K-1 Closes Year with ‘Dynamite!!’
Undercard
Dec 27, 2007
HERO'S Rules: 1R-10 min. 2R-5 min. Ex.1R-5
min. / 85 kg (187 pounds)
Melvin Manhoef (Pictures) vs. Yousuke Nishijima
Yousuke Nishijima won the hearts of MMA fans in his bout with Mark Hunt (Pictures). Against a much larger and more experienced opponent, Nishijima pressed forward with his solid boxing game of jabs and counters only to be knocked out in the third round. After that he lost us.
Getting submitted very quickly three times in three tries,
Nishijima's lack of submission defense cost him the faith of fans
and PRIDE ex-boss, Nobuyuki Sakikabara.
There's no doubt that the cruiserweight boxer can box, but he really needs to learn the rest of the game. Nishijima is lucky this time round, though, because if there's one man willing to ignore the Japanese fighter's overwhelming weakness in order to stand and bang, it's Melvin Manhoef (Pictures).
Manhoef has a lot of the same weaknesses as Nishijima, but they are not as problematic and he has loads more power. In particular, Manhoef has a problem with armbars. For some reason, however, I don't see Nishijima coining the phrase "Nishijima-bar."
Keep an eye on Manhoef's chin. If Nishijima can accumulate damage with jabs or land a perfect counter, Manhoef may go down.
Prediction: Manhoef by KO. Nishijima showed a hell of a heart against Mark Hunt (Pictures), but Melvin's power and far superior knowledge of the sport should lead to a knockout victory late in the first round. Nishijima has great boxing but little power, and Manhoef's leg kicks should give him enough of a distraction to land a knockout hook.
HERO'S Rules: 5 min. x 3R
Ikuhisa Minowa (Pictures) vs. Zulu
Hey come on, it's New Year's Eve. We have to have the freak match. Ikuhisa "The Punk, Mr. Heaven, Minowaman" Minowa will be giving Japan its freak fix in his bout with the simply enormous "Zuluzinho."
Zulu should be well known among fans for quick fights against two of the best heavyweights on the planet, Fedor and Nogueira, and his hilarious fight with Butterbean.
The son of legendary (or perhaps mythical) Brazilian vale tudo fighter "Zulu" comes in at a hefty 400 pounds. While reportedly a BJJ purple belt and having KO power in both hands, he is simply too big to fight effectively. Against Minowa he will be way too slow to connect with any strikes, and his only chance would be to land on top of his Japanese adversary and stop him with strikes. Or perhaps smother him.
Minowa is the Harlem Globetrotter of the fight game. The freelance fighter favors climbing mountains, eating competitions and getting hit by baseballs to training seriously. Yet he remains a favorite even among serious fight fans for his drop kicks, his submission game and his spirit in the ring.
The mullet-bearing fighter has been through some wars and certainly can take a punch, but all is done in the name of entertainment. The most important thing for fight fans to remember while watching this fight is to have fun. Neither fighter is relevant to rankings. Both are entertainers -- let them entertain you.
Prediction: Minowa by an Achilles lock late in the first round. Minowa is fast enough to stay away from Zulu until he is exhausted. Expect drop kicks, expect a flip kick and expect Minowa to keep his distance before Zulu gets tired and subsequently taken down.
With Zulu's reported BJJ knowledge, he should be able to keep the much-weaker Minowa away from his arms and neck, but there's no stopping him from getting hold of his feet. I don't see that "Minowaman" will be strong enough to get the required angle on the leg for a heel hook -- hence the Achilles tendon pull.
HERO'S Rules: 5 min. x 3R / 70 kg (154 pounds)
Kazuyuki Miyata (Pictures) vs. Joachim Hansen (Pictures)
This fight has potential written all over it. Despite his record, Kazuyuki Miyata (Pictures) has only lost to some of the best in the division and has been mostly competitive. He is an incredible wrestler who has so much raw talent and power that he could simply take down Joachim Hansen (Pictures) repeatedly and possibly even power on a submission.
Hansen is coming off a layoff, but he can be one of the best in the division. He was a victim of the PRIDE breakup and remained mostly inactive in 2007. Although he was offered a contract with the UFC, he didn't take it and instead took a pay cut to stay in Japan and compete in Shooto, where he lost a very close fight to Eiji Mitsuoka (Pictures) last month.
Mitsuoka is a worthy opponent, but the fight should have been a win for Hansen. We might be able to chalk that one up to ring rust. Hansen had stated on the record that he was bored with training during the year and may have lost focus. Let's hope that "Hellboy" is back on track.
One of the few men to beat Takanori Gomi (Pictures) and the only man to be JZ Calvancante, Hansen is going to try to pound his way to victory against Miyata. Hansen is at his best pounding out people from side control, but getting there might be hard against the wrestler.
