, I want to wish the other fighters best luck, because it’s going to be hard to beat me!”
Saki was cool as always: “I’m in good shape, I trained hard all the time, and now I’ve come here to make one of my dreams come true!”
In undercard action, Mitsugu Noda will meet Yang Rae Yoo; Hiraku Hori fights Takumi Sato; and Takashi Tachikawa takes on Yutaka Sakuma. All bouts will be conducted under K-1 Official Rules — 3Min. x 3R; Ext. 2R (Ext. 1R in the tournament semifinals).
The K-1 World Grand Prix 2009 in Yokohama kicks off at 5:00 pm on Saturday, March 28 at the Yokohama Arena. It will be broadcast in Japan on the Fuji TV network. For international broadcast information, contact local providers.
The event will air live in the U.S. on HDNet on Saturday, March 28 at 1:00 a.m. PT with an encore presentation on Saturday, March 28 at 9:00 p.m. ET.
MMA MEETS BOXING WITH ROY JONES SATURDAY
Friday, March 20th, 2009
Thursday, March 19, 2009
(PRESS RELEASE) — At the Final press conference in Pensacola yesterday, Bobby Lashley read some excerpts a the podium os what Jason Guida has been saying in the press. At that time, Guida shot back with, “This is a real fight. Not what you have been used to. This is not fake - these are real punches.”
When it was time to do the “face-off” photo, matter escalated to the point where Guida grabbed Lashley by the throat. “Promoter” Roy Jones Jr. had to get in between them to break it up.
The video is posted on you-tube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jl5FbH43EU
Eight-time world champion “Superman” Roy Jones Jr. will battle Omar Sheika in a light heavyweight bout this Saturday, March 21. B.J. Flores, Undefeated Cruiserweight, will be featured on the card along with a bevy of MMA bouts, headlined by Bobby Lashley versus Jason Guida and Roy Nelson facing off against Jeff Monson. The Event, promoted by Square Ring Promotions, Inc. in association with Hirsch Borao Boxing and the Pensacola Civic Center will take place at the Pensacola Civic Center and be broadcast live on pay-per-view. Tickets, priced at $128, $103, $78, $53 & $28 are on sale and available at all Ticketmaster locations, the Pensacola Civic Center Box Office and Ticketmaster.com.
SENGOKU 7 TONIGHT ON HDNET
Thursday, March 19th, 2009
Thursday, March 19, 2009
by (tloiseleur@sherdog.com)
With Dream’s grand prix already underway, Sengoku will kick off its own featherweight tournament on Friday. Going down at the cozy Yoyogi National Number 2 Gymnasium in Tokyo, the featured featherweight field starting at Sengoku’s 7th Battle will not only be conducted at the more accepted weight of 143 pounds but also will feature a myriad of prospects that, until now, have not had the chance to shine on the big stage.
Their brief histories make it difficult to pick with certainty how they’ll fare or which will end up at the top of the heap by year’s end, but the uncertainty also helps to accentuate the featherweight tourney’s charm and excitement. Who will shine and who will shrink under the big lights, and which featherweight prospect will finally “arrive” as a top tier-talent, like Satoru Kitaoka and Jorge Santiago before them?
Stephen Martinez/Sherdog.com
clash with Chris Manuel.
At 6-0-2, American Top Team’s Chris Manuel is a good example of the bright young prospects that Sengoku has done so well to pick up and potentially build into a breakout talent over the course of the 2009 featherweight tournament. However, there are two tiny caveats in Manuel’s case: 1) He is more suited as a bantamweight; and 2) he’s fighting Hatsu Hioki, who will not only have a considerable size advantage over him but is also the consensus favorite in the tournament.
While many will contend that this is MMA and with four-ounce gloves anything can happen, it most likely won’t in the Hioki-Manuel bout. Not only will Hioki be able to handle whatever Manuel throws at him on the feet, Manuel’s penchant to bring the fight in close to the clinch for the eventual takedown attempt will be all but nullified. If the fight goes to the floor, it’ll likely be on Hioki’s terms.
Hioki is Japan’s best MMA grappler at featherweight. Baret Yoshida, long respected as one of the featherweight division’s slickest and most accomplished grapplers, was thoroughly outmaneuvered and crushed on the canvas by Hioki in Shooto last March, ending Yoshida’s short-lived return to MMA. Manuel should thus prove no stiffer a test on the mat for the heavier and taller Hioki, who will use his physical advantages in concert with his superlative technical abilities to further drive the point home that the Sengoku tournament is nothing more than his coming-out party.
