Sengoku 'Eighth Battle' Play-by-Play
May 2, 2009
Sherdog.com reports from the Yoyogi National Stadium Second
Gymnasium in Tokyo with live play-by-play of Sengoku's "Eighth
Battle."
Don't forget to check out the MMA Forums to discuss tonight's event.
The event kicks off with the opening bout at 3 a.m. ET/12 a.m. PT
Saturday morning.
Click here for quick results.
Hirotoshi Saito vs. Yoshitaka Abe
Round 1
Saito sparks Abe with a right hook and Abe goes down on all fours. Saito follows him down and tries to finish. Abe's instincts get him to pull guard, and he drags Saito's head into a guillotine. Saito pulls out, stands up and starts stomping. Abe tries to catch a leg for a leglock, but rolls Saito onto his back instead. Saito locks up the armbar from behind and works to pull it out. Abe turtling up and holding on to keep it from extending. Saito flips Abe over, and his legs get tangled in the ropes. Saito muscles it out and Abe taps once. Referee Tomoki Matsumiya sees the tap and stops the bout at 2:52.
Shigeki Osawa vs. Kota Ishibashi
Round 1
Osawa tries to take Ishibashi's head right off with an uppercut. Ishibashi is throwing in return, tags Osawa with a nice right. Osawa double legs him off that punch and lands in half against the ropes. Ishibashi works his legs up to go for a triangle, but Osawa pulls out, punching all the while. Osawa stands and lunges with a punch right into Ishibashi's guard. Ishibashi grabs hold of Osawa's hand in an attempt to stop him from punching. Osawa pulls out his right hand and slams a few fists into Ishibashi's face. Ref Matsumiya repositions the fighters at the center, and Ishibashi tries for wrist control. Osawa busies himself with looking for shots every couple of seconds from Ishibashi's guard. Osawa seems to have settled into the standard wrestling ground-and-pound game. Matsumiya stands them up and gives Ishibashi a warning for just holding on and stalling. Osawa takes him back down again however, and this time gets a riding time position off to Ishibashi's right side. Ishibashi is about to roll into guard, but the bell sounds. 10-9 Osawa.
Round 2
Both trade low kicks. Ishibashi hits a hard low kick on Osawa, then hits him with a right. They both fly at each other with knees, and smash to each other's body, mid-air. Ishibashi tries for another, but Osawa spears him out of the air and lands in his guard. Referee Matsumiya calls for action as Ishibashi ties Osawa up. Osawa passes to half guard, and throws a few harrying punches at Ishibashi from in close. Break by Matsumiya. Matsumiya gives Ishibashi a yellow card for stalling, and warns Osawa for stalling. Ishibashi flies at Osawa with a flying side kick, and Osawa evades. Osawa takes Ishibashi back down against the ropes. Ishibashi tries to scramble to his feet, but Osawa grabs a hold of his head and forces him back down. Ishibashi pulls Osawa back into guard and holds onto his wrists. Osawa yanks his hands out and stands. Ishibashi grabs Osawa's foot—apparently, Osawa's wrestling shoes are giving Ishibashi the grip to hold onto them and look for a leg lock. Osawa scrambling to escape, but his legs are tied up in Ishibashi's. At the last ten seconds, Osawa attempts to sit up, over Ishibashi. Bell. 10 – 8 Osawa (owing to Ishibashi's yellow card).
Official judges:
Masanori Ohashi: 20-18 Osawa
Tenshin Matsumoto: 20-19 Osawa
Gen Isono: 20-19 Osawa
Maximo Blanco vs. Akihiko Mori
Round 1
Blanco rushes forward and gets a trip takedown on the heels of some punches and a clinch against the ropes. From guard, Mori slaps on an armbar that deep. Blanco rolls to escape danger, and ends up on the back of his opponent. Blanco, whose nose is dripping blood, punches the head with his right hand until referee Yoshinori Umeki stands the fighters. Blanco drops Mori with a left hook and immediately stomps the face of his downed foe in brutal fashion. Mori recovers and stands, where he eats another solid left hand. Blanco misses a flying knee, but lands a spinning-back kick. Blanco lands a right hook that buckles Mori’s knees. The Japanese fighter collapses to the canvas and is soccer-kicked in the face by Blanco’s left foot. Mori is out and the kick was illegal. Stoms are allowed in Sengoku, but soccer kicks are not. Blanco is disqualified, and Mori takes the win after being knocked out at 4:20 of the first.