Prediction: Hansen by KO in the third. I see Miyata taking Hansen down over and over but getting a little lazy in the last round and eating a trademark Hansen knee on the way in. It may well go to a decision, but Miyata is a finish or be finished kind of guy.
HERO'S Rules: 5 min. x 3R
Bob Sapp (Pictures) vs. Bobby Ologun (Pictures)
OK, this is another one for the general population. Bobby Ologun (Pictures) is one of the biggest TV personalities in Japan, especially around New Year's. No, he isn't a fighter -- he is a comedian. The brother of K-1 Max rising star Andy Ologun (Pictures) isn't committed to the fight game. He's only here for a laugh.
To try and seriously break down Ologun's skill set would be futile. Ologun was the headlining bout on last year's Dynamite card against Hong Man Choi (Pictures) but only lasted a mere 16 seconds. He does have a pair of victories over Akebono and Cyril Abidi (Pictures), but that isn't an outstanding feat.
Bob Sapp (Pictures) has gone missing for the last few years in Japan, and it's more than a little surprising to see him back on a big card like this since the incident in Amsterdam where Sapp apparently fled the country moments before his match with Ernesto Hoost (Pictures). But, for better or worse, he is back.
Sapp was one of the fighters who brought MMA to the forefront of entertainment in Japan. To understand his significance in the development of MMA is another story, but he's big and powerful and that's all that matters at this point in time.
Although he is painful to watch in K-1, in MMA rules he is really at home. His match with Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (Pictures) is a classic in which he powerbombed and slammed the top-class heavyweight before ultimately gassing and getting armbarred. Against Ologun, Sapp should be able to do whatever he wants. Hammerfists in particular should be in order following a powerbomb.
Prediction Sapp by KO in the first. Ologun will try to entertain, but Sapp has been around long enough not to get knocked out by a comedian. He should have no trouble beating down on Ologun from guard or side control.
HERO'S Rules: 5 min. x 3R
Kiyoshi Tamura (Pictures) vs. Hideo Tokoro (Pictures)
Hideo Tokoro (Pictures) was rewarded for a recent victory in Japan's quirkiest promotion, ZST, with a position on this year's Dynamite!! card. I'm not sure fighting Kiyoshi Tamura (Pictures), who outweighs him by more than 50 pounds, is much of an award though.
Tokoro is the poster boy for ZST. There was an attempt to make him into a poster boy for K-1, but it never really seemed to take off.
Highly publicized as a janitor during the day, Tokoro brings a solid submission game and decent striking into this difficult bout. He favors armbars and triangle chokes, and he is equally comfortable on his back or on top. However, he will be looking to get on top against Tamura to neutralize the weight difference.
Tamura's importance to the fight game in Japan will never be fully appreciated by Western audiences. Instead let's just list a few of his victories: Jeremy Horn (Pictures), Pat Miletich (Pictures), Renzo Gracie (Pictures) and Maurice Smith (Pictures). Tamura also knocked out of Ikuhisa Minowa (Pictures) and Nobuhiko Takada (Pictures).
Tokoro can be knocked out, too, and isn't overly strong. These days, though, Tamura is really past his prime. He isn't too exciting anymore, but he has solid wrestling, solid submissions and great leg kicks.
In this fight, Tokoro shouldn't cause Tamura too many problems with submissions, but Tamura's time would still be best spent on the feet, using his crackling low kicks and powerful hands.
Prediction: Tamura by decision in a boring one.
K-1 Rules: 3 min. x 3R Ex.2R
Musashi vs. Bernard Ackah (Pictures)
Musashi, Japan's premier heavyweight kickboxer, comes in fresh off a knockout superfight win at the K-1 World Grand Prix Finals to face The Ivory Coast's premier comedian, Bernard Ackah (Pictures).
Ackah isn't all laughs, though. Most famous for knocking Johnnie Morton (Pictures) into another galaxy at the disastrous K-1 Dynamite!! U.S. show, he has a taekwondo background and has plenty of power. He also impersonates Billy Blanks, for whatever that's worth.
After scoring two knockouts in less than two minutes total, Ackah got a wakeup call from Melvin Manhoef (Pictures) in HERO'S in July. Manhoef knocked him out early in the first, then Ackah got another reality check via armbar from Poai Suganuma (Pictures) in Korea.
Musashi is a defense and leg-kicking magician. Although he hasn't gone all the way to a World GP title (despite K-1's best efforts), he is still a top-level athlete. Look for him to have a bit of fun in this bout as Ackah tries to knock him out but shouldn't come close to landing.
Prediction:Musashi by TKO in the second. His defense and leg kicks will be way too good. Before hearing the bell for the end of the first round, Ackah will be hobbling back to the dressing room with a fresh batch of material for his next act.
