Sherdog.com Preview: PRIDE Bushido Lightweight Grand Prix
TAKANORI GOMI vs. TATSUYA KAWAJIRI
Sep 20, 2005
Takanori Gomi
(Pictures): Wrestling/Kiguchi
Dojo/Karate/Bushin-juku Dojo • 5’7 • 160 lbs. • 21-2
Career Against Noteworthy Opponents:
• Takuya Kuwabara (2-0)
• Stephen Palling (Pictures) (1-0)
• Paul Rodriguez (1-0)
• Ryan Bow (Pictures) (1-0)
• Rumina Sato (Pictures) (1-0)
• Chris Brennan (1-0)
• Dokonjonosuke Mishima (Pictures) (1-0)
• Nick Ertl (Pictures) (1-0)
• Joachim Hansen (Pictures) (0-1)
• B.J. Penn (Pictures) (0-1)
• Jadson Costa (Pictures) (1-0)
• Ralph Gracie (1-0)
• Fabio Mello (1-0)
• Charles Bennett (Pictures) (1-0)
• Jens Pulver (Pictures) (1-0)
• Luiz Azeredo (Pictures) (1-0)
• Jean Silva (Pictures) (1-0)
PRIDE Experience: 7-0
Tatsuya Kawajiri (Pictures): Submission fighting/Wrestling/Tops • 5’7 • 154 lbs. • 15-2-2
• Takumi Nakayama (Pictures) (1-1)
• Vitor Ribeiro (Pictures) (1-1)
• Yves Edwards (Pictures) (1-0)
• Ryan Bow (Pictures) (1-0)
• Caol Uno (Pictures) (0-0-1)
• Kim In Seok (Pictures) (1-0)
• Luiz Firmino (Pictures) (1-0)
PRIDE Experience: 2-0
The Better Striker: Tough call. Both fighters have been stopping opponents with strikes for the last two years and ironically both fighters come off decision wins.
The Better Grappler: Another tough call. Both have wrestling backgrounds and are accomplished submission fighters. Gomi has the edge in ring experience and began his MMA career a year earlier.
Motivating Factors/Intangibles:
Kawajiri hasn’t missed a beat since moving from SHOOTO to PRIDE. His performances have been dominant and he’s been on a collision course with Gomi for years now. If he gets past Gomi, many questions will be answered and the current SHOOTO champion commences a changing of the guard in Bushido.
Gomi is already the uncrowned lightweight champion of Bushido. He faces a huge threat in the first round of the tournament as well as a fellow Japanese hopeful. If he gets past Kawajiri with little or no injury, he’ll fight on with confidence he is destined for the title.
And The Winner Is: Gomi. This bout sets the tempo for the rest of the event. The favorite in this bracket comes out of this match-up. If someone can end this bout quickly and advance unscathed, a trip to the final is likely theirs. I think Gomi brings it to Kawajiri and forces him to fight at the pace of the “Fireball Kid.” Gomi wants to win the tournament but he’ll likely fight all-out, like this is the only bout that matters, and drop Kawajiri with strikes late in the first round.
Career Against Noteworthy Opponents:
• Takuya Kuwabara (2-0)
• Stephen Palling (Pictures) (1-0)
• Paul Rodriguez (1-0)
• Ryan Bow (Pictures) (1-0)
• Rumina Sato (Pictures) (1-0)
• Chris Brennan (1-0)
• Dokonjonosuke Mishima (Pictures) (1-0)
• Nick Ertl (Pictures) (1-0)
• Joachim Hansen (Pictures) (0-1)
• B.J. Penn (Pictures) (0-1)
• Jadson Costa (Pictures) (1-0)
• Ralph Gracie (1-0)
• Fabio Mello (1-0)
• Charles Bennett (Pictures) (1-0)
• Jens Pulver (Pictures) (1-0)
• Luiz Azeredo (Pictures) (1-0)
• Jean Silva (Pictures) (1-0)
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Tatsuya Kawajiri (Pictures): Submission fighting/Wrestling/Tops • 5’7 • 154 lbs. • 15-2-2
Career Against Noteworthy Opponents:
• Takumi Nakayama (Pictures) (1-1)
• Vitor Ribeiro (Pictures) (1-1)
• Yves Edwards (Pictures) (1-0)
• Ryan Bow (Pictures) (1-0)
• Caol Uno (Pictures) (0-0-1)
• Kim In Seok (Pictures) (1-0)
• Luiz Firmino (Pictures) (1-0)
PRIDE Experience: 2-0
The Better Striker: Tough call. Both fighters have been stopping opponents with strikes for the last two years and ironically both fighters come off decision wins.
The Better Grappler: Another tough call. Both have wrestling backgrounds and are accomplished submission fighters. Gomi has the edge in ring experience and began his MMA career a year earlier.
Motivating Factors/Intangibles:
Kawajiri hasn’t missed a beat since moving from SHOOTO to PRIDE. His performances have been dominant and he’s been on a collision course with Gomi for years now. If he gets past Gomi, many questions will be answered and the current SHOOTO champion commences a changing of the guard in Bushido.
Gomi is already the uncrowned lightweight champion of Bushido. He faces a huge threat in the first round of the tournament as well as a fellow Japanese hopeful. If he gets past Kawajiri with little or no injury, he’ll fight on with confidence he is destined for the title.
And The Winner Is: Gomi. This bout sets the tempo for the rest of the event. The favorite in this bracket comes out of this match-up. If someone can end this bout quickly and advance unscathed, a trip to the final is likely theirs. I think Gomi brings it to Kawajiri and forces him to fight at the pace of the “Fireball Kid.” Gomi wants to win the tournament but he’ll likely fight all-out, like this is the only bout that matters, and drop Kawajiri with strikes late in the first round.