Provided that Hioki doesn’t resort to stubbornly playing his opponent’s game, as he has been known to do in past fights, things should go swimmingly in this first-round tourney bout for the Nagoya native. Look for Hioki to dominate on the mat, giving the WEC veteran his first defeat en route to taking a unanimous decision to glide on into the second round of the tournament.
While Strikeforce veteran Nam Phan hasn’t done particularly well against the top-tier fighters he’s faced, it should be noted that he faced all of them at 155. Not only is Hideki Kadowaki not in the same league as the likes of Gesias “JZ” Cavalcante and Josh Thomson, but as a career 143-pounder in Shooto, Kadowaki is already going to find himself struggling with the heavier Phan on the ground.
Further adding to Phan’s advantage is that on the feet at least, Kadowaki will not attempt to steamroll him with big punches. While Kadowaki has found success with his newly discovered jab, the boxer in Phan should be able to navigate around it to land the bigger shots.
Even in Kadowaki’s own territory on the ground, the former 143-pound Shooto champion poses little threat to the bigger Phan. Never finished by way of submission in his career of 19 fights, Phan will not fall prey to the trademark Kadowaki Special. He’ll slip out of submission attempts to maintain dominant position, where he will grind out a workmanlike unanimous decision to advance to the next round.
Jeff Sherwood/Sherdog.com
be an exciting,
back-and-forth tussle.
Michihiro Omigawa vs. L.C. Davis
In one of the more curiously booked tournament bouts on the card, UFC veteran Michihiro Omigawa will find a stiff test in Affliction and IFL veteran L.C. Davis.
“Curious” in that outside of being Omigawa’s management agency and a corporate partner of World Victory Road, J-Rock also serves as the promotion’s matchmaker. Rather than tossing their man Omigawa a softball for an easy promotional boost in the tourney’s opening round, it seems as if J-Rock would rather he endure a trial by fire against the ever-impressive Davis. Refreshing in the challenge it presents to Omigawa as well as their faith in him, the logic behind the booking may be that a win over Davis would be a significant first step for the former 155-pounder’s fresh start as a featherweight.
The problem, however, is that it probably won’t happen. While Omigawa can neither be faulted for his tenacity or for his solid chin, his in-ring performances don’t particularly paint him as a standout talent. His liabilities lie in his power and his susceptibility to eat punches, which should prove little problem for Davis to take advantage of. Omigawa’s defensive holes coupled with his inability to land the knockout punch will allow Davis to accumulate the better shots on the feet and on the ground en route to outworking Omigawa in the grappling department.
Nevertheless, Omigawa-Davis should prove an exciting, back-and-forth tussle before Davis takes over to push the pace and impose his game in rounds two and three. While Omigawa will be more than game to engage Davis on the feet before the ensuing scramble to the mat, expect the judoka to use the clinch and takedown attempts to try to slow the fight down and reassert his own game after round one. It won’t work, as the Miletich product will take Omigawa down and keep him there for an extensive ground-and-pound beating en route to a solid unanimous decision.
Marlon Sandro vs. Matt Jaggers
Undefeated and current featherweight King of Pancrase Marlon Sandro will step into the first round of the Sengoku tournament across from Matt Jaggers, former King of the Cage “super lightweight” and bantamweight champion. While Sandro’s record doesn’t reflect many finishes, that doesn’t mean the top Nova Uniao prospect is incapable of them.
Look for Sandro to work slick combinations on the feet between delivering punishing low kicks. He’ll rack up the points before stunning Jaggers to send him to the canvas. Once there, expect Sandro to work a superior top game, grinding Jaggers up for a TKO stoppage in the second round.
Daniel Herbertson/Sherdog.com
to winning form?
Sengoku’s featherweight grand prix will be Jong Man Kim’s second Japanese featherweight tourney, but the question remains whether he will be able to get past the first round this time. Since participating in the Cage Force featherweight tournament, Kim’s development from featherweight foil into an actual solid talent has all but derailed, as recent performances have left much to be desired for the Korean fighter.
