pancrase : SFUK's mixed martial arts reports

Going head-to-head with Pride is a brave step. In Pancrase's favour, Pride was way out west in Nagoya. On the downside, Pride was on a cheap ppv the same afternoon. Both Rings and Shooto had shows at the Cultural Gymnasium this year and both barely managed to half fill the arena. With this show being aired in full on free tv next weekend, we were expecting empty seats and so it turned out.

Prelim 1 - Makoto Kohira vs Masaki Tsuji

Amateur rules have no decisions and fighters wear shin pads. This was a dull opener. Kohira spent most of the match standing over his downed opponent and kicking at his legs. The only bright spot was when Tsuji slapped on a triangle and Kohira defended by interlocking his hands underneath to make his arm safe then fished to the ropes. Its odd, but I can't remember seeing a triangle defended that way. Technical draw after 2 rounds.

Prelim 2 - Hirotaka Tomiyama vs Tatsufumi Tsuchida

Another technical draw. A comic scene in round two when Tsuchida got his head caught on the thin rope that separates the ring ropes, tried to turn into a right hook, but his head went nowhere.

Fight 1 - Masakazu Imanari vs Yuji Oba

The arena was just over half full by the time the pro fights started. I hadn't seen these two guys before and knew nothing about them. Imanari was sporting a strong build and goofy gandalf beard. Oba had one of his knees taped up and the other thigh supported. The beard started strong with some wild striking. He definately has attitude. He landed a good kick and right hand then tied up in the corner holding a leg. He tried to pull Oba off his feet and in the end Oba overbalanced himself. They stayed in guard a while till Oba fought to his feet and pulled off a judo throw. Beardo came back by rolling up to an armbar, causing his opponent to wisely stand up away from it. Oba kicked at the downed man and landed one on the beard itself. Imanari seemed okay but pulled guard anyway to avoid seconds. An even round.

The ring girl had a white pvc two-piece with a Pancrase logo across the chest and the sponsor's logo down the skirt leg. Imanari rushed out at the bell with a front kick and fell over, pulling guard. Oba landed several light shots to the beard until Imanari sorted his defence out. A pedalo from the bottom persuaded Oba to stand up but he went back down and took full mount quickly. Imanari pushed him up and forwards, scooting out the back and taking an achilles hold on the way. It was close and had Oba scrambling away off balance. Imanari followed him and missed a go-home kick while Oba was still stumbling to his feet. Imanari showed a decent ground and pound that had the crowd playing along while Oba just hung on. Imanari went for a reckless arm bar that got him reversed but a clean pedalo kick had Oba scrambling again and the bell saved him from a few more shots.

Masakazu Imanari by 2R JD (19-19 / 20-19 / 19-18)

SFUK verdict: 20-19 Imanari. He's got a pleasing style and presence about him but he seems to give up the advantage through recklessness.

Fight 2 - Katsuhisa Fuji vs Hiroya Takada

Fuji's been in fights that plenty of overseas fans have seen, but he's lost most of them (5-8-1). Being a Japanese heavyweight, he keeps getting new chances. David Paalhui sparked him cold in a memorable Superbrawl 2 bout, Kenichi Yamamoto knee-barred him in a fantastic finish to the UFC-J tournament, Yoshiki Takahashi kayoed him in about 10 seconds, and he inexplicably got choked out by Marcelo Tigre after dominating every minute of the bout. His wins have come against smaller guys. Takada is 1-2, and unlikely to raise his record anytime soon. Takada doesn't look like a pro, being Scott Ferrozzo-esque in physique. But he's from RJW and he's most definately a wrestler, in the strictest sense, singlet and all.

Round one began with alot of circling with Takada feinting a tackle while Fuji measured a jab and fired occassional low kicks. That went on for all 15 minutes of the bout, in fact. When Takada went for his first tackle Fuji greeted him with a knee to the face and followed it up with another to the gut. Takada didn't take it too well and stiffened up into a right hook. He recovered enough to clinch and eventually the ref broke it up. There was a long time out while the doctor checked the wrestler's bloody nose.

Round two was like the first but without the tackle or the action. Takada was nervous and Fuji just plain lazy. By the end of the round Takada was totally tamed and trying to lull Fuji to sleep to get to the bell without getting hit any more. Round three continued the pattern. Takada didn't initiate a single tackle and was pulling his lead leg back from every kick that came near it.

