5/2 Sengoku 8 - Live Results
Saturday, 2 May 2009
The event has just started in Yoyogi Gymnasium, Tokyo. The fights today are very interesting, there is a very good mix of talented fighters facing experienced fighters.
Stanislav Nedkov vs. Travis Wiuff and Kei Yamamiya vs. Xande Ribeiro are very good examples of this. It will be interesting to see how the new fighters take on these experienced veterans. Both the newcomers will probably want to take this to the ground.
Also look for Maximo Blanco to entertain the crowd.
Opening Fight:
1. Feather: Hirotoshi Saito Def. Yoshitaka Abe by arm-bar Round 1 2:52
2. Feather: Shigeki Osawa Def. Kota Ishibashi by Decision 3-0
Non-Tournament:
3. Light: Akihiko Mouri Def. Maiximo Blanco by DQ Round 1 4:20
Maximo Blanco got too excited again, and treats the crowd to a soccer kick. Again he risks a DQ/NC in a fight he had won. This is a lesson Blanco should have learned a LONG time ago, he just gets too excited...
4. Light-Heavy: Stanislav Nedkov 5-0-0 vs. 54-12-0 Travis Wiuff
Wiuff looks bigger than the Bulgarian, but the Sumo Ozeki, Kotooshu, is there supporting his countryman. Wiuff have been hit low twice, but is still getting up and wants to continue. We are now counting 3 low blows and Nedkov has received 2 red cards (point deductions) in round 1 and he has to win by stoppage now.
In round 2 Wiuff is able to get the takedowns and wins this round by being on top. Not much damage done though.
Nedkov drops Wiuff early in round 3 and doesnt let up, he gets the TKO win! Round 3 0:42
5. Welter: Makoto Takimoto 4-5-0 vs. 9-4-0 Michael Costa
Costa tries a flying knee and the fight goes to the ground. Takimoto is on top and works his way to an arm-bar attempt. Costa defends well, and Takimoto transitions into a leg-lock. It took a few attempts, and Takimoto gets the win with a heel-hook. Round 1 3:31.
Featherweight GP 2nd Round:
6. Marlon Sandro 13-0-0 vs. 7-0-0 Nick Denis
The fight between 2 undefeated fighters. Denis wants this fight standing, Sandro will look to take it down.
Sandro knocks Denis down and follows up with strong gnp. The fight is over in 19 seconds, and its Sandro that finishes the fight with punches!
7. Masanori Kanehara 12-5-5 vs. 6-0-0 Jung Chan Sung
The fighters are feeling eachother out. Kanehara gets a takedown as Jung moves forward. Kanehara is moving into half guard and trying to get side control. The ref gets the fighters up and warns Jung for stalling. Kanehara takes Jung down again, in Jung's guard, more action this time and Jung gets up. Lots of action as round 1 ends, I think Kanehara has round 1.
Kanehara still going for takedowns, Jung denies and the exchange wild punches. Kanehara gets Jung down. Jung has dangerous upkicks and Kanehara is unable to break the guard. Jung has the arm and it looks tight, but Kanehara escapes. What a fight! Jung has a dangerous guard and Kanehara is having trouble improving his position. Just as the bell rings Kanehara has a heel-hook. A very close round.
Kanehara takes the fight to the ground again, and for the first time it looks like he is able to get sidecontrol. Jung is able to get the guard back and then is able to get up. The pace has slowed a little as the fighters are getting more tired. Jung's upkicks and knees are dangerous, Kanehara desperately trying to keep Jung down. 1 minute left and Jung is on top, this fight ends and it will be close. Fight of the night so far (and it will be hard to beat)!
Kanehara gets the decision 3-0 (30-29, 30-29, 29-28)
Non-Tournament:
8. Light-Heavy: Keiichiro Yamamiya 34-23-9 vs. 1-0-0 Xande Ribeiro
I am really looking forward to this fight. Yamamiya is very hard to take down, and it will be interesting to see how Ribeiro approaches this challenge.
The fighters are feeling eachother out, and Ribeiro goes for the takedown. Yamamiya defends well and Xande is unable to get it down. The ref breaks it up and the takedowns will be key. Xande gets the fight down and is in Yamamiya's guard now. 2 minutes left and Xande is in mount. Yamamiya turns to get away from the punches and Ribeiro gets his back with a minute left of the round. Xande has an arm-bar, but is unable to force the tap before the bell. Ribeiro gets round 1.
Round 2 starts much like round 1, Yamamiya defending a takedown attempt. Ribeiro is working hard at it, but Yamamiya gets up. The ref restarts in the middle and again Ribero goes back to working the takedown. Ribeiro looks like he is getting tired after the takedown attempts and Yamamiya is going forward now. A flying knee gives Ribeiro the chance he has been waiting for. The bell rings as Ribeiro moves to mount.
Ribeiro comes out swinging and Yamamiya is happy to return the punches. Ribeiro drops Yamamiya with a right and the Japanese fighter goes down. Ribeiro follows up and the ref stops it early in the 3rd round.
9. Light: Kazunori Yokota 8-2-3 vs. 6-2-0 Leonardo Santos
Santos with a reach advantage and probably the better fighter on the ground, Yokota is a very good and well rounded fighter though. Santos goes for the takedown and gets Yokota's back. Yokota is able to defend well and is in Santos' guard. Yokota is doing well with punches in the guard, but it is dangerous. The bell sounds and Yokota might get the nod in a close round.
Santos attempts a flying knee, Yokota catches it and takes Santos down. Santos works his way to Yokota's back and eventually to mount. This round Yokota is forced to defend more submissions than in the 1st round. Both fighters are tired as the bell ring, this round was for Santos IMO.
Yokota is able to close the distance and looks for the takedown. Santos has other plans and turns it. His turn to go for takedowns now. The ref breaks it up. The fighters are looking tired, Yokota goes for a takedown that Santos reverses. Yokota has half guard and Santos working his way into mount. Yokota is able to get into Santos' guard and the time is running out. It will be a close decision.
Yokota gets a split decision 2-1! (30-28, 30-29, 28-29)
Featherweight GP 2nd Round:
10. Michihiro Omigawa 5-7-1 vs. 15-5-0 Nam Phan
Michihiro is an underdog again, lets see if he can pull of another upset.
Nam Phan gets taken down but tries a heel-hook and ends up on top. Omigawa works his way to a guillotine and shows a bit of Judo. Omigawa is dominating, doing a good job controlling the head. Phan is able to get out. Standing Phan is showing some skills, but Omigawa is doing a good job avoiding the punches. Omigawa is throwing wild punches and Phan looks in trouble. Omigawa takes it to the ground and continues to throw punches. The ref jumps in with seconds left! This GP is getting very interesting.
11. Hatsu Hioki 18-3-2 vs. 17-1-1 Ronnie Mann
Hioki is the Japanese favorite, but he is facing a very good opponent.
Hioki usually has a reach advantage and its the case here too. Good takedown defense from Mann early, but eventually it goes to the ground. Hioki is going for an anaconda choke but Mann defends well. Hioki ends up in mount and goes for a triangle choke and it looks tight. Mann taps and Hioki proves why he is the favorite in this tournament.
The only non-Japanese in the semi-finals is Marlon Sandro, who I have as my favorite.