ZST representative Masanori Kanehara, on the other hand, comes into Sengoku off a thunderous first-round starching of Kenji Arai in Pancrase — a knockout that earned him his spot in this tournament. While it’s doubtful he’ll be able to replicate the Hail Mary knockout punch that “Wicky Akiyo” Nishiura used to give Kim his first KO loss, Kanehara has at least proven in previous bouts that he has the power to finish with punches. With a fighter like Kim who drops his hands and gets sloppy when tired, the chances for Kanehara’s punches to meet their mark increase even further. Add to this Kim’s wide stance that acts as a low kick sponge, and Kanehara becomes an even more enticing pick here.
Whether Kim will break his slump under the big lights of Sengoku to resurge and shock Kanehara is still uncertain, but given his defensive liabilities, Kanehara has a good chance of putting his hands and shins on the Korean to rack up damage. Should the KO or TKO not result, expect Kanehara to beat on Kim until catching a third-round submission, at once advancing to the second round of the tournament and further proving that “ZST is BST.”
Shintaro Ishiwatari vs. Chan Sung Jung
Even if you’re not a hardcore fan, you’ve probably already seen Ishiwatari fight. Making the Internet rounds last year was a video of him slamming Kazuhiro Ito on his face in order to escape from an armbar, brutally knocking out Ito in the process. While it was great to see Ishiwatari (6-1-3) receive notoriety for the wicked KO, it was a shame that his fame was so short-lived, especially since the Shooto standout is an absolute joy to watch — even when he’s not slamming others on their faces.
Thus, it’s for the best that Sengoku has given Ishiwatari the chance to finally shine in a big show. The opportunity does not come freely or without some danger, however, as he’ll be paired up against the deadly Jung (2-0) in the opening round of the tournament. The unsuspecting Jung, who in his last outing viciously knocked Shooto veteran Fanjin Son straight into retirement, has enough power in his hands to ruin anyone’s day.
That threat is exacerbated by Ishiwatari’s style, as he’ll likely opt to stand and bang it out with the Korean slugger. While Ishiwatari is certainly exciting and slick on his feet, one small slip could be the difference between stylishly outpointing Jung and taking a nap after eating one big punch. Furthermore, if the fight goes to the ground, it’ll be because Jung takes it there. Ishiwatari’s takedown defense is porous, and if the action hits the floor, Jung will be able to work submission attempts and ground-and-pound before Ishiwatari manages to pop back to his feet.
Be that as it may, Ishiwatari is certainly a worthy enough prospect in which to invest time and faith. Provided he doesn’t slip and get his brains splattered on the canvas by a well-placed Jung punch, look for the Gutsman representative to put his fists on Jung with style and panache en route to a unanimous decision.
Jim Page/Sherdog.com
extensive muay Thai background.
Tetsuya Yamada vs. Ronnie Mann
As far as storylines go, Yamada is certainly an interesting fighter to have in the Sengoku tournament. He’s not particularly wacky or unorthodox in the way that most Westerners tend to think of Japanese fighters, but he is young. So young, as a matter of fact, that he graduated from high school this year, just in time to participate in the featherweight grand prix. It’s the kind of human interest story that should put an event like Sengoku 7 in the local newspapers for some much-needed press.
However, the promotion is pitting the unbeaten ZST fighter against Mann in the first round; at 16-1, he looks like an incredibly stiff test for Yamada. While it would be easy to say that someone like Mann could best the still-developing Yamada (3-0) on sheer weight of experience, the situation isn’t necessarily so simple. Certainly, Mann has 17 fights and an extensive Thai boxing background, and he’s a champion in the UK, but outside of his one loss to Robbie Olivier, it’s difficult to gauge the extent of Mann’s true abilities given the competition he’s faced. Mann has thoroughly handled most of his opponents, putting them away with quick first-round submissions that make it somewhat difficult to get an accurate measure of what the Briton has in his toolbox.
It’s likely in this small detail that Sengoku is banking its hopes on the young Yamada, who, with two knockouts and one submission already under his belt, has the potential to develop into a featherweight finisher. Should Yamada best Mann, it would undoubtedly boost his stock for having not only put away a foreign champion but one with an extensive record, as well.
Even so, it’s still hard to argue for Yamada given his three fights. While he’s at least proven he has knockout power and submission skills, it’s still Mann who has over five years of experience on his side in this fight. Yamada can still put away Mann, but expect the Briton to take it to the floor. There, he will outwork the young Japanese fighter in a game of capturing and maintaining dominant position in order to take a razor-close decision.