Katsuhisa Fuji by 3R JD (30-30 / 30-29 / 30-27)

SFUK verdict: 30-27 Fuji, though I can't be sure I scored the third round right because I spent most of it at the merchandise stall waiting for the bell. A clear cut win for Fuji in a real stinker.

Fight 3 - Daisuke Ishii vs Dean Lister

Lister is the reigning King of the Cage champ and had his 4-1 record (all wins by submission) and his belt to prove it. His manager had flown over an entourage decked out in Lister t-shirts and reportedly took Dean out for a $500 sushi. After the weigh-in, I'd hope. On the day of the fight Ishii fell ill and the doctor ruled him out. Big disappointment for Dean. Pancrase introduced him in ring centre, maybe just to prove to the fans that he was ready to fight, and raised his arm and declared a win by forfeit. No way was it a win in any shape or form, but I doubt it'll officially go down as such anyway.

Fight 4 - Kazuo Misaki (Grabaka) vs Kosei Kubota (Pancrase-ism)

Kubota has some lucky plums. In the recent Deep show they earned him 4 points and two wins before he had to sit out of the tournament finals. They must have recovered now. Misaki was sporting a soft mohican that will forever be known as 'Beckham Hair' in Japan. Kubota got a single immediately and was put in guard. Misaki wanted to climb his legs up but Kubota held him down hard. It was inactive for a while then Misaki tried an achilles hold but he couldn't overbalance the Pancrase man so he was just holding a leg really. When Kubota did tip over backwards Misaki scrambled to take the back with both hooks in. Kubota was proactive in unhooking him and got to his feet. Even round.

Misaki was comfortable chipping away at stand up and 2 clean kicks prompted Kubota to tackle and give his back. Again he escaped, eating a knee before falling and pulling guard. Sanae Kikuta and Akihiro Gono were giving good advice from the corner which Misaki followed diligently. In contrast, Minowa was silent at the other end. They closed out the round with Misaki glued to Kubota's back and he just missed a football kick when he spun to the front. Kubota was totally outpositioned.

Misaki was starting to bully his opponent on the feet too and just pushed him over to guard then took his back again. Kubota was having a horrible night and a cut over his left eye compounded his misery. Misaki was carded for something I couldn't catch. From the position, it may have been a fish-hook, but I didn't see it.

Kazuo Misaki by 3R JD (29-28 / 29-28 / 29-28)

SFUK verdict: 29-27 Misaki. Kubota was schooled from the middle of the first round onwards. Misaki lacks finishing but is otherwise complete. The official cards made it read closer than it was to watch.

Fight 5 - Mitsuyoshi Sato (Grabaka) vs Osami Shibuya (Pancrase-ism)

Shibuya is the Travis Fulton of Japan. Well, he's had 64 fights anyway (26-26-12). He's always lost to the top guys and his only notable win is a tko of Ian Freeman. I'm sure you've seen the tape and know that 'tko' doesn't really tell the story of Freeman's freakish rib injury. Sato is 4-3-1 and a good solid fighter these days.

Shibuya clinched right away and they hugged in the corner until he tried a trip and Sato pulled him round to land on top. Shibuya tried a triangle then switched to an arm bar as Sato put his trailing arm through. Not sure how, but Shibuya rolled him over and sat in mount to apply the pressure from the top. He didn't have it for long and was soon pulling guard. Its an active guard too but they were on the feet and hugging by the end of the round.

In round two I was thinking only Shibuya was capable of ending it inside the limit. More hugging started it off and Sato gave his back in a botched belly to belly attempt. The Pancrase man couldn't keep it and ended in half mount. He was crouching and thought about a heel hook but Sato went for a quickly blocked knee bar. Shibuya sat into full mount and then flattened out trying to straighten an arm. He punched well and followed with a normal juji arm bar but Sato kept good enough position to gut it out.

Sato got a takedown opening round three and Shibuya pedaloed him before giving up side mount. As Shibuya tried to sit up against the ropes they fell out the ring. On the break Sato seemed gassed and was turning his back. He regrouped but was pulled into guard and then a triangle. Shibuya even turned him over to cinch it from the top. Somehow Sato escaped out the back but got slapped right into another one. This time a transition to an arm bar was very close but the Grabaka fighter turned his arm and rode it out. He tried the knee bar again but it was nuisance-value only.

