Sherdog.com Preview: PRIDE Bushido Lightweight Grand Prix
NAOYUKI KOTANI vs. LUIZ AZEREDO
Sep 20, 2005
Naoyuki Kotani
(Pictures): Submission
wrestling/Rodeo Style • 5'7 • 161 lbs. • 14-5-3
Career Against Noteworthy Opponents:
• Curtis Brigham (1-0)
• Hideo Tokoro (Pictures) (2-0)
• Takahito Iida (Pictures) (1-0)
• Hiroki Shinshido (0-1)
• J-Taro Takita (Pictures) (1-0)
• Antoine Skinner (Pictures) (1-0)
• Rich Clementi (Pictures) (0-1)
• Marcus Aurelio (Pictures) (0-1)
• Remigijus Morkevicius (1-0)
• Yves Edwards (Pictures) (0-1)
• Roger Huerta (Pictures) (0-1)
• Darius Skliaudys (0-0-1)
PRIDE Experience: 0-0
Luiz Azeredo (Pictures): BJJ/Chute Boxe • 5'9 • 174 lbs. • 9-3
• Anderson Silva (Pictures) (1-0)
• Hayato Sakurai (Pictures) (0-1)
• Cristiano Marcello (Pictures) (1-0)
• Rodrigo Ruas (1-0)
• Tony DeSouza (Pictures) (0-1)
• Luiz Firmino (Pictures)(1-0)
• Takanori Gomi (Pictures) (0-1)
PRIDE Experience: 1-1
The Better Striker: Azeredo. If you saw the fight with Gomi, you saw the intensity Luiz brings to the ring. He has four victories via strikes that include a knockout of Rodrigo Ruas and a stoppage of current teammate Cristiano Marcello (Pictures) and he was giving Gomi a good fight before being brutally KO’d himself.
The Better Grappler: Kotani. Azeredo is not about the submission. Sub-defense, like he showed against “Buscape,” he knows well but Luiz would rather just pound you. Kotani has an extensive ground game. He is known for quick submission victories and has more than half a dozen subs in less than two minutes.
Motivating Factors/Intangibles:
Azeredo knows the winner here faces the Gomi/Kawajiri winner. That means a chance to take out the man who beats Gomi or get another crack at Gomi himself. Just a guess, but I’m thinking he wants Gomi again.
Sorry but if I’m Kotani I’m wondering what I’m even doing in this tournament. What’s his motivation? Hey, he’s on the card and he a professional fighter. He has a submission expert’s chance of pulling out the win.
And The Winner Is: Azeredo. This may go very quickly. Kotani has been dropped by strikes in three of his last six bouts. He is 0-2-1 in the last year. Boy, Ribeiro would have looked good in this slot wouldn’t he? Azeredo by brutal KO in the first round.
Career Against Noteworthy Opponents:
• Curtis Brigham (1-0)
• Hideo Tokoro (Pictures) (2-0)
• Takahito Iida (Pictures) (1-0)
• Hiroki Shinshido (0-1)
• J-Taro Takita (Pictures) (1-0)
• Antoine Skinner (Pictures) (1-0)
• Rich Clementi (Pictures) (0-1)
• Marcus Aurelio (Pictures) (0-1)
• Remigijus Morkevicius (1-0)
• Yves Edwards (Pictures) (0-1)
• Roger Huerta (Pictures) (0-1)
• Darius Skliaudys (0-0-1)
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Luiz Azeredo (Pictures): BJJ/Chute Boxe • 5'9 • 174 lbs. • 9-3
Career Against Noteworthy Opponents:
• Anderson Silva (Pictures) (1-0)
• Hayato Sakurai (Pictures) (0-1)
• Cristiano Marcello (Pictures) (1-0)
• Rodrigo Ruas (1-0)
• Tony DeSouza (Pictures) (0-1)
• Luiz Firmino (Pictures)(1-0)
• Takanori Gomi (Pictures) (0-1)
PRIDE Experience: 1-1
The Better Striker: Azeredo. If you saw the fight with Gomi, you saw the intensity Luiz brings to the ring. He has four victories via strikes that include a knockout of Rodrigo Ruas and a stoppage of current teammate Cristiano Marcello (Pictures) and he was giving Gomi a good fight before being brutally KO’d himself.
The Better Grappler: Kotani. Azeredo is not about the submission. Sub-defense, like he showed against “Buscape,” he knows well but Luiz would rather just pound you. Kotani has an extensive ground game. He is known for quick submission victories and has more than half a dozen subs in less than two minutes.
Motivating Factors/Intangibles:
Azeredo knows the winner here faces the Gomi/Kawajiri winner. That means a chance to take out the man who beats Gomi or get another crack at Gomi himself. Just a guess, but I’m thinking he wants Gomi again.
Sorry but if I’m Kotani I’m wondering what I’m even doing in this tournament. What’s his motivation? Hey, he’s on the card and he a professional fighter. He has a submission expert’s chance of pulling out the win.
And The Winner Is: Azeredo. This may go very quickly. Kotani has been dropped by strikes in three of his last six bouts. He is 0-2-1 in the last year. Boy, Ribeiro would have looked good in this slot wouldn’t he? Azeredo by brutal KO in the first round.