Travis Wiuff vs. Stanislav Nedkov
Round 1
Wiuff muscles Nedkov to the canvas but both fighters stand quickly. Nedkov knees Wiuff on the groin protector and time is called. Referee Tomoki Matsumiya gives Wiuff a short reprieve and the action is back on. Wiuff bullies in and clinches with Nedkov against the ropes. Nedkov knees the body and thigh while Wiuff works an over-under. Matsumiya breaks the fighters and Wiuff is hit again on the cup as soon as they are restarted. Wiuff screams in pain and falls to the canvas. Nedkov is given a red card. After several minutes of squirming on the ground, Wiuff stands and the fight is back on. Wiuff rushes in to clinch and they are separated quickly. Nedkov steps forward with a wild flurry of punches and we’re back to the clinch. Nedkov smacks Wiuff’s cup squarely. Nedkov is given a second red card. A third red card will result in a disqualification. After another clinch fest, a fight breaks out with both fighters winging leather. A right hand knocks an off-balanced Wiuff to the floor, where Nedkov punches the head from his opponent’s closed guard.
Jordan Breen scores the round: 9-8 Wiuff
Tony Loiseleur scores the round: 9-8 Wiuff
Mike Fridley scores the round: 9-8 Wiuff
Round 2
The fighters clinch and Wiuff gets off a nice slam as he deposits Nedkov to the floor. Wiuff stays busy with short punches from both hands on the inside from Nedkov’s guard. Wiuff passes to half guard, and just when it looked like he was putting something together, the fighters are stood. It’s a poor judgment call by Matsumiya. Nedkov cracks Wiuff with a right hand that shakes his frame. Wiuff shakes it off and gets a guillotine in a scramble from the top position. Nedkov escapes and goes to a butterfly guard.
Jordan Breen scores the round: 10-9 Wiuff
Tony Loiseleur scores the round: 10-9 Wiuff
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Wiuff
Round 3
Nedkov puts Wiuff down with a right-hand counter. Nedkov pounces with punches as his downed opponent is tied up in the ropes. Matsumiya watches closely and saves Wiuff at 0:42 of the final round.
Makoto Takimoto vs. Michael Costa
Round 1
Takimoto checks two Costa leg kicks. Make it three. Costa attempts a flying knee that grazes the head. Takimoto grabs a leg and works for a takedown as Costa holds onto a guillotine choke. Takimoto moves to half guard and side control, where he sets up a beautiful armbar. Costa stays calm and frees his arm. Costa escapes danger and goes for a toe hold. Takimoto grabs a foot and the fighters trade leg locks. Takimoto switches to the other foot and secures a tapout with a mean heel hook at 3:31 of round one.
"I was thinking that if I lost this fight, I'd think about retiring," said Takimoto.
Costa stated that he would like to fight in Japan again, and offered Takimoto a Bible. Takimoto returned to the ring and embraced the gift.
Marlon Sandro vs. Nick Denis
Round 1
Sandro makes extremely quick work of Denis. A right uppercut and a left hook floor Denis. Several right hands in violent succession force referee Kenichi Serizawa to intervene at 0:19 of the opening frame.
Chan Sung Jung vs. Masanori Kanehara
Round 1
Kanehara works a jab and pieces together a punching combination that is punctuated with a kick to the body. Kanehara gets the bout’s first takedown and begins to work from half-guard. Kanehara has Jung’s right hand tied up from the far side but he does little with the offensive position. Jung ties up the head and Kanehara elbows the thigh from on top. Referee Serizawa stands the fighters and issues Jung a warning for stalling. Kanehara eats a knee to the body before getting a quick takedown. Jung sweeps and stands before the round closes.
Jordan Breen scores the round: 10-9 Kanehara
Tony Loiseleur scores the round: 10-9 Kanehara
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Kanehara
Round 2
Jung lands a solid knee to the body and stuffs a takedown attempt. Kanehara drives forward on the shot and the fighters get caught in the ropes. Serizawa frees them and stands the fighters. A slugfest plays out with Jung getting the best of the wild exchange. Kanehara gets a takedown and fights off an omaplata. From the bottom, Jung fires upkicks that narrowly miss their target. Kanehara gets a little cute from the top position and Jung secures an armbar. The hold is deep, but Kanehara smoothly escapes. Jung attempts another armbar that fails. Jung’s guard has improved vastly. Jung stands and Kanehara works for a single. Jung pushes the head down and fights off a heel hook as Kanehara dropped to his back.