Osami Shibuya by 3R JD (30-28 / 30-28 / 30-28)

SFUK verdict: The paid judges were in agreement with the free-loader. Sato was never a threat and Shibuya had catch a few times.

Fight 6 - Kei Yamamiya (27-16-5 / Pancrase-ism) vs Eiji Ishikawa (6-7 / Grabaka)

Kei's two biggest wins were over Ikuhisa Minowa and Mitsuyoshi Sato. Eiji has an unremarkable record and was trying to put Grabaka 3-1 up against the dangerous southpaw Yamamiya. Ishikawa looked like he'd been in the wars cos his foot was wrapped up and cold sprayed plus he had a Terry Butcher bandage around his head too. Yamamiya was taped up under his gloves, like a puncher, unlike his opponent.

The Grabaka fighter started a clinch and hugged until Yamamiya pushed him over to guard. Some heel shots to the kidneys from the bottom man were all that happened for a while and the crowd were silent. When Ishikawa started punching up, Yamamiya stood out of it and got back into the upright game he is better suited to. He landed a left-right-left burst but then clinched and hugged. As they walked back to their corners on the bell, I noticed the ref had caulis too. 10-10

Yamamiya flurried then took a front headlock on Ishikawa's dive, which he improved to side mount. He kept up the pressure with a rapist's choke until Ishikawa hip-scooted and bulled to his feet. They soon fell over with Ishikawa pulling guard. Again Yamamiya stood off and let his man up. Now they were really working a hugging game, cleaning the dust off the ropes as they slid from corner to corner. Yamamiya had the strength advantage and finally got another crude takedown, putting a few punches on the end of it. 10-9 Yamamiya.

Ishikawa smothered the puncher's flurry on the bell but got put onto his back in the resulting clinch. It was looking like there's be no stoppages tonight. Yamamiya found himself in full mount but gave it up to half mount and then lost it completely and was put in guard. Again he stood up. Ishikawa was all grappler now and shot a long single. He nearly paid for it when Yamamiya front headlocked him and spun to his back, slapping on a choke. The Grabaka man defended well, dodged the hooks and even reversed to full mount. He didn't milk it and was soon bridged off. 10-10

Kei Yamamiya by 3R JD (30-30 / 30-28 / 30-28)

SFUK verdict: 30-29 Yamamiya. A good active fight at a fast pace. Both fighters were successful at taking the other out of his comfort zone. Pancrase-ism is turning the tide in their feud with Grabaka.

Between fights Minoru Suzuki was in-ring giving a speech about his upcoming shoot against a New Japan pro-wrestler. He was gonna fight Kensuke Sasaki but apparently that's off, and New Japan went to the Pancrase gym the day before to make a new challenge. I didn't catch the opponent's name, but it's big news because all the Japanese press followed him backstage.

Fight 7 - Kengo Watanabe (6-6-2 / Pancrase-ism) vs Ron Waterman (5-1-1)

Kengo is popular because he's by far the biggest Japanese guy in Pancrase. He didn't get a win until 2 years and 7 fights into his career. Since then he's been sparked cold by Tim Lajick and reversed a freakish loss due to broken arm suffered against the Mexican Dos Caras. Still waiting for a win of note. Big Ron was on the comeback after being released by the WWE. Apparently he was a good worker, and he had the look. This would be his biggest win if he could pull it off.

Waterman won the unofficial 'physique of the night' easily. Kengo's feet were heavily taped and somehow Waterman drew boos. That's unusual in Japan. Big Ron rushed his man as soon as Kengo threw a low kick and muscled him to the mat. He worked a can opener from guard. It didn't work, but it let everybody know this was going to be a strength contest. As Waterman started a ground and pound, Kengo tried to kick him off but gave up an inside cradle and then side mount. Waterman tied up an arm and started an americana. His positioning wasn't perfect but he cranked it hard and drew a yelp from Kengo that had the ref jumping in.

Ron Waterman by arm lock about 2min of 1R

SFUK verdict: One way traffic. Ron tackled, smothered and muscled him.

Fight 8 - Yuki Sasaki (12-4-1 / Grabaka) vs Alex Steibling (10-2)

This was the Brazilian Killer's first fight back since his tko loss to Anderson Silva in Pride. Sasaki is a good submission guy, getting 9 of his 12 wins from taps, but has always come up short at top level. His brawl with Kei Yamamiya earlier this year was a classic come from behind win in the last 10 seconds after having been knocked silly 3 times. Steibling came out with his Brazilian Killer shirt and a smiley face bleached into his hair. He was jumpy before the bell.

