411's World Victory Road Sengoku Eighth Battle Report 5.02.09
Posted by Jeremy Lambert on 05.02.2009
The Featherweight Grand Prix continued as underdog Omigawa knocked off Nam Phan and favorite Hatsu Hioki turned in another impressive performance against Ronnie Mann. Plus Marlon Sandro made short work of Nick Denis and Kanehara took a close decision over Chan Sung Jung to advance. Click for the full report.
World Victory Road: Sengoku 8
From Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan
Live on HDNet
-Ron Kruck and Bas Rutten are the hosts. They run down the Featherweight Grand Prix bracket and show highlights from the first round of action. They move on to preview the non-tournament bouts.
-Fighter introduction.
Lightweight Fight: Akihiko Mouri vs. Maximo Blanco
Round One: Blanco clinches right away and throws knees to the body before getting a trip takedown into side control. Mouri gets him to guard and goes for an armbar. Blanco rolls out and transitions to the back of Mouri. Blanco bleeding from the nose. Blanco gets one hook in and punches the face of Mouri. Nothing happens to the ref stands them up. Blanco drops him with a left hook and then stomps him before getting side control. Mouri rolls for a knee but Blanco pulls out. Back on the feet. Blanco countering Mouri. Blanco drops Mouri with a right hook and then soccer kicks him. Soccer kicks are illegal in Sengoku. The ref stops the action. The doctor comes in to check on Mouri but he looks out of it. The ref stops the fight.
Official Decision: Akihiko Mouri by DQ
-Mouri grabs the mic as they take him out on a stretcher. He says he wanted to win for his friend who got married the other day.
Light Heavyweight Fight: Travis Wiuff vs. Stanislav Nedkov
Round One: Wiuff comes in with a couple of punches and clinches. Nedkov catches him with a low knee and the ref halts the action. Wiuff takes a minute to rest and is ready to go again. Nedkov catches him with a left and then clinches. Nothing happens and the ref separates them. Another clinch and Nedkov with another low knee that drops Wiuff. The ref stops the action and the doctor comes in to check on Wiuff. Wiuff takes a long time to recover but decides to continue. Nedkov is given a red card. The action begins again and Nedkov immediately clinches. The ref breaks them. Nedkov comes in with wild punches and clinches again. Wiuff controls every clinch with the double unders. Another low knee by Nedkov. Nedkov is given another red card. The action starts up again and another clinch that goes nowhere and is stopped by the ref. Wiuff gets the plum clinch but gets dropped by a hook as he goes to throw a knee. Wiuff gets him in guard and holds him there until the round ends.
Round Two: They clinch right away. Wiuff gets a big takedown. Nedkov has him in full guard. Rabbit punches by Wiuff that do little to no damage. Wiuff passes to half guard but Nedkov continues to control his posture. The ref stands them up. Nedkov connects with a good right but then clinches. The ref breaks them. Wiuff scores with an uppercut and then sprawls out of a takedown. Wiuff goes for a guillotine. Nedkov pulls out and gets guard. Nedkov controls the posture of Wiuff as the round ends.
Round Three: A right hand stumbles Wiuff. Nedkov pounces on him and tries to pound him out but Wiuff survives. Wiuff puts himself outside the ropes as Nedkov continues to pound on him. The ref stops the fight.
Official Decision: Stanislav Nedkov, TKO, Round 3
-Nedkov gets on the mic and thanks a bunch of people.
Welterweight Fight: Michael Costa vs. Makoto Takimoto
Round One: Costa goes for a flying knee but doesn't connect. He tries to follow with a guillotine but gets taken down. Takimoto gets to half guard. Takimoto gets to side control. Takimoto tries to get an armbar but Costa locks his hands up. Costa rolls out of the armbar and goes for a heel hook. Takimoto goes for a heel hook of his own and gets it. Costa taps out.
Official Decision: Makoto Takimoto, Submission (Heel Hook), Round 1
-Takimoto gets on the mic and says he was going to retire and didn't think he could win this fight.
-Costa presents Takimoto with the Bible. What an awesome gimmick. Win or lose, always give your opponent the Bible after the fight.
Featherweight Grand Prix Fight (2nd Round): Marlon Sandro vs. Nick Denis
Round One: Sandro drops him with an uppercut and then pounds him out until the ref jumps in.
Official Decision: Marlon Sandro, KO, Round 1
-Sandro says he came here to become the champion.
Featherweight Grand Prix Fight (2nd Round): Masanoru Kanehara vs. Chan Sung Jung
Round One: Both fighters throwing a lot of leg kicks. Kanehara ducks under and gets the takedown. Jung has him in guard. Jung controls one arm but eats a lot of punches by the free arm of Kanehara. Kanehara passes to half guard. Jung does a good job controlling Kanehara and taking limit damage. The ref stands them up. Knee to the body by Jung as Kanehara shoots in. Kanehara grabs a double leg and gets the takedown. Jung scrambles to his feet and gets taken down but they fall between the ropes. Back on the feet now. Left hook by Kanehara as the round ends.