Kawahara’s only loss came to Manabu Inoue, who defeated him last December to become the first bantamweight King of Pancrase. In that fight, the flashy, striking-focused Kawahara (6-1) paid for his recklessness and youthful inexperience by allowing Inoue’s tenacious attempts to turn the bout into a grappling match to break through his dangerous offense on the feet. Thus, Kawahara gave up his back and the rear-naked choke late in the second round.
Luckily for Kawahara, King of the Cage Canada’s featherweight champion, Denis (6-0), is a bit of a knockout artist himself and does not seem inclined to pursue tactics similar to Inoue’s. While Denis has the weight advantage in this bout as a true 145-pounder, he will likely not use those extra pounds where they would be most advantageous to him — in out-grappling Kawahara.
With Denis’ penchant for throwing single strikes, it’ll be the natural bantamweight, Kawahara, who will push the pace on the feet, landing punches and kicks that won’t stun the Canadian import but will certainly make him look less appealing to Sengoku’s judges. Given their historic predilections toward favoring strikes, it’ll come down to which fighter lands the most by the end of the bout. That will be Kawahara, who will take a hard-earned unanimous decision after three rounds of banging it out with Denis.
Daniel Herbertson/Sherdog.com
on Ryo Kawamura.
Thompson (14-9) will steam forward and look to turn the fight into a brawl, while York will hang back to try and counterpunch his way to a knockout. Should York (9-2) get through and stun Thompson, however, “The Colossus” always has the option to take the fight to the floor, where he can continue his assault with ground-and-pound.
Knocked out by Yoshihiro Nakao in his last fight, York most likely will not get that counter punch through, as Thompson’s barrage will find purchase late in the first round for the technical knockout win.
Ryo Kawamura vs. Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal
Lawal (3-0) said he wants to be involved in every Sengoku event possible. Fresh on the heels of his first-round technical knockout of Yukiya Naito in January, the budding star has been placed in the main event of the Japanese promotion’s inaugural 2009 show. While largely unknown in the West, Kawamura, the current light heavyweight King of Pancrase, should prove a solid test for the ever-improving “King Mo.” A competent striker who can string together combinations and work jabs, body punches and counters, Kawamura will likely look to stalk Lawal on the feet.
Lawal’s still-developing stand-up could prove a defensive liability should Kawamura (9-3-2) land a few low kicks and punches. Luckily for Lawal, his power evens the playing field. Kawamura can be knocked out if he’s not careful, and given Lawal’s fast and powerful punches, the KO threat is enhanced. Should Lawal not decapitate Kawamura, however, expect the Japanese fighter to push for the takedown, which “King Mo” will foil with ease; he’ll take the fight down to the mat on his terms.
From there, expect Lawal to blitz Kawamura with punishing punches from above, forcing the King of Pancrase to turn over and surrender his back. This is exactly what Lawal wants. Provided the referee does not jump in to save Kawamura, Lawal will finally get his much-sought-after first submission win, sinking the rear-naked choke midway through the second round.
HAPPY NEW YEAR FOR MMA IN TOKYO
Friday, January 2nd, 2009
TOKYO — Despite last-minute absences, late replacements and the lack of certain marquee New Year’s Eve fighters, Fighting and Entertainment Group still delivered the goods Wednesday with its final card of the year, Dynamite.
Due to the last-minute withdrawal of Joachim Hansen, who had an unspecified head injury that prevented him from passing a preliminary medical check to fight Gesias Cavalcante, grappling sensation Shinya Aoki and former Bodog welterweight champ Eddie Alvarez took co-main event honors before a sold-out Saitama Super Arena.
Alvarez stuffed a double-leg early, and Aoki chased him around the ring while butt-scooting. Realizing that the ground was the absolute last place he wanted to be with Aoki, Alvarez continued to backpedal until referee Noguchi stood Aoki up.
Alvarez then delivered a middle kick, which Aoki caught and used to capture the back clinch. In response Alvarez whipped Aoki over his hip with a harai-goshi, landing on top in mount, but Aoki escaped immediately and put Alvarez in guard. The Japanese fighter then dove for Alvarez’s leg, taking the American to the mat.
As neither man had worked up a sweat yet, Aoki had the adequate grip to lock on the heel hook and put away yet another opponent by the submission of choice according to the Nippon Top Team playbook. Alvarez tapped out at 1:32 in the opening frame.
