Brazilian Dynamite: Gracie Submits Akebono
K-1 Dynamite Report Page 2
Dec 31, 2004
Elsewhere on the card:
The event's opening fight was one of the night's most surprising. It saw Frenetic French kickboxer Cyril Abidi step in against Bobby Ologun for a Special Free Fight Rules bout. (Here, a down due a strike resulted in a 10-count, no kicks were permitted against a downed fighter, and no kicks or knees to the head were permitted under any circumstances.)
The Nigerian-born Ologun has ridden his lovable misfit foreigner
persona to popularity on Japanese television, and most experts
expected him to look no less out of place in the ring with
Abidi.
But, surprise! From the bell, Ologun charged in and effected a takedown to get into a mount. Abidi neutralized this by wrapping his arms round Ologun's head, and things stayed in a stalemate until, at the clapper, Ologun muscled free to a kneeling position to throw a dozen punches down on Abidi's head.
There was no surplus of style in his strategy, but Ologun tangled up Abidi and planted enough punches to score points. When it went to the cards it was Ologun by unanimous decision. The Nigerian looked nothing short of overwhelmed as he sobbed with joy from the winners' circle. Afterward, Ologun quipped: "I won because I had no fear, with no fear, it is no problem!"
Francois "The White Buffalo" Botha impressed many at the K-1 World GP Final, getting past Peter Aerts and then almost beating eventual Champion Remy Bonjasky in the semis. Here the South African boxer got down in a Special Free Fight with Yoshihiro Akiyama, a Japanese judo stylist who won it all in the 81kg (178lb) class at the World Judo Championship last year. (In this fight, no kicks were permitted against a downed fighter, and no kicks or knees to the head were permitted under any circumstances. Also, one 'rope escape' -- in which a fighter deliberately touches the lower rope and a break is called -- was permitted per round.)
Botha brought a 13cm (5") height and 34kg (74lb) weight advantage to this clash, but it was Akiyama who looked bigger here. From the start the Japanese fighter took the initiative, manhandling Botha first with a takedown before slipping to a side mount, all the while supremely focused and picking his opportunities intelligently. Botha bucked free but could not get to his feet and was forced to defend with bicycle kicks. Akiyama made several passes before getting in and taking hold of Botha's right fist, slipping to the side and working an armbar to earn the submission.
In the next bout, 29 year-old Japanese fighter Caol Uno, a Pro Shooto Fourth Welterweight Champion, took on former Lumpinee Stadium Light Weight Champion Chandet Sorpantrey of Thailand. (This Special Free Fight had a 71kg (156lb) weight class and a provision that a maximum of 30 seconds could pass with the fighters on the mat before a break and standing restart.)
An accomplished striker, Sorpantrey was making his Free Fight debut here. Uno, on the other hand, is accustomed to working on the ground. It was evident that Uno wanted the takedown as soon as possible, but Sorpantrey did a good job of keeping him at bay with low kicks. In the first round, Uno got through twice for takedowns, but on both occasions, Sorpantrey wrapped the arms round and simply tied him up until the 30 seconds had timed out.
In the second, Uno got the takedown early then surprised his opponent by working round to a rear mount. With good purchase from that position he put the choke sleeper on to get the tapout in a matter of seconds.
In another of the Free Fight Rules contests, Don Frye of the United States did battle with Japanese wrestler Yoshihiro Nakao. The legendary Frye is a master of several fightsport styles, but was nonetheless winless in four bouts coming into this one. Nakao, on the other hand, was undefeated in his last three. This was a rematch of the pair's meeting in May at Saitama, which was stopped early after accidental head-to-head contact opened a deep cut over Frye's right eye.
The two wasted no time getting in each others' faces, there were heated words and a hard shove from Frye during the referee's instructions. Frye threw a few jabs before Nakao dove in for the takedown. Here Frye worked a front choke before the two got back to his feet. Nakao connected with several punches before getting in again. But Frye worked well from the full guard, getting the right up. Worrying here was another cut that opened over Frye's eye.
In the second, the two traded punches before Nakao got the takedown. Frye reversed and the two went to their feet again, went down north/south for a time before Nakao got back on with a side mount. Frye's defense was sound, but he was unable to get any attacks going here, whereas Nakao sporadically fired in the knees and punches to effect.
Again, Nakao took the initiative in the third with a takedown to the side mount. Frye looked increasingly fatigued, while Nakao just kept on coming in with knees to the midsection and punches to the head. Again, Frye tied up his opponent and controlled the distance well such that the blows which got through did not connect with severity. But in the absence of any good counters those strikes were enough to earn Nakao points, and it was an easy call for judges to give the Japanese fighter the unanimous decision.
The first of the K-1 Rules bouts on the card featured K-1 veteran Ray "Sugarfoot" Sefo of New Zealand and slugger Gary Goodridge of Trinidad and Tobago. Both of men are given to quick starts, both like to step in and mix it up with the fists, and neither give an inch. In other words, this matchup had all the makings of a total war. It more like a blitzkrieg.
From the bell that the fists were flying, and wouldn't you know -- it was Sefo who had the better licks. A right hook sent Goodridge to the canvas a mere nine seconds in, and after the count it was a left hook followed by a right uppercut which put Goodridge down again. Slowly, Goodridge stood up, sort of, but was not up to the task of remaining in one position, as his rubbery legs wobbled him this way and that. The referee wisely waved his arms in the air to end the fight and Sefo had the KO victory at just 33 seconds of the first round.
