Sengoku ‘Ninth Battle’ Preview

Yoshihiro Nakao (7-2) vs. Mu Bae Choi (9-3)

The Storyline: Nakao’s career may be remembered more for its controversy -- his butting heads with Don Frye and his ill-fated pre-fight kiss with Heath Herring -- than actual in-ring achievement.

Choi, meanwhile, was the first Korean fighter to grace the prestigious Pride ring when he made his debut in February 2004. A wrestler like Nakao, he was fed a couple of tune-up opponents before being smashed by former heavyweight contender Sergei Kharitonov in his sixth fight with the promotion; Choi was subsequently released. Despite closing in on age 40, the star of Team Tackle staged a surprise comeback this year when he knocked out previously undefeated American Dave Herman.

The Breakdown: Style-wise this fight has the potential to turn into an absolute catastrophe for the fans, as both men have longstanding traditions of engaging in epic snore fests. They will likely cancel out each other with their wrestling skills, resulting in a fight that takes place mostly on the feet. Can Choi conjure up some more trickery, as he did against Herman, or will Nakao show the “Shake-N-Bake” he displayed in his win over Jim York?

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The Prediction: Choi has two years of age on Nakao and has shown more throughout his career to warrant picking him to win a unanimous decision. Those with HDNet access may want to skip this opening fight altogether.