It took nearly two years, but Kojima finally did something championesque. After an undeserved draw in his March 2007 title defense against Yasuhiro Urushitani and his embarrassing, aborted run at 132 pounds, “BJ” was down two rounds to rival Mamoru Yamaguchi in their July 18 fight. Less than 90 seconds away from losing his title, Kojima locked in a tight guillotine and choked his foe unconscious to retain his belt and his status as the sport’s top flyweight.
2. Mamoru Yamaguchi (20-5-3)
Seeking to become the first man to regain a Shooto world championship, Yamaguchi was less than two minutes from reclaiming his title before he was caught in a guillotine and choked out by Kojima at Shooto “Tradition 2.” While still one of the division’s best, Yamaguchi’s next move seems uncertain considering his recent losses to rivals Kojima and Yasuhiro Urushitani.
3. Yuki Shoujou (8-4-2)
After his February thumping at Yamaguchi’s hands, the exciting 27-year-old did not look like he would offer much more than a spirited effort in his Shooto “Tradition 3” bout with Urushitani on Sept. 28. Instead, Shoujou roared back from the brink of defeat, choking out Urushitani for the upset victory and the most significant win of his career.
4. Yasuhiro Urushitani (15-4-6)
Quickly looking to atone for his shocking September loss to Shoujou, Urushitani got back into action and scored an easy victory on Nov. 8 inside GCM’s Cage Force promotion. There, he hacked open an overmatched Kiyotaka Shimizu for a first-round cut stoppage.
5. Ryuichi Miki (7-2-3)
Miki will again be the headliner for another Gutsman-promoted Shooting Disco card on Jan. 31. This time, the former Shooto rookie champion will meet up with serviceable veteran Homare Kuboyama.