The event's opening fight was one of the night's most surprising. It saw Frenetic French kickboxer Cyril Abidi step in against Bobby Ologun for a Special Free Fight Rules bout. (Here, a down due a strike resulted in a 10-count, no kicks were permitted against a downed fighter, and no kicks or knees to the head were permitted under any circumstances.)
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But, surprise! From the bell, Ologun charged in and effected a takedown to get into a mount. Abidi neutralized this by wrapping his arms round Ologun's head, and things stayed in a stalemate until, at the clapper, Ologun muscled free to a kneeling position to throw a dozen punches down on Abidi's head.
In the second Abidi strove to stay on his feet and strike, but
Ologun, wanting none of that, threw his arms round the Frenchman's
waist and the two tumbled down. Abidi briefly got in on Ologun's
half guard before Ologun twisted out and got on top again. Abidi,
who is at his best when flailing his arms and legs, looked listless
on the mat and on the defensive, which is where he was for most of
this fight. In the third, Abidi got a right hook in to trigger a
10-count. But soon after resumption, again it was Ologun who got
the takedown and mount to control the pace.
There was no surplus of style in his strategy, but Ologun tangled up Abidi and planted enough punches to score points. When it went to the cards it was Ologun by unanimous decision. The Nigerian looked nothing short of overwhelmed as he sobbed with joy from the winners' circle. Afterward, Ologun quipped: "I won because I had no fear, with no fear, it is no problem!"
Francois "The White Buffalo" Botha impressed many at the K-1 World GP Final, getting past Peter Aerts and then almost beating eventual Champion Remy Bonjasky in the semis. Here the South African boxer got down in a Special Free Fight with Yoshihiro Akiyama, a Japanese judo stylist who won it all in the 81kg (178lb) class at the World Judo Championship last year. (In this fight, no kicks were permitted against a downed fighter, and no kicks or knees to the head were permitted under any circumstances. Also, one 'rope escape' -- in which a fighter deliberately touches the lower rope and a break is called -- was permitted per round.)
Botha brought a 13cm (5") height and 34kg (74lb) weight advantage to this clash, but it was Akiyama who looked bigger here. From the start the Japanese fighter took the initiative, manhandling Botha first with a takedown before slipping to a side mount, all the while supremely focused and picking his opportunities intelligently. Botha bucked free but could not get to his feet and was forced to defend with bicycle kicks. Akiyama made several passes before getting in and taking hold of Botha's right fist, slipping to the side and working an armbar to earn the submission.
In the next bout, 29 year-old Japanese fighter Caol Uno, a Pro Shooto Fourth Welterweight Champion, took on former Lumpinee Stadium Light Weight Champion Chandet Sorpantrey of Thailand. (This Special Free Fight had a 71kg (156lb) weight class and a provision that a maximum of 30 seconds could pass with the fighters on the mat before a break and standing restart.)
An accomplished striker, Sorpantrey was making his Free Fight debut here. Uno, on the other hand, is accustomed to working on the ground. It was evident that Uno wanted the takedown as soon as possible, but Sorpantrey did a good job of keeping him at bay with low kicks. In the first round, Uno got through twice for takedowns, but on both occasions, Sorpantrey wrapped the arms round and simply tied him up until the 30 seconds had timed out.
In the second, Uno got the takedown early then surprised his opponent by working round to a rear mount. With good purchase from that position he put the choke sleeper on to get the tapout in a matter of seconds.
In another of the Free Fight Rules contests, Don Frye of the United States did battle with Japanese wrestler Yoshihiro Nakao. The legendary Frye is a master of several fightsport styles, but was nonetheless winless in four bouts coming into this one. Nakao, on the other hand, was undefeated in his last three. This was a rematch of the pair's meeting in May at Saitama, which was stopped early after accidental head-to-head contact opened a deep cut over Frye's right eye.
The two wasted no time getting in each others' faces, there were heated words and a hard shove from Frye during the referee's instructions. Frye threw a few jabs before Nakao dove in for the takedown. Here Frye worked a front choke before the two got back to his feet. Nakao connected with several punches before getting in again. But Frye worked well from the full guard, getting the right up. Worrying here was another cut that opened over Frye's eye.
In the second, the two traded punches before Nakao got the takedown. Frye reversed and the two went to their feet again, went down north/south for a time before Nakao got back on with a side mount. Frye's defense was sound, but he was unable to get any attacks going here, whereas Nakao sporadically fired in the knees and punches to effect.
Again, Nakao took the initiative in the third with a takedown to the side mount. Frye looked increasingly fatigued, while Nakao just kept on coming in with knees to the midsection and punches to the head. Again, Frye tied up his opponent and controlled the distance well such that the blows which got through did not connect with severity. But in the absence of any good counters those strikes were enough to earn Nakao points, and it was an easy call for judges to give the Japanese fighter the unanimous decision.
The first of the K-1 Rules bouts on the card featured K-1 veteran Ray "Sugarfoot" Sefo of New Zealand and slugger Gary Goodridge of Trinidad and Tobago. Both of men are given to quick starts, both like to step in and mix it up with the fists, and neither give an inch. In other words, this matchup had all the makings of a total war. It more like a blitzkrieg.
From the bell that the fists were flying, and wouldn't you know -- it was Sefo who had the better licks. A right hook sent Goodridge to the canvas a mere nine seconds in, and after the count it was a left hook followed by a right uppercut which put Goodridge down again. Slowly, Goodridge stood up, sort of, but was not up to the task of remaining in one position, as his rubbery legs wobbled him this way and that. The referee wisely waved his arms in the air to end the fight and Sefo had the KO victory at just 33 seconds of the first round.
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