K-1 MMA: Romanex Preview

Don “The Predator” Frye vs. Yoshihiro Nakao

The premise of this one is simple; “The Predator” just wanted a check.

FRYE: Don is considered the first American to display cross-trained skills in the sport of mixed martial arts. Even before his MMA debut at UFC 8 his background included wrestling, Judo and Western Boxing. Frye took a 5 year vacation from the sport to pursue bigger paydays and absorb less punishment in the friendly confines of Japanese Pro Wrestling with training partner Brian Johnston. He returned to fighting at the Pride 16: Beasts From The East show and it was a much larger Don Frye than we had seen in his UFC days. “The Predator” has fought 7 times since returning to the sport. He has a record of 16-4 in MMA and is considered the first American to display cross-trained skills in the sport of mixed martial arts. He had been training with 5-time UFC Middleweight Champion Frank Shamrock in addition to his regular team (IFC/KOTC fighter Sam Sotello and others).

NAKAO: Yoshihiro Nakao is the 2001 All-Japan Wrestling Champion. He was a tentative 2003 World Championships of Freestyle Wrestling entry and was showcased at a Shin Takanawa press conference (lifting up the K-1 event producer to show his “power”) so I guess he is a favorite there. In Nakao’s MMA debut, he battled Barcelona Olympics Judo Gold Medallist David Khakhaleishvili in the K-1 NYE show. The judo champion showed some striking ability on the feet early in the fight but when Nakao grounded him with a single leg takedown he was able to finish him with strikes on the mat.

MY PICK: If Frye still has “it”, this is money in the bank. Nakao is a wrestler but he won’t present any challenges a veteran like Frye hasn’t seen before. I feel it will be Frye by TKO from strikes in the 1st Rd.