Melvin Manhoef (Pictures) vs. Yousuke Nishijima
Yousuke Nishijima won the hearts of MMA fans in his bout with Mark Hunt (Pictures). Against a much larger and more experienced opponent, Nishijima pressed forward with his solid boxing game of jabs and counters only to be knocked out in the third round. After that he lost us.
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There's no doubt that the cruiserweight boxer can box, but he really needs to learn the rest of the game. Nishijima is lucky this time round, though, because if there's one man willing to ignore the Japanese fighter's overwhelming weakness in order to stand and bang, it's Melvin Manhoef (Pictures).
Manhoef is hands down one of the most explosive and exciting
athletes in the sport. Everything he does is done with conviction.
Everything is thrown to knock you out. And knock you out he does:
17 of his 18 wins have come by KO.
Manhoef has a lot of the same weaknesses as Nishijima, but they are not as problematic and he has loads more power. In particular, Manhoef has a problem with armbars. For some reason, however, I don't see Nishijima coining the phrase "Nishijima-bar."
Keep an eye on Manhoef's chin. If Nishijima can accumulate damage with jabs or land a perfect counter, Manhoef may go down.
Prediction: Manhoef by KO. Nishijima showed a hell of a heart against Mark Hunt (Pictures), but Melvin's power and far superior knowledge of the sport should lead to a knockout victory late in the first round. Nishijima has great boxing but little power, and Manhoef's leg kicks should give him enough of a distraction to land a knockout hook.
HERO'S Rules: 5 min. x 3R
Ikuhisa Minowa (Pictures) vs. Zulu
Hey come on, it's New Year's Eve. We have to have the freak match. Ikuhisa "The Punk, Mr. Heaven, Minowaman" Minowa will be giving Japan its freak fix in his bout with the simply enormous "Zuluzinho."
Zulu should be well known among fans for quick fights against two of the best heavyweights on the planet, Fedor and Nogueira, and his hilarious fight with Butterbean.
The son of legendary (or perhaps mythical) Brazilian vale tudo fighter "Zulu" comes in at a hefty 400 pounds. While reportedly a BJJ purple belt and having KO power in both hands, he is simply too big to fight effectively. Against Minowa he will be way too slow to connect with any strikes, and his only chance would be to land on top of his Japanese adversary and stop him with strikes. Or perhaps smother him.
Minowa is the Harlem Globetrotter of the fight game. The freelance fighter favors climbing mountains, eating competitions and getting hit by baseballs to training seriously. Yet he remains a favorite even among serious fight fans for his drop kicks, his submission game and his spirit in the ring.
The mullet-bearing fighter has been through some wars and certainly can take a punch, but all is done in the name of entertainment. The most important thing for fight fans to remember while watching this fight is to have fun. Neither fighter is relevant to rankings. Both are entertainers -- let them entertain you.
Prediction: Minowa by an Achilles lock late in the first round. Minowa is fast enough to stay away from Zulu until he is exhausted. Expect drop kicks, expect a flip kick and expect Minowa to keep his distance before Zulu gets tired and subsequently taken down.
With Zulu's reported BJJ knowledge, he should be able to keep the much-weaker Minowa away from his arms and neck, but there's no stopping him from getting hold of his feet. I don't see that "Minowaman" will be strong enough to get the required angle on the leg for a heel hook -- hence the Achilles tendon pull.
HERO'S Rules: 5 min. x 3R / 70 kg (154 pounds)
Kazuyuki Miyata (Pictures) vs. Joachim Hansen (Pictures)
This fight has potential written all over it. Despite his record, Kazuyuki Miyata (Pictures) has only lost to some of the best in the division and has been mostly competitive. He is an incredible wrestler who has so much raw talent and power that he could simply take down Joachim Hansen (Pictures) repeatedly and possibly even power on a submission.
Hansen is coming off a layoff, but he can be one of the best in the division. He was a victim of the PRIDE breakup and remained mostly inactive in 2007. Although he was offered a contract with the UFC, he didn't take it and instead took a pay cut to stay in Japan and compete in Shooto, where he lost a very close fight to Eiji Mitsuoka (Pictures) last month.
Mitsuoka is a worthy opponent, but the fight should have been a win for Hansen. We might be able to chalk that one up to ring rust. Hansen had stated on the record that he was bored with training during the year and may have lost focus. Let's hope that "Hellboy" is back on track.
One of the few men to beat Takanori Gomi (Pictures) and the only man to be JZ Calvancante, Hansen is going to try to pound his way to victory against Miyata. Hansen is at his best pounding out people from side control, but getting there might be hard against the wrestler.