Jordan Breen scores the round: 10-9 Jung
Tony Loiseleur scores the round: 10-9 Kanehara
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Jung
Round 3
Jung doesn’t want to touch gloves to start the final frame. He walks forward with his hands down and throws a head kick so uncontrolled that his leg gets tied up in the ropes. Kanehara hops on top and begins to work from half guard. Kanehara briefly gets to side control, where he lands a few knees to the head before being put in full guard. From his back, Jung works for a triangle and uses it to stand when it’s defended. Kanehara wants to keep the fight on the floor and he succeeds. However, Jung is not to be denied. From his back, Jung blasts Kanehara with two kicks. Kanehara stands and is hit with a knee flush on the chin. Kanehara drops to his back and is punished by Jung. With 10 seconds remaining, Kanehara works for a heel hook.
Jordan Breen scores the round: 10-9 Jung
Tony Loiseleur scores the round: 10-9 Jung
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Jung
Official judges:
Ohashi: 30-29 Kanehara
Matsumoto: 30-29 Kanehara
Isono: 29-28 Kanehara
Alexandre Ribeiro vs. Keiichiro Yamamiya
Round 1
Ribeiro lazily works for a single. Referee Yoshinori Umeki watches closely and separates the fighters. Ribeiro rushes forward with punches and gets an easy slam takedown. Ribeiro doesn’t waste much time before moving to mount. Ribeiro shows a good base as he postures up to tee off with punches. Yamamiya gives up his back to avoid punishment. Ribeiro goes back to the mount and spins for an armbar. The hold is tight but he runs out of time.
Jordan Breen scores the round: 10-9 Ribeiro
Tony Loiseleur scores the round: 10-9 Ribeiro
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Ribeiro
Round 2
Ribeiro dives in for a single-leg takedown. Yamamiya pushes the head down and defends well. Umeki restarts the fight in the center of the ring and Ribeiro slaps his opponent with a head kick. Ribeiro bends over for another single and again the referee steps in to break a stalemate. Both fighters look sloppy on their feet, but Yamamiya is assuming control as he stalks the Brazilian around the ring. Yamamiya lands a body shot and a right hand. Ribeiro is winging haymakers that are missing by yards. Ribeiro catches a flying-knee attempt and deposits Yamamiya on the ground. Just before the horn sounds, Ribeiro takes the mount.
Jordan Breen scores the round: 10-10
Tony Loiseleur scores the round: 10-9 Ribeiro
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Ribeiro
Round 3
Ribeiro steps forward and the fighters trade punches. Both land solid. Ribeiro exits the exchange to catch his breath and times a clean right-hook counter on the chin. Yamamiya folds and Ribeiro pounces with right hands until Umeki pulls him off at 0:51 of the third.
Leonardo Santos vs. Kazunori Yokota
Round 1
Low kicks are traded through the bout’s opening minute. Santos ducks under a Yokota right hand and scores a takedown. Yokota gives up his back and Santos quickly sinks in both hooks. Yokota controls the hands and defends his neck until he spins to take the top position. To the body with left hands goes Yokota. Santos is showing an offensive guard, but he is unable to mount a deep attack. Yokota stomps the head and rains down punches in the round’s final 30 seconds, landing clean on several occasions. With just seconds remaining, Santos is close to locking on a triangle.
Jordan Breen scores the round: 10-9 Yokota
Tony Loiseleur scores the round: 10-9 Yokota
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Yokota
Round 2
Santos turns up the heat with a grazing punch and a jumping knee that nearly connects with the chin. Yokota uses the close distance to score a takedown. Yokota remains active from the top, punching closely and landing a knee to the head from Santo’s extremely long open guard. Santos sweeps and ends up on top. Santos takes the mount and lands a few punches before transitioning to Yokota’s back. He goes briefly to mount and then to the back again. Yokota turns into his opponent and takes the top.