Despite an entertaining night of fights, the Kiyoshi Tamura vs. Kazushi Sakuraba main event brought the evening to an anticlimactic end as Tamura capped their 15-year feud with a safe but dominant unanimous decision.
Stuffing Sakuraba’s single-leg attempts in the opening moments, Tamura bullied his way into the IQ Wrestler’s guard to drop hammerfists and punches — much to the surprise of the 25,634 fans in attendance, who didn’t expect striking on the ground from this UWF throwback bout. Sakuraba attempted submissions from bottom, but Tamura shrugged them off to wear away at his one-time UWF Dojo junior with punches. Weary under the mounting damage, Sakuraba hung on and survived the 10-minute round.
The second period saw more of the same, prompting a double yellow card from referee Daisuke Noguchi, who warned both fighters for not fighting aggressively. Outside of slamming three hard low kicks that buckled Sakuraba’s legs, Tamura continued to punish from the top position in guard until a last-minute reversal from Sakuraba put him in top position. It was too little too late, however, as the previous 14 minutes clearly belonged to Tamura. As such, all three judges ruled the bout for Tamura.
Though a last-minute replacement, Dream middleweight grand prix semifinalist Melvin Manhoef shockingly and quickly put away Mark Hunt in brutal fashion. As Hunt jumped into action to throw punches, Manhoef backpedaled and planted a hard left-right hook counter square on the “Samoan Monster’s” jaw, knocking him stiff for the knockout at a mere 18 seconds into the first.
Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic took his time dispatching the “Techno Goliath,” Hong Man Choi, and backpedaled for the majority of the fight. Both Cro Cop and Choi received yellow cards for not fighting aggressively. However, a hard left low kick from Filipovic came shortly after the penalty and landed on Choi’s knee as he tried to check it. The blow sent the Korean crashing down, gripping his knee in pain, for the stoppage at 6:32.
Hayato Sakurai took a handy TKO over Katsuyori Shibata in a 7:01 beating that saw the pro-wrestling convert helplessly eat punches and knees off of his back for most of the bout. Sakurai ate a few punches early en route to getting Shibata to the ground, but once there, that’s where the fight stayed. Sakurai transitioned from side mount to full mount to knee on belly at will, dropping big punches and knees on a defenseless Shibata. Just beyond the halfway point, referee Moritaka Oshiro decided he’d seen enough, calling the bout to award Sakurai the TKO.
Three-time K-1 world grand prix champ Semmy Schilt bested Salia “Mighty Mo” Siliga in their MMA bout by way of submission. Mo surprised early, barreling the taller Schilt over to take the top position and drop big punches from guard. Schilt tried to control both Mo’s posture and his wrists, but Mo threw punches regardless, racking up the points as Schilt crept his legs up for submission attempts. Soon enough, though, Schilt’s efforts were rewarded as he triangled his legs on a tired Siliga for the tap at 5:31 in the opening frame.
Daniel Herbertson/Sherdog.com
“Kinniku Mantaro” Tanaka.
Despite the cartoon exterior, what lay under the Kinniku Mantaro mask was a bona-fide Japanese wrestling stud in Akihito Tanaka, whom FEG has had under contract for four years. However, Tanaka’s four-year prep time proved ineffective against Bob Sapp’s fists. After controlling Sapp on the ground for most of the fight, Sapp eventually powered out and reversed position on Tanaka. Tanaka escaped to standing, but was soon eating punches. As he turned into the ropes to evade the barrage, referee Daisuke Noguchi stopped the bout at 5:22.
In the battle of fighters with famous brothers, Andy Ologun separated Yukio Sakaguchi from consciousness. Sakaguchi cinched an early triangle attempt, but Ologun punched his way free to guard, prompting the stand-up call. Sakaguchi then lunged with a wide right, but was countered by a big Ologun right uppercut, left hook combo, dropping the Japanese fighter. Ologun lunged to finish and planted a big left hand on Sakaguchi’s chin that caused referee Samio Kimura to save Sakaguchi at 3:52.
