K1
Beast
K-1 Beast 2003
in Yamagata
Sunday 6th
April 2003
Report by
Nikuraba
K-1 Beast
??? So it's like that is it? The Bob Sapp train just keeps on rolling. He
isn't even scheduled to fight on this show, but if you check the Japan TV ratings
for the last K-1 show, you'll soon understand when I say he's the biggest draw
in combat sports outside of pro boxing. The show he headlined last week drew a
17% audience share that zoomed up to 24% for his match. In a country twice the
size of England, that's alot of tv sets turned on at Sapp Time. He was doing the
TV promo as the show kicked off, something about Bob Sapp's fighter vs Japan's
fighters. Ridiculous, but if it sells tickets then so be it. Then all the way
through the show he's do pre-fight vignettes and a promo in the ring building
'his' fighters. Fights listed according to the TV presentation.
Fight
One - Mike Bernardo vs Tsuyoshi Nakasako
Bernardo
(49-13-1, 39 early) is representing Team Sapp, and had the big guy (wearing a
black pirate patch over his damaged right eye) promoing him in the gym. He reckons
Nakasako (11-9-1, 5 early) is dreaming if he thinks he can bang with a heavyweight
like the South African. Sapp took the mike during the intros and cut another promo.
A big staredown during the instructions. Tentative jabs to start, and Bernardo
tries to set up the straight right. Very little movement from both fighters, as
if both are waiting for the other to lead. No kicks either. Nakasako must be happy
that the heavy hitter is giving him the respect. For most of the round there's
a small cut-screen in the corner showing the sunglassed and tuxedoed Sapp watching
intently. At 2:31, Nakasako jabs in carelessly and Bernardo drills him with a
good right hand that has him staggering back and then collapsing in slow motion.
He's up at eight then Bernardo tees off. It looks like clumsy finishing but some
shots are getting in and the stuff that misses normaly moves him when the forearm
or bicep follow through. He's dropped again right on the bell but up no problem.
10-7 Bernardo.
Nakasako
remembers his kicks and tries a high and middle. So Bernardo keeps his hands up
and drops him again. It's getting ridiculous and though Bernardo still stands
off him, Nakasako just can't slip those shots and then a clean left hook puts
him down for good and the ref waves off the slaughter.
Mike
Bernardo by KO 2RD 1:02
SFUK
verdict: Seeing as Bernardo is a puncher, a heavyweight, and his main weakness
is dealing with kicks.... it was never a smart match for the small, moderately
powerful Nakasako to take. Bernardo just took his time and blew him away when
the time was right. A very easy fight for the Springbok.
Fight
Two - Chad Bannon vs Tatsufumi Tomihira
Bannon
has an mma win in King of the Cage 18, a quick 20 second mugging of someone you'd
have never heard of. I haven't a clue about his kickboxing credentials. He looks
like a muscle-head but he's really into the whole pro-wrestling heel gimmick,
playing tough with Sapp in the gym. He's also been in Gladiators. A strong, angry
guy. Tomihira is known as 'Mr Yellow Card' and has an attitude too.
Bannon
comes out with a flying knee that sorta lands and follows up with a wildman attack
that pushes Tomihira up onto the ropes till the ref breaks it up and they do a
staredown. Bannon has no skill whatsoever. His punches are real stiff, slapping
things and his whole physique, when in motion, looks stiff as a board. He's definately
been pumping weights rather than doing press-ups. Tomihira is a bit unsettled
by his sheer strength but starts getting the low kicks going and Bannon is totally
unequipped to deal with them and gassing badly. By the end of round one Bannon
is done. He's stumbling around like a drunken sailor and leaning forwards with
his hands down to block the kicks. You could never confuse him for a kickboxer
and it seems he's got the fight entirely on his look and mike skills. 10-9 Tomihira
Somehow
Bannon got through the second round and the TV resumed the show in the third.
The Team Sapp guy is just staggering around hoping it'll finish, offering the
occasional swing in case he gets lucky. Tomihira is doing him with the kicks again
and even lands a flying knee. Bannon nearly goes down under 3 leg kicks but Tomihira
is tired too, and not exactly the cream of Japan's light-heavies, so it ends in
a hug. Both guys are fighting like they're underwater. 10-9 Tomihira
Tatsufumi
Tomihira by decision after three rounds (30-29 / 30-28 / 30-29)
SFUK
verdict: Skill versus meaness, but there was alot of meaness and spirit in Bannon
but not much skill in Tomihira, hence the American lasted until the bell. A clear
decision from the two rounds I saw. Bannon would make a good pro wrestler, but
hasn't showed anything in a real fight ring except raw power and aggression.