Jordan Breen scores the round: 10-9 Yokota
Tony Loiseleur scores the round: 10-10
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-10
Round 3
To the clinch goes the fighters to start round three. Yokota tries to drag Santos to the canvas, but he has none of it. Yokota knees the body and thigh until referee Samio Kimura restarts the action. Yokoto lands a clean front kick and a right hand. Santos reveres a shot and takes the top position. From half guard, Santos tries diligently to free his trapped leg and he gets it out. Now in the mount, Santos is warned for punching the back of Yokota’s head as the Japanese fighter squirmed to avoid the blows. Yokota bid his time on the floor and found an avenue for a sweep. The final 40 seconds is all Yokota from the top with punches.
Jordan Breen scores the round: 10-10
Tony Loiseleur scores the round: 10-9 Santos
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Yokota
Official judges:
Ohashi: 30-28 Yokota
Matsumoto: 30-29 Yokota
Isono: 29-28 Santos
Nam Phan vs. Michihiro Omigawa
Round 1
Omigawa gets an easy takedown but immediately has to fight off a heel hook from Phan. Omigawa defends but loses his position. Omigawa gets up and takes top in a four-point stance, where he knees the head. Omigawa plays with a guillotine and then gives it up to knee the head again. He switches back and fourth from the guillotine to standard head control. Phan gets to his feet and lands a solid body shot. Omigawa throws a left hand and then shakes it off, as if he hurt it while bouncing it off Phan’s right glove. Omigawa absolutely tees off with punches against the ropes. Lefts and rights connect at will. Phan connects with another body shot before being taken back down. Omigawa lands a hard knee to the head and a few punches. Phan is hurt, but defending. Referee Yoshinori Umeki watches closely as Phan defends and secures his guard. With eight seconds left in the round, Umeki steps in as Omigawa continued to rain down punches. The stoppage was unnecessary. Phan complains little, but this fight should still be going.
Hatsu Hioki vs. Ronnie Mann
Round 1
Hioki reaches for an inside trip and Mann defends beautifully. Mann isn’t so lucky on Hioki’s second try, as Mann finds himself under Hioki on the canvas. Hioki works on a brabo choke but lets it go to take the mount. From the top, Hioki sets up a triangle and it’s deep. Hioki goes to his back to finish the hold. Hioki bashes the face of his foe with both of his hands until Mann taps out at 3:09 of round one due to the triangle and punches.
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Hirotoshi Saito vs. Yoshitaka Abe
Round 1
Saito sparks Abe with a right hook and Abe goes down on all fours. Saito follows him down and tries to finish. Abe's instincts get him to pull guard, and he drags Saito's head into a guillotine. Saito pulls out, stands up and starts stomping. Abe tries to catch a leg for a leglock, but rolls Saito onto his back instead. Saito locks up the armbar from behind and works to pull it out. Abe turtling up and holding on to keep it from extending. Saito flips Abe over, and his legs get tangled in the ropes. Saito muscles it out and Abe taps once. Referee Tomoki Matsumiya sees the tap and stops the bout at 2:52.
Shigeki Osawa vs. Kota Ishibashi
Round 1
Osawa tries to take Ishibashi's head right off with an uppercut. Ishibashi is throwing in return, tags Osawa with a nice right. Osawa double legs him off that punch and lands in half against the ropes. Ishibashi works his legs up to go for a triangle, but Osawa pulls out, punching all the while. Osawa stands and lunges with a punch right into Ishibashi's guard. Ishibashi grabs hold of Osawa's hand in an attempt to stop him from punching. Osawa pulls out his right hand and slams a few fists into Ishibashi's face. Ref Matsumiya repositions the fighters at the center, and Ishibashi tries for wrist control. Osawa busies himself with looking for shots every couple of seconds from Ishibashi's guard. Osawa seems to have settled into the standard wrestling ground-and-pound game. Matsumiya stands them up and gives Ishibashi a warning for just holding on and stalling. Osawa takes him back down again however, and this time gets a riding time position off to Ishibashi's right side. Ishibashi is about to roll into guard, but the bell sounds. 10-9 Osawa.