In the grappling highlight of the evening, Daisuke Nakamura proved too heavy a test for Hideo Tokoro, as the former 176-pounder was just as nimble and quick as his featherweight opponent. Though Tokoro has faced larger opponents in the past, the story of his giant-slaying career was not much different on New Year’s Eve 2008 as Nakamura overwhelmed Tokoro’s spirited efforts on the mat. Wrenching out armbar and kimura attempts between defending a lone Tokoro armbar attempt, it was only a matter of time until Nakamura had one of Tokoro’s arms fully extended. With Tokoro tangled in Nakamura’s legs and with no avenue of escape, referee Oshiro called the bout at 2:43 of the opening frame.
Starting off the evening, Ikuhisa Minowa dispatched MMA neophyte Errol Zimmerman with ease, taking him to the floor to lock a scream-inducing toehold for the tap at 1:01 in the first round.
In the kickboxing bouts, all of MMA’s representatives did their sport proud by thoroughly whipping on their K-1 counterparts. Tatsuya Kawajiri destroyed the thoroughly shop-worn Kozo Takeda with four knockdowns — one by a particularly brutal flying knee — while Alistair Overeem knocked out 2008 World Grand Prix finalist and Moroccan Bad Boy Badr Hari, putting an exclamation point on the evening’s MMA dominance. Also, Dream middleweight champion Gegard Mousasi blitzed an unsuspecting Musashi until the referee was forced to save the Japanese kickboxer from suffering a third knockdown while eating punishment against the ropes.
K-1 Koshien Under-18 Kickboxing Tournament Results:
Hiroya def. Koya Urabe — Unanimous Decision 3:00 R4 (extra round)
Hiroya def. Shota Shimada — Unanimous Decision 3:00 R3
Koya Urabe def. Ryuya Kusakabe — TKO (Doctor Stop) 2:21 R3
Taishi Hiratsuka def. Daizo Sasaki — KO (Punch) 1:00 R2
THOMSON NOT 100% FOR MELENDEZ
Wednesday, June 25th, 2008
Josh Thomson (Pictures) hears the questions about his health and senses the doubt revolving around whether his body can withstand a potential five-round battle with Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez (Pictures). Truth be told, he has his own reservations.
Five months removed from shoulder surgery, Thomson will meet Melendez in the main event at Strikeforce’s show this Friday at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif. Even he questions the wisdom behind the matchup, which will pair the promotion’s top 155-pound fighters for the first time.
“I was really hoping to avoid a fight with Gilbert my first fight back,” Thomson says. “Promotions make fights, and fighters have to step up to take them. After eight or nine months off, I’ve got some catching up to do. It would have been nice to get a warm-up fight in.”
Sixteen fights into his professional mixed martial arts career, Thomson (14-2) has begun to show signs of the wear and tear associated with spending nearly a decade in the sport. Punches, kicks and slams all have taken their toll. The 29-year-old underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum on Jan. 13, as doctors “scoped” his shoulder and left behind four quarter-inch-long scars that mark their work.
“They might as well have cut me open,” Thomson says. “It’s still not 100 percent. I don’t know that I’ll ever be 100 percent, but I’ve done as much as I could to get there.”
He endures exhausting rehabilitation on the shoulder twice a day every day, as he attempts to work the joint back into shape through electric stimulation, weight lifting and various strength and range-of-motion exercises.
“It sucks,” Thomson says. “I’m still going through it.”
All this comes in addition to the normal four to six hours he spends training at the American Kickboxing Academy on a daily basis. The injury has forced him to deal with the limited shelf life of most mixed martial artists.
“It gave me flashbacks,” Thomson says. “I had a lot of injuries early in my career. I’ve been fighting for 10 years. I started thinking, ‘Is this just one injury that’s going to lead to the next? Is this it for me?’”
Universally received as one of the world’s top-10 lightweights, Melendez (14-1) presents a myriad of challenges for Thomson. The 26-year-old Cesar Gracie (Pictures) disciple brings to the cage a toxic blend of strength, stamina and athleticism and holds high-profile victories over Rumina Sato (Pictures), Hiroyuki Takaya (Pictures), Clay Guida (Pictures) and Dream lightweight grand prix semifinalist Tatsuya Kawajiri (Pictures).
“He brings everything to the table,” Thomson says. “He’s got a big right hand, good wrestling and good ground-and-pound. He’s a good athlete and a good person. He doesn’t talk all that s— other fighters talk, but if you make one mistake, he’ll capitalize on it.”
Thomson’s longtime trainer, Bob Cook, admits to concern over his fighter’s lengthy layoff and with how his surgically repaired shoulder will respond to the pace Melendez promises to push. Thompson has not competed since he stopped Adam Lynn (Pictures) on first-round strikes at the Playboy Mansion in September.
