411's DREAM.11 Report 10.06.09

Posted by Jeremy Lambert on 10.06.2009

Bibiano Fernandes captured the DREAM Featherweight Title by quickly submitting Joe Warren in the semi-finals and then winning an exciting split decision over Hiroyuki Takaya in the finals. Elsewhere, Shinya Aoki defeated Joachim Hansen by submission late in the 2nd round to win the DREAM Lightweight title, Minowa defeated Hong Man Choi by submission to advance to the Super Hulk Finals against Sokoudjou, who stopped Bob Sapp in the first round. Click for the full report.

DREAM 11
From Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan
Live on HDNet

-Mike Schiavello & Guy Mezger are the hosts. Schiavello says that DREAM 11 is the most talked about MMA card of the year and then runs down the card.

-Opening DREAM 11 video.

-Opening ceremony and fighter introductions.

Featherweight Grand Prix Reserve Fight: Kazuyuki Miyata (7-7) vs. Daiki "DJ.taiki" Hatais (11-5-3)

Round One: High kick blocked by DJ. Miyata clinches, ducks under to the back, and drags DJ to the ground. Miyata has the back on the ground with one hook in. Miyata gets the twister position, which is where both guys are on their back but Miyata has his legs wrapped around the far leg of DJ. The ref stands them up and gives DJ a yellow card. Back on the feet. DJ stuffs a takedown. Uppercut by DJ and then he scores with a counter left. Good right hand by Miyata after eating a jab. DJ connects with a right hook but Miyata ducks under and gets the takedown. Miyata is in half guard. Right uppercuts by Miyata as DJ is controlling the left hand but leaving the right free. Knees to the body by Miyata. DJ still controlling the left arm, possibly looking for a kimura sweep. Miyata tries to pass to mount but DJ rolls and gives up his back. DJ quickly rolls out of that but is in side control. Elbows and knees to the body by Miyata. DJ trying to throw knees to the head from the bottom but they're mainly catching the arm. Miyata passes to mount. Miyata working for an arm triangle but instead decides to posture up and rain down punches. DJ gives up his back. Miyata has a body triangle