Wrestling/Kickboxing
Team: Purebred Omiya
Height: 5' 8” (173 cm)
Weight: 143 lbs. (65 kg)
Record: 11-7-1
SHOOTO record: 9-7-1
Kickboxing
Team: SHOOTO Gym Yokohama
Height: 5' 8” (173 cm)
Weight 143 lbs. (65 kg)
Record: 7-1-0
SHOOTO record: 7-1-0
Ishikawa is the lead instructor at Enson Inoue’s Purebred gym wrestling class for kids. He’s a strong striker that uses his wrestling skill more for a base rather than to dominate fighters on the ground. He’s been working extensively to develop a good striking game. Ishikawa is more comfortable in keeping the fight standing instead of taking down opponents.
“Lion” Takeshi is the 2004 SHOOTO lightweight rookie of the year champion and had an amazing 3-0 run with two knockouts to win the tournament that year. Like most members of the SHOOTO Gym Yokohama he’s more comfortable keeping the fight standing, but he has showed sign of ground skills when he choked Jin Kazeta (Pictures) after losing the standing battle. Other times he relies on taking down an opponent from the clinch and strike from top position.
Prediction:
This one is a toss up due to many factors. Both fighters like to stand and trade. Honestly, I don’t see either trying to take down the other until is complete necessary. Ishikawa is the type of the fighter that likes to bang and I feel he is going to look for this the whole match.
The main problem is “Lion” Takeshi has shows signs of flashy out-of-nowhere knockdowns and Ishikawa has shows sign of weak chin in the past, especially against the likes of Rumina Sato (Pictures), who is nowhere near a dangerous striker.
Also the other problem with Ishikawa is overconfidence. When he’s winning the match he totally forgets to finish but instead concentrates more in delivering punishment and this has backfired on him, against for example against Katsuya Toida (Pictures).
These two are going to throw fireworks and I feel Ishikawa is going to deliver some serious punishment to Takeshi, but in the long run I expect several knockdowns here with Takeshi taking the win by decision.