“That’s not favorable,” Cook says. “Ideally, you want to keep a fighter fighting every three months so no ring rust develops and they’re used to being in the mix. But this is a big fight they’ve both wanted to do for a while. He’s wanted another crack at that title for a long time.”
Thomson, a man who has not been defeated in more than two years, thinks the pressure rests solely on Melendez’s shoulders.
“To me, it’s just another fight,” he says. “I don’t think I’ve been calmer for any fight in my career. I just woke up one day and thought, ‘Why am I stressing out? All the pressure’s on him.’ He’s got the title. People are expecting him to beat me. If things aren’t going well for him by the end of the first or second round, he’s going to start doubting himself.”
Thomson, who turns 30 in September, will carry a six-fight winning streak into the match with Melendez. He has dotted his resume with quality victories, from decision wins against former World Extreme Cagefighting lightweight titleholders “Razor” Rob McCullough (Pictures) and Hermes Franca (Pictures) to his submission win over decorated muay Thai practitioner Duane Ludwig (Pictures). Only Yves Edwards (Pictures) has been able to finish him, having done so with a head kick that still makes the rounds on UFC highlight reels.
Win or lose, Thomson feels at peace with what he has achieved since he made his professional debut back in 2001.
“I’ve pretty much accomplished everything I wanted to,” Thomson says. “I’ve been able to make a living at something I enjoy. I don’t need a gold belt strapped around my waist. I’m someone who’s fine with leaving the sport at any time.”
EXPERT BETTING ADVICE FOR UFC!
Friday, May 23rd, 2008My UFC 84 Picks are in! [With Detailed Analysis and Bet Slip]
Just finished placing my last bets with Bowmans for UFC 84. Wish me luck! All feedback welcome
For those of you who don’t know how lines work, here’s an example of the calculation:
-175 = Take 100/175 and multiply by the amount of your bet to determine your potential return
+175 = Take 175/100 and multiply by the amount of your bet to determine your potential return
1) $500 on BJ Penn at -250 = $700 potential return
- Many of you believe that cardio will decide this fight. Many of you believe Sherk has what it takes to grind out a decisive victory with his relentless pace. However, cardio will not be an issue in this fight. I truly believe that this is a new, focused, rejuvenated BJ Penn who has rededicated himself to training, and that’s a scary thought since the only man who can beat BJ Penn is BJ Penn. This will not be a Hughes/BJ third round gas-out affair. Instead, much like Hughes/St. Pierre 2, I gotta go with the guy who has more ways to win (BJ) than just a lay and pray grinded out decision (Sherk). BJ Penn by stoppage in the 4th round.
2) $275 on Wanderlei Silva at -175 = $432.14 potential return
- Wanderlei is not the counter-puncher Chuck Liddell is. He will push the pace and go right after Keith at every turn. Wanderlei will not be content to just stand and strike with a guy who has better range and can literally pick him apart on the feet. He will relentlessly try to get on the inside. Surprisingly enough, I see this fight being decided on the ground. The training with Team Couture should pay off in this one. Wanderlei will utilize his jiu-jitsu well in this one and make Keith look pretty bad on the ground. Wanderlei by stoppage in the 2nd round.
3) $125 on Tito Ortiz at +175 = $343.75 potential return
- OK, I have very little confidence in this bet. Machida should win this fight nine tiomes out of ten in however fashion he wants. This should be a coming out party of sorts for Machida at the expense of one of the UFC’s top stars. So why did I bet on Tito, you ask? Well for one thing, I loved the odds and can’t justify Tito as that much of a dog. Secondly, Tito can wrestle and ground and pound anyone he wants, but that is his only chance in this one. Sadly, Tito will likely be relegated to sideshow acts with Kimbo in the future while Machida goes on to have a long and successful career. Still, it’s worth the risk for Tito to give a big F-U to Dana and raise his market value in the process by taking out one of the UFC’s top stars. Machida by 3rd round stoppage.