Round 2
Both trade low kicks. Ishibashi hits a hard low kick on Osawa, then hits him with a right. They both fly at each other with knees, and smash to each other's body, mid-air. Ishibashi tries for another, but Osawa spears him out of the air and lands in his guard. Referee Matsumiya calls for action as Ishibashi ties Osawa up. Osawa passes to half guard, and throws a few harrying punches at Ishibashi from in close. Break by Matsumiya. Matsumiya gives Ishibashi a yellow card for stalling, and warns Osawa for stalling. Ishibashi flies at Osawa with a flying side kick, and Osawa evades. Osawa takes Ishibashi back down against the ropes. Ishibashi tries to scramble to his feet, but Osawa grabs a hold of his head and forces him back down. Ishibashi pulls Osawa back into guard and holds onto his wrists. Osawa yanks his hands out and stands. Ishibashi grabs Osawa's foot—apparently, Osawa's wrestling shoes are giving Ishibashi the grip to hold onto them and look for a leg lock. Osawa scrambling to escape, but his legs are tied up in Ishibashi's. At the last ten seconds, Osawa attempts to sit up, over Ishibashi. Bell. 10 – 8 Osawa (owing to Ishibashi's yellow card).
Official judges:
Masanori Ohashi: 20-18 Osawa
Tenshin Matsumoto: 20-19 Osawa
Gen Isono: 20-19 Osawa
Maximo Blanco vs. Akihiko Mori
Round 1
Blanco rushes forward and gets a trip takedown on the heels of some punches and a clinch against the ropes. From guard, Mori slaps on an armbar that deep. Blanco rolls to escape danger, and ends up on the back of his opponent. Blanco, whose nose is dripping blood, punches the head with his right hand until referee Yoshinori Umeki stands the fighters. Blanco drops Mori with a left hook and immediately stomps the face of his downed foe in brutal fashion. Mori recovers and stands, where he eats another solid left hand. Blanco misses a flying knee, but lands a spinning-back kick. Blanco lands a right hook that buckles Mori’s knees. The Japanese fighter collapses to the canvas and is soccer-kicked in the face by Blanco’s left foot. Mori is out and the kick was illegal. Stoms are allowed in Sengoku, but soccer kicks are not. Blanco is disqualified, and Mori takes the win after being knocked out at 4:20 of the first.
Travis Wiuff vs. Stanislav Nedkov
Round 1
Wiuff muscles Nedkov to the canvas but both fighters stand quickly. Nedkov knees Wiuff on the groin protector and time is called. Referee Tomoki Matsumiya gives Wiuff a short reprieve and the action is back on. Wiuff bullies in and clinches with Nedkov against the ropes. Nedkov knees the body and thigh while Wiuff works an over-under. Matsumiya breaks the fighters and Wiuff is hit again on the cup as soon as they are restarted. Wiuff screams in pain and falls to the canvas. Nedkov is given a red card. After several minutes of squirming on the ground, Wiuff stands and the fight is back on. Wiuff rushes in to clinch and they are separated quickly. Nedkov steps forward with a wild flurry of punches and we’re back to the clinch. Nedkov smacks Wiuff’s cup squarely. Nedkov is given a second red card. A third red card will result in a disqualification. After another clinch fest, a fight breaks out with both fighters winging leather. A right hand knocks an off-balanced Wiuff to the floor, where Nedkov punches the head from his opponent’s closed guard.
Jordan Breen scores the round: 9-8 Wiuff
Tony Loiseleur scores the round: 9-8 Wiuff
Mike Fridley scores the round: 9-8 Wiuff
Round 2
The fighters clinch and Wiuff gets off a nice slam as he deposits Nedkov to the floor. Wiuff stays busy with short punches from both hands on the inside from Nedkov’s guard. Wiuff passes to half guard, and just when it looked like he was putting something together, the fighters are stood. It’s a poor judgment call by Matsumiya. Nedkov cracks Wiuff with a right hand that shakes his frame. Wiuff shakes it off and gets a guillotine in a scramble from the top position. Nedkov escapes and goes to a butterfly guard.
Jordan Breen scores the round: 10-9 Wiuff
Tony Loiseleur scores the round: 10-9 Wiuff
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Wiuff
Round 3
Nedkov puts Wiuff down with a right-hand counter. Nedkov pounces with punches as his downed opponent is tied up in the ropes. Matsumiya watches closely and saves Wiuff at 0:42 of the final round.
