Sengoku ‘Soul of Fight’ Preview

Maximo Blanco (standing) vs. Kiuma Kunioku | Taro Irei/Sherdog.com

Venezuelan wrestler Maximo Blanco reminds us why we used to stay up late to watch Japanese MMA during its heyday. He is a fighter who pursues his job with passion and goes after his opponents with reckless abandon, with only one goal in mind: the knockout. An heir to great champions like Wanderlei Silva and Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic in both fighting style and the affection he receives from hardcore fans, “Maxi” has blossomed into one of Sengoku’s major attractions and perhaps their finest foreign ace.

A former Deep standout, Park has an interesting style which combines tae kwon do and jiu-jitsu and allows him to put pressure on opponents at every level. Although jiu-jitsu is said to be his backbone, he has used submissions only sporadically, instead preferring to punch and kick his foes. “Parky” was given a big chance in October 2009, when he faced UFC vet Kuniyoshi Hironaka at Dream 12. Unfortunately, the young Korean had to forfeit the match after suffering an eye injury in the first round.

Park and Blanco were most likely paired up because of similarities in their respective careers. Headbutts and illegal soccer kicks earned Blanco the reputation of being a “loose cannon” early in his career. “Parky” gained similar notoriety for delivering several illegal knees and soccer kicks to the head of Ryuki Ueyama in July. Now, the two rule-breakers have the chance to take out their pent-up rage on one another.

Prediction: While both fighters are nice prospects on paper, in practice the difference in ability should be distinct. Maxi is set to rampage his way to yet another first-round stoppage.

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