4) $100 on Kazuhiro Nakamura at +188 = $288 potential return
Judo v.s Judo in this one. If its broadcast, grab the biggest and strongest coffee you can find ’cause this will be a snooze-fest. Sokoudjou left a lot to be desired with his groundwork display against Machida and will do the same in this one. Sadly, I see Sokoudjou as another incarnation of Houston/Gonzaga, guys who got surprising wins and were pushed to the moon before crashing and burning. I haven’t seen enough from Sokoudjou to justify his favorite status and we all know Nakamira has been in many a war against the world’s best. The teachings of Yoshida will come into play here as I see most of this fight being on the ground. I see Sokoudjou getting out-classed on the ground in the most boring fashion imaginable. Nakamura needs this win to stay in the UFC while Sokoudjou’s fan base should eb enough to keep him there win or lose. Nakamura by Unanimous decision (he rarely Splits for some reason)
Total Potential Return = $1,763.89, a 76.4% return
Total Estimated Return (with Tito Loss) = $1,420.14, a 42% return
AFFLICTION MMA PROMOTION NOW OFFICIAL
Friday, May 9th, 2008
It’s official: Affliction Clothing will officially launch its fight-promotion business in July, and the event will feature Fedor Emelianenko vs. Tim Sylvia, as well as Josh Barnett vs. Pedro Rizzo.
A company executive made the announcement on tonight’s episode of “Inside MMA.” A preview of the segment can be watched here on MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) thanks to our partnership with the weekly MMA news show.
VP of Affliction Clothing Tom Atencio confirmed that the event, “Affliction: Banned,” takes place July 19 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. The show’s main card will air live on pay per view
“I think we have one of the biggest cards ever,” Atencio said.
There have been rumors the preliminary card might air on HDNet. However, HDNet officials have been tight-lipped, and Atencio said “we’re still in negotiations” for anything beyond on the PPV card.
Joining Atencio on tonight’s panel are UFC heavyweight champion Barnett and MMA trailblazer and UFC hall-of-famer Dan Severn. They join hosts Kenny Rice and Bas Rutten, and reporter Ron Kruck.
For more on the event and Affliction’s debut show, check out the embedded clip.
HDNet’s “Inside MMA” program has provided this exclusive video clip to MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) due to a partnership between the two news outlet. Catch new episodes of “Inside MMA” on Fridays at 9:30 p.m. ET. For more information on “Inside MMA” and HDNet Fights, visit www.hdnetfights.com. For more information on HDNet and how to subscribe, visit www.hd.net.
SENGOKU 3 TAKES SHAPE
Friday, May 9th, 2008
The first fight and a few participants have been announced for SENGOKU III. The announced fight is between Nick Thompson and newly signed Chute Boxe fighter Michael Costa. Hidehiko Yoshida, Marcio “Pe De Pano” Cruz, Fabio Silva and Rodrigo Damm have also been announced as participants for the event in addition to Kazuyuki Fujita.
SENGOKU III
Date: June 8th, 2008
Place: Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan
Fights:
Nick Thompson vs. Michael Costa
Participants:
Kazuyuki Fujita
Hidehiko Yoshida
Marcio Cruz
Fabio Silva
Rodrigo Damm
Possible Participants:
Takanori Gomi
BARNETT VS RIZZO 2
Tuesday, May 6th, 2008
The debut card for the upcoming Affliction promotion is starting to unveil itself before the promotion has even been officially announced. Josh Barnett, on MMAWeekly Radio on Monday night, revealed that he will return to U.S. soil to face Pedro Rizzo in a heavyweight rematch from a fight the two had in 2001.
Barnett said the fight with Rizzo was “pretty much” a done deal and he’s looking forward to the opportunity to fight on the debut Affliction card.
“I said after he knocked me out with one of those really nice, well put together Pedro Rizzo right hands, I stood right there for the challenge and said you know what, I’m going to come back here, I’m going to fight him again and next time I’m knocking his ass out,” said Barnett about the match-up with Rizzo. “So I’ve got to make good on my promises and I’ve got to stick to my word.”
The perennial Top 10 heavyweight is currently training for a May 18 showdown with former training partner Jeff Monson for World Victory Road’s Sengoku II event in Japan.
After that bout, Barnett will return home to prepare for the rematch with Rizzo. He expects big things out of the card, which will feature a main event of Fedor Emelianenko vs. Tim Sylvia.
“As much as I love my buddy Fedor, it’s going to suck for him because I’m stealing the show,” Barnett stated about his bout on the same card.
Matt Lindland is also expected to fight on the debut Affliction card, but as of yet no opponent has been named or speculated for his bout.