Makoto Takimoto vs. Michael Costa
Round 1
Takimoto checks two Costa leg kicks. Make it three. Costa attempts a flying knee that grazes the head. Takimoto grabs a leg and works for a takedown as Costa holds onto a guillotine choke. Takimoto moves to half guard and side control, where he sets up a beautiful armbar. Costa stays calm and frees his arm. Costa escapes danger and goes for a toe hold. Takimoto grabs a foot and the fighters trade leg locks. Takimoto switches to the other foot and secures a tapout with a mean heel hook at 3:31 of round one.
"I was thinking that if I lost this fight, I'd think about retiring," said Takimoto.
Costa stated that he would like to fight in Japan again, and offered Takimoto a Bible. Takimoto returned to the ring and embraced the gift.
Marlon Sandro vs. Nick Denis
Round 1
Sandro makes extremely quick work of Denis. A right uppercut and a left hook floor Denis. Several right hands in violent succession force referee Kenichi Serizawa to intervene at 0:19 of the opening frame.
Chan Sung Jung vs. Masanori Kanehara
Round 1
Kanehara works a jab and pieces together a punching combination that is punctuated with a kick to the body. Kanehara gets the bout’s first takedown and begins to work from half-guard. Kanehara has Jung’s right hand tied up from the far side but he does little with the offensive position. Jung ties up the head and Kanehara elbows the thigh from on top. Referee Serizawa stands the fighters and issues Jung a warning for stalling. Kanehara eats a knee to the body before getting a quick takedown. Jung sweeps and stands before the round closes.
Jordan Breen scores the round: 10-9 Kanehara
Tony Loiseleur scores the round: 10-9 Kanehara
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Kanehara
Round 2
Jung lands a solid knee to the body and stuffs a takedown attempt. Kanehara drives forward on the shot and the fighters get caught in the ropes. Serizawa frees them and stands the fighters. A slugfest plays out with Jung getting the best of the wild exchange. Kanehara gets a takedown and fights off an omaplata. From the bottom, Jung fires upkicks that narrowly miss their target. Kanehara gets a little cute from the top position and Jung secures an armbar. The hold is deep, but Kanehara smoothly escapes. Jung attempts another armbar that fails. Jung’s guard has improved vastly. Jung stands and Kanehara works for a single. Jung pushes the head down and fights off a heel hook as Kanehara dropped to his back.
Jordan Breen scores the round: 10-9 Jung
Tony Loiseleur scores the round: 10-9 Kanehara
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Jung
Round 3
Jung doesn’t want to touch gloves to start the final frame. He walks forward with his hands down and throws a head kick so uncontrolled that his leg gets tied up in the ropes. Kanehara hops on top and begins to work from half guard. Kanehara briefly gets to side control, where he lands a few knees to the head before being put in full guard. From his back, Jung works for a triangle and uses it to stand when it’s defended. Kanehara wants to keep the fight on the floor and he succeeds. However, Jung is not to be denied. From his back, Jung blasts Kanehara with two kicks. Kanehara stands and is hit with a knee flush on the chin. Kanehara drops to his back and is punished by Jung. With 10 seconds remaining, Kanehara works for a heel hook.
Jordan Breen scores the round: 10-9 Jung
Tony Loiseleur scores the round: 10-9 Jung
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Jung
Official judges:
Ohashi: 30-29 Kanehara
Matsumoto: 30-29 Kanehara
Isono: 29-28 Kanehara
Alexandre Ribeiro vs. Keiichiro Yamamiya
Round 1
Ribeiro lazily works for a single. Referee Yoshinori Umeki watches closely and separates the fighters. Ribeiro rushes forward with punches and gets an easy slam takedown. Ribeiro doesn’t waste much time before moving to mount. Ribeiro shows a good base as he postures up to tee off with punches. Yamamiya gives up his back to avoid punishment. Ribeiro goes back to the mount and spins for an armbar. The hold is tight but he runs out of time.
Jordan Breen scores the round: 10-9 Ribeiro
Tony Loiseleur scores the round: 10-9 Ribeiro
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Ribeiro
Round 2
Ribeiro dives in for a single-leg takedown. Yamamiya pushes the head down and defends well. Umeki restarts the fight in the center of the ring and Ribeiro slaps his opponent with a head kick. Ribeiro bends over for another single and again the referee steps in to break a stalemate. Both fighters look sloppy on their feet, but Yamamiya is assuming control as he stalks the Brazilian around the ring. Yamamiya lands a body shot and a right hand. Ribeiro is winging haymakers that are missing by yards. Ribeiro catches a flying-knee attempt and deposits Yamamiya on the ground. Just before the horn sounds, Ribeiro takes the mount.