Fight
Three - Cyril Abidi vs Shingo Koyasu
Koyasu
(2-1-1, 2 kayos) is another one of these tough but unskilled karate guys. He was
well outsized in height and reach, and had the obligatory karate paunch. Abidi
(16-3, 13 kayos) shows no respect and comes right after Koyasu, knowing that its
a physical mismatch. He's throwing good loose punches and varying his output.
Koyasu is moving around alot to keep away, but it means he's never close enough
to land what he's throwing. It looks like a heavy versus a light-heavy. When Koyasu
comes close with a high kick, you can see Abidi gets angry at the sheer audacity
that the Japanese guy thinks he can win, and drops him with a right hand followed
by a shove. Its not a heavy knockdown and Koyasu beats the count easily. He's
game and tries to stay busy. 10-8 Abidi.
This
one skipped to round three and Koyasu was still in there and firing back. Abidi
dropped him again within thirty seconds and he only just beat the count. He was
really coming apart and somehow, on the verge of going out of there, he found
his own equalizer and dropped a carelessly aggressive Abidi on his way in. Abidi
sunk to the mat like it was a heavy knockdown, but soon climbed to his feet like
he was fine again. He showed more respect from then and let Koyasu just tire himself
out with the occasional stupid spinning kick. 9-9
Koyasu
was looking rough in round four, really coming apart at the seams and gets dropped
by the sort of thing that he'd have shrugged off two rounds earlier. He's got
the proverbial 'Kyokushin heart' but unfortunately also the kyokushin skills.
Abidi isn't so happy when he has to chase, and while he seems physically fine,
he's inactive and lazy now. Nonetheless he drops Koyashi twice in quick succession
with high kicks. That should be the end on the three knockdown rule but the referee
looks at Koyasu for a while and then inexplicably calls the third one a slip.
10-7 Abidi.
Koyasu is looking
bad in his corner and getting alot of attention. He's dropped again by a no-big-deal
kick to the back but again the ref changes his mind, stops the count, and calls
it a slip. It wasn't. It's really hurting Abidi to be in with such a little, unskilled
guy, to drop him constantly and yet somehow not find the finish. It's really dull
now and Abidi is just coasting and fighting in bursts. 10-9 Abidi.
Cyril
Abidi by decision after five rounds (50-42 / 50-43 / 50-43)
SFUK
verdict: One of those disgraceful mismatches that is prone to happen in K-1. It
was probably booked as an easy kayo for Abidi, but he failed to carry out his
part of the deal. And Koyasu has heart and survival instincts. Totally lop-sided.
Fight
Four - Tom Erikson vs Hiromi Amada
The
100kg 11-7-1 (8 kayos) Amada is called 'Mister One Round'. I've seen him before
and 'Mister Dull Decision' is more applicable. He'd be about 94kg in good shape,
so he's an awful lot smaller than the 138kg, 0-1 Erikson. It's tempting to say
this is a set-up, putting a pure wrestler like Erikson into the ring with a K-1
fighter. But Amada isn't really a kickboxer, he's more like a karate guy. Erikson
really can punch. Not in a skillful way, but he's got the Bob Sapp skill of making
the guy feel the weight behind the bear swings. He dropped Mike Bernardo twice
with his really heavy hands. He's a respectful guy too so he looked a little ill
at ease doing the smack-talking with Sapp in the gym promo. But if you're gonna
try to build another 'Beast', Erikson could be the guy cos he's big, strong and
has genuine wrestling skills. It's just that Pride is the more natural home for
him.
Erikson is out aggressively
with a clumsy attack that is part lead-right and part hit and hold. He wants to
clinch and knee, using his big strength advantage. When Amada fires back he lands
cos Erikson is wide open and has neither a guard or head movement. He doesn't
even react when the shots are coming at him. With two minutes gone its getting
interesting. Erikson is slowing down badly and his swings are getting wider and
slower. Amada is starting to impose his better skills, but he's feeling the strain
of having a 138kg wrestler leaning on him in all those clinches. Both guys are
knackered after 3 minutes. Now what are the chances of that happening in a pro
boxing ring? 10-9 Erikson.