Prediction: Hansen by KO in the third. I see Miyata taking Hansen down over and over but getting a little lazy in the last round and eating a trademark Hansen knee on the way in. It may well go to a decision, but Miyata is a finish or be finished kind of guy.
HERO'S Rules: 5 min. x 3R
Bob Sapp (Pictures) vs. Bobby Ologun (Pictures)
OK, this is another one for the general population. Bobby Ologun (Pictures) is one of the biggest TV personalities in Japan, especially around New Year's. No, he isn't a fighter -- he is a comedian. The brother of K-1 Max rising star Andy Ologun (Pictures) isn't committed to the fight game. He's only here for a laugh.
To try and seriously break down Ologun's skill set would be futile. Ologun was the headlining bout on last year's Dynamite card against Hong Man Choi (Pictures) but only lasted a mere 16 seconds. He does have a pair of victories over Akebono and Cyril Abidi (Pictures), but that isn't an outstanding feat.
Bob Sapp (Pictures) has gone missing for the last few years in Japan, and it's more than a little surprising to see him back on a big card like this since the incident in Amsterdam where Sapp apparently fled the country moments before his match with Ernesto Hoost (Pictures). But, for better or worse, he is back.
Sapp was one of the fighters who brought MMA to the forefront of entertainment in Japan. To understand his significance in the development of MMA is another story, but he's big and powerful and that's all that matters at this point in time.
Although he is painful to watch in K-1, in MMA rules he is really at home. His match with Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (Pictures) is a classic in which he powerbombed and slammed the top-class heavyweight before ultimately gassing and getting armbarred. Against Ologun, Sapp should be able to do whatever he wants. Hammerfists in particular should be in order following a powerbomb.
Prediction Sapp by KO in the first. Ologun will try to entertain, but Sapp has been around long enough not to get knocked out by a comedian. He should have no trouble beating down on Ologun from guard or side control.
HERO'S Rules: 5 min. x 3R
Kiyoshi Tamura (Pictures) vs. Hideo Tokoro (Pictures)
Hideo Tokoro (Pictures) was rewarded for a recent victory in Japan's quirkiest promotion, ZST, with a position on this year's Dynamite!! card. I'm not sure fighting Kiyoshi Tamura (Pictures), who outweighs him by more than 50 pounds, is much of an award though.
Tokoro is the poster boy for ZST. There was an attempt to make him into a poster boy for K-1, but it never really seemed to take off.
Highly publicized as a janitor during the day, Tokoro brings a solid submission game and decent striking into this difficult bout. He favors armbars and triangle chokes, and he is equally comfortable on his back or on top. However, he will be looking to get on top against Tamura to neutralize the weight difference.
Tamura's importance to the fight game in Japan will never be fully appreciated by Western audiences. Instead let's just list a few of his victories: Jeremy Horn (Pictures), Pat Miletich (Pictures), Renzo Gracie (Pictures) and Maurice Smith (Pictures). Tamura also knocked out of Ikuhisa Minowa (Pictures) and Nobuhiko Takada (Pictures).
Tokoro can be knocked out, too, and isn't overly strong. These days, though, Tamura is really past his prime. He isn't too exciting anymore, but he has solid wrestling, solid submissions and great leg kicks.
In this fight, Tokoro shouldn't cause Tamura too many problems with submissions, but Tamura's time would still be best spent on the feet, using his crackling low kicks and powerful hands.
Prediction: Tamura by decision in a boring one.
K-1 Rules: 3 min. x 3R Ex.2R
Musashi vs. Bernard Ackah (Pictures)
Musashi, Japan's premier heavyweight kickboxer, comes in fresh off a knockout superfight win at the K-1 World Grand Prix Finals to face The Ivory Coast's premier comedian, Bernard Ackah (Pictures).
Ackah isn't all laughs, though. Most famous for knocking Johnnie Morton (Pictures) into another galaxy at the disastrous K-1 Dynamite!! U.S. show, he has a taekwondo background and has plenty of power. He also impersonates Billy Blanks, for whatever that's worth.
After scoring two knockouts in less than two minutes total, Ackah got a wakeup call from Melvin Manhoef (Pictures) in HERO'S in July. Manhoef knocked him out early in the first, then Ackah got another reality check via armbar from Poai Suganuma (Pictures) in Korea.
Musashi is a defense and leg-kicking magician. Although he hasn't gone all the way to a World GP title (despite K-1's best efforts), he is still a top-level athlete. Look for him to have a bit of fun in this bout as Ackah tries to knock him out but shouldn't come close to landing.
Prediction:Musashi by TKO in the second. His defense and leg kicks will be way too good. Before hearing the bell for the end of the first round, Ackah will be hobbling back to the dressing room with a fresh batch of material for his next act.
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