Jordan Breen scores the round: 10-10
Tony Loiseleur scores the round: 10-9 Ribeiro
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Ribeiro
Round 3
Ribeiro steps forward and the fighters trade punches. Both land solid. Ribeiro exits the exchange to catch his breath and times a clean right-hook counter on the chin. Yamamiya folds and Ribeiro pounces with right hands until Umeki pulls him off at 0:51 of the third.
Leonardo Santos vs. Kazunori Yokota
Round 1
Low kicks are traded through the bout’s opening minute. Santos ducks under a Yokota right hand and scores a takedown. Yokota gives up his back and Santos quickly sinks in both hooks. Yokota controls the hands and defends his neck until he spins to take the top position. To the body with left hands goes Yokota. Santos is showing an offensive guard, but he is unable to mount a deep attack. Yokota stomps the head and rains down punches in the round’s final 30 seconds, landing clean on several occasions. With just seconds remaining, Santos is close to locking on a triangle.
Jordan Breen scores the round: 10-9 Yokota
Tony Loiseleur scores the round: 10-9 Yokota
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Yokota
Round 2
Santos turns up the heat with a grazing punch and a jumping knee that nearly connects with the chin. Yokota uses the close distance to score a takedown. Yokota remains active from the top, punching closely and landing a knee to the head from Santo’s extremely long open guard. Santos sweeps and ends up on top. Santos takes the mount and lands a few punches before transitioning to Yokota’s back. He goes briefly to mount and then to the back again. Yokota turns into his opponent and takes the top.
Jordan Breen scores the round: 10-9 Yokota
Tony Loiseleur scores the round: 10-10
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-10
Round 3
To the clinch goes the fighters to start round three. Yokota tries to drag Santos to the canvas, but he has none of it. Yokota knees the body and thigh until referee Samio Kimura restarts the action. Yokoto lands a clean front kick and a right hand. Santos reveres a shot and takes the top position. From half guard, Santos tries diligently to free his trapped leg and he gets it out. Now in the mount, Santos is warned for punching the back of Yokota’s head as the Japanese fighter squirmed to avoid the blows. Yokota bid his time on the floor and found an avenue for a sweep. The final 40 seconds is all Yokota from the top with punches.
Jordan Breen scores the round: 10-10
Tony Loiseleur scores the round: 10-9 Santos
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Yokota
Official judges:
Ohashi: 30-28 Yokota
Matsumoto: 30-29 Yokota
Isono: 29-28 Santos
Nam Phan vs. Michihiro Omigawa
Round 1
Omigawa gets an easy takedown but immediately has to fight off a heel hook from Phan. Omigawa defends but loses his position. Omigawa gets up and takes top in a four-point stance, where he knees the head. Omigawa plays with a guillotine and then gives it up to knee the head again. He switches back and fourth from the guillotine to standard head control. Phan gets to his feet and lands a solid body shot. Omigawa throws a left hand and then shakes it off, as if he hurt it while bouncing it off Phan’s right glove. Omigawa absolutely tees off with punches against the ropes. Lefts and rights connect at will. Phan connects with another body shot before being taken back down. Omigawa lands a hard knee to the head and a few punches. Phan is hurt, but defending. Referee Yoshinori Umeki watches closely as Phan defends and secures his guard. With eight seconds left in the round, Umeki steps in as Omigawa continued to rain down punches. The stoppage was unnecessary. Phan complains little, but this fight should still be going.
Hatsu Hioki vs. Ronnie Mann
Round 1
Hioki reaches for an inside trip and Mann defends beautifully. Mann isn’t so lucky on Hioki’s second try, as Mann finds himself under Hioki on the canvas. Hioki works on a brabo choke but lets it go to take the mount. From the top, Hioki sets up a triangle and it’s deep. Hioki goes to his back to finish the hold. Hioki bashes the face of his foe with both of his hands until Mann taps out at 3:09 of round one due to the triangle and punches.
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