All through the fight, Steibling was stalking, looking to unload punches, while Sasaki circled and hit him with kicks. Some good exchanges. Sasaki lost his footing against the ropes and Steibling jumped on his back. When the Grabaka guy turned to guard, Steibling stood up and kicked aggressively, mixing in a few stomps. Sasaki took a chance and stood up, taking a few glancing blows on the way. It was clear Steibling had more power but he wasn't making it count. Whenever he opened up for real, Sasaki shot, Alex sprawled and they stayed that way for a while. 10-10

The ring girl was now sporting a one piece blue/white race queen dress. Very nice. In round two, Sasaki tackled to escape a flurry and again got sprawled on. This time he switched his grip to the other leg and did a fireman's carry, flicking Steibling over the top to take the top half of guard. Steibling held his wrists for a while then upped the ante with some punches and pedaloes. Neither man advanced position. Steibling's left eye was closing from a clean g'n'p right hand. Sasaki has a good guard pass game but Steibling was repelling everything tonight, like he did with Wallid. 10-10

By the third round Steibling still couldn't put Sasaki in place long enough to finish a combo, just getting occassional single shots. Sasaki got in a good clean high kick. His tactic was to circle, stop long enough for Steibling to set himself, then beat him to it with a kick. He was soon dropping for a leg after a clean right hand and again he was sprawled on. The Japanese fighter did a neat roll to guard and Steibling opted to go to his feet. In the last 30 Sasaki suckered a triangle but Alex just had his hand in and stayed safe until Sasaki went back to guard. 10-10

Yuki Sasaki by 3R JD (30-29 / 30-29 / 30-29)

SFUK verdict: Draw. This was close and neither man was able to get off. Only one point in it on each card, all leaning the same way, so it was hardly a robbery. Big win for Sasaki but expect an uproar on the American sites.

Main Event - Kiuma Kunioku (25-14-7 / Pancrase-ism) vs Hiroki Nagaoka (4-2-1 / Rodeo Style)

Kunioku is the reigning welterweight King of Pancrase and his long records includes notable wins over Masakatsu Funaki, Yuki Kondo, John Lober, Genki Sudo, Guy Mezger and.... Frank Shamrock. All on points, mind. Nagaoka doesn't have anything on his record and going 1-2-1 in his last fights is not the sort of streak that normally earns a title shot. He must have gammy knees too because he was heavily strapped and had kneepads on both.

Nagaoka dropped Kunioku to his knees straight away with a right hand but it was a flash knockdown and he wouldn't have any more success over the next three rounds. Kunioku hugged to clear his head for a minute and then stepped off. Nagaoka was having some adrenalin issues and looking manic. More hugging ensued then the champ landed a sweet punch, kick then takedown to full mount, giving a few shoulder strikes for desserts. He stood off for a football kick (that's 'soccer kick' to American readers) but missed. He finished the round by edging the stand-up. 10-9 Kunioku on the highly respected SFUK official scorecard.

Round two..... the challenger caught a kick and rushed the champ to his back. Tight guard-play followed and after a while Kunioku seemed to turn towards a kimura but it was all very indecisive so the ref broke it up. In the last 2, Nagaoka pulled guard after missing a shoot. Scrappy. Kunioku connected on a short football kick right on the bell. 10-10

Kunioku was landing much cleaner work in round three so Nagaoka hugged him. The champ nailed him with two knees to the teeth, a high kick and a pair of right hands. Clean but nothing behind them. On the clinch Kunioku tripped him to a half mount. Nagaoka was tiring badly, the champ had his measure, so he spent the whole round on the verge of being overwhelmed but gamely hung in. One spot showed the difference in class - When Nagaoka trapped the champ in a corner and unloaded, Kunioku bobbed and weaved away from the entire flurry and took Nagaoka down once he was done punching. Kunioku really punished him with forearms from side mount and you could see the fighting spirit leave Nagaoka's body and fly up to heaven. He surrendered a lazy rear naked choke in the last 20 and tapped out straight away.

Kiuma Kunioku by submission 3R 4:36

SFUK verdict: The champion really pulled away down the stretch and never looked back, slowly grinding down his opponent. Good fight.