There's
no snap on Erikson's punches but they still have a thudding quality about them,
like having the end of a tree trunk prodded in your face. He tosses Amada to the
mat with a one arm behind-the-collar wrestling grip. Halfway through Amada drops
him with a borderline shot and tired though he is, Erikson isn't really hurt and
gets up. He goes back to his mma instincts of hit and hold. Amada, realising he
can't compete in a clinch contest with a strong wrestler, has figured a way to
counter that by ducking forward and windmilling to the body. 10-10
Erikson
is going more and more back to his mma, and clinching and shoving alot. He's also
a static target for Amada's tired punches. The referee is doing an awful job,
but allowing all this mauling. Its like the ring has been moved underwater, such
is the pace. They are tired guys. 10-10
There's
a bit of a tear-up to open round four as Amada comes out energised and finds Erikson's
head with alot of shots. The Big Cat fires back but he's a done deal now and he's
dropped through fatigue as much as anything. They mix it up again and it's the
best sequence of the match, up against the ropes with both guys throwing with
no regard for defence. Think Frye vs Takayama, but on super-slo-motion replay.
Erikson is the first to drop and this time doesn't beat the count.
Hiromi
Amada by KO 4RD 1:14
SFUK
verdict: I honestly don't know what is happening to Erikson's career. He's still
a natural Pride fighter, and in the Team Beast era they could very legitimately
build him as, I don't know, Sapp's mini-me or something. Yet they put him in K-1
when he has absolutely no boxing skill whatsoever. Crazy handling of a valuable
property. Amada just outlasted a guy whose conditioning is not oriented to giving
and taking punches.
Fight
Five - Gary Goodridge vs Musashi
The
build-up was all about groin cups. Musashi's (19-16-2-1, 9 kayos) had been kneed
in half during a match, which looked painful. So Goodridge (4-2-1, 2 kayos) was
twisting and tearing one in the gym for his promo. Goodridge wasn't at the front
of the queue when skill was handed out, but he must've camped out the night before
when they were giving out raw power. His big K-1 upset was a one minute kayo of
Mike Bernardo, that was swiftly revenged. Musashi is a real slow starter and very
laid-back, so this fight is one that Goodridge could look real good in if he gets
a fast start.
Goodridge
comes out like a boxer and they are standing off from each other and not throwing
much. When Goodridge does walk Musashi to the ropes he lets go a mid kick of all
things. The Japanese hope is letting himself get backed up alot just from walking
and Goodridge finally lets his hands go. Musashi covers up well with his palms
open and gloves glued to the side of his head. Nothing gets through and though
the sheer weight behind the punches move him, Musashi lands a single counter left
hand flush that backs Gary right up. 10-10
Musashi
is starting to impose his skills in round two until an accidental low blow breaks
it up. Goodridge is coming on to him so Musashi is mostly trying to counter him
on the way in and doing a few high kicks in case the hands drop. Big Daddy isn't
landing a thing in this round and can't really get off. Whenever it looks like
his feet are set and he's gonna throw, Musashi beats him to it. 10-9 Musashi.
Nothing
exciting must've gone on the next two rounds because the highlights skipped straight
to the last stanza. It was much the same as before and both fighters were in good
condition and still in control of their techniques. Goodridge must've been working
on his boxing because when he's having it his own way he looks good, especially
with the right hand. He wobbles Musashi a minute in and when the Japanese guy
stands still and covers up, the Canadian unloads. There's plenty behind the punches
but the accuracy is off and a whole salvo of go-home punches scrape along Musashi's
arms rather than find his chin. 10-9 Goodridge.
Draw
after five rounds (49-49 / 49-48 Musashi / 49-49)
SFUK
verdict: Couldn't comment on the score, having not seen two rounds, but what I
did see was pretty even. Goodridge threw more and they looked good but it was
mostly for show, cos Musashi was comfortable behind his hands and landed some
sharp flush counters. I'm surprised that Goodridge is looking more like a boxer
and is able to last five fairly active rounds. I'm not surprised Musashi can't
finish a non-kickboxer again.
Maurice
Smith vs TSUYOSHI
Mo
is still fighting and gradually making sure that we remember him as a slow,
lazy journeyman rather than the guy who went unbeaten in kickboxing for 10 years
and beat the piss out of Mark Coleman. But I guess he hasn't fought mma since
2000 so he's getting restless watching his students have all the fun. While this
fight was of genuine interest, it simply wasn't shown on TV.
Maurice
Smith by majority decision (2-0) after three rounds.
The
following matches were also not shown.
Masahide
Aoyagi vs Hiroshi (Freshman Fight) draw after three rounds
Ryo
Takigawa vs Manabu Ito (Opening Fight 1) Manabu Ito by 3-0 decision after
three rounds
Kazushi
Nishida vs Hiraku Hori (Opening Fight 2) Hiraku Hori by kayo 2RD 1:11
Kerry
Karena vs Yusuke Fujimoto Yusuke Fujimoto by kayo 3RD 1:13