Round Two: Kanehara shoots and catches a knee to the body as he comes in. They fall between the ropes again. Back on the feet. Big exchange that Kanehara gets the better of. Takedown by Kanehara. Jung keeps going for the triangle but can't secure it. Good punches from the bottom by Jung seem to stun Kanehara. Jung goes for an armbar but Kanehara escapes and gets back in the guard of Jung. Good kicks by Jung from the bottom. Jung scrambles into a sprawl. Kanehara goes for a heel hook but the round ends.
Round Three: Jung slips going for a high kick and Kanehara falls into guard. Kanehara passes to half guard and then to side control. Jung quickly gets him back in guard. Jung scrambles back to his feet but Kanehara tries for the takedown again. He gets the takedown into half guard. Kicks from the bottom by Jung. He gets to his feet and catches Kanehara with a knee as comes in. They get tangled in the ropes so the ref puts them back on the feet. Left hook followed by another knee as Kanehara ducks under. Kanehara pulls half guard. Jung stands above Kanehara and lands some punches. Kanehara goes for a heel hook as the round ends.
-Really close fight. I'd give it slightly to Jung.
Official Decision: Masanoru Kanehara, Unanimous Decision
Light Heavyweight Fight: Alexandre "Xande" Ribeiro vs. Keiichiro Yamamiya
Round One: Ribeiro grabs a single but Yamamiya stays on his feet. Ribeiro works hard for the takedown but can't get it. The ref breaks them. Ribeiro comes in with wild punches that he uses to set up the takedown. He gets it and is in half guard. Ribeiro slips right to mount. Ribeiro postures up and comes down with punches. Yamamiya gives up his back and rolls to his side. Ribeiro tries to get an armbar. It looks like he got it but Yamamiya holds on and survives to the end of the round.
Round Two: Yamamiya scores with a left hook and then sprawls out of the takedown. Ribeiro grabs a body lock as Yamamiya stands. The ref breaks them. They clinch and Yamamiya throws a knee but Ribeiro blocks is and grabs a single. Yamamiya stays on his feet. The ref breaks them. 1-2 combo by Yamamiya. Yamamiya clinches and eats a knee before breaking. Body shot by Yamamiya. Yamamiya goes for a flying knee but Ribeiro catches him and takes him down into side control. He moves to mount as the round ends.
Round Three: Wild exchange to start and Ribeiro gets the better of it. Yamamiya answers back though. Big right by Ribeiro drops Yamamiya. He lands a couple shots on the ground before the ref stops it.
Official Decision: Alexandre Ribeiro, TKO, Round 3
-Ribeiro says it's good to fight in Japan and that he'll be back.
-Intermission
Lightweight Fight: Leonardo Santos vs. Kazunori Yokota
Round One: Santos ducks under and gets the takedown. He easily moves to mount. Yokota gives up his back and then rolls to the side. Yokota turns into the guard of Santos. Santos control the posture of Yokota and takes limited damage. Yokota finally postures up and delivers good ground and pound as the round ends.
Round Two: Santos goes for a flying knee but Yokota catches him and gets the takedown into guard. Santos controls the posture of Yokota. Yokota stays busy though in order to not get stood up. Santos scrambles and ends up taking the back of Yokota. Yokota turns and gives up mount. Santos postures up and comes down with punches. Yokota gives up his back and then turns into the guard of Santos. The round ends.
Round Three: They clinch with Santos getting a body lock. Yokota stays on his feet and they come to a stalemate. The ref breaks them. Body shot by Santos. Leg kicks by Yokota. Yokota shoots but Santos avoids him and gets a takedown of his own. Santos in half guard. Santos moves to mount. Yokota gives up his back and then turns into the guard of Santos. Yokota stands and lands a stomp as the round ends.
-Another close fight. I'll give it to Yokota.
Official Decision: Kazunori Yokota, Split Decision
-Yokota says he will have a better fight next time.
Featherweight Grand Prix Fight (2nd Round): Michihiro Omigawa vs. Nam Phan
Round One: The fight hits the ground and Omigawa goes for a heel hook. Phan pulls out but Omigawa tries for a guillotine. Phan rolls and eats some knees as Omigawa still has a hold of the head. They stand with Omigawa still holding on to the head. Phan pulls guard and finally escapes the hold. Phan goes for a heel hook but Omigawa pulls out. Back on the feet. Body shots by Phan. Omigawa scoring with the right jab. Omigawa gets a body lock and an easy takedown into half guard. Omigawa stands and goes for a stomp but misses. Phan gets to his feet. Omigawa with a flurry on Phan. Phan clinches and Omigawa takes him down. Big knee by Omigawa followed by heavy ground and pound. The ref finally steps in and stops it.
Official Decision: Michihiro Omigawa, TKO, Round 1
-Omigawa says if he wins the most, he gets paid the most.
Featherweight Grand Prix Fight (2nd Round): Hatsu Hioki vs. Ronnie Mann
Round One: Hioki goes for a takedown but Mann turns it into a clinch. Hioki gets the trip takedown. Hioki has half guard and goes for an anaconda choke as Mann lifts up. Hioki gets mount and transitions into a triangle choke. Hioki rolls to his back and has it locked. Hioki with hammer fists as he has the triangle on. The ref stops it as Mann taps out.
Official Decision: Hatsu Hioki, Submission (Triangle Choke/Strikes), Round 1
-Hioki says he's going to win the tournament.
-Bas and Ron wrap things up by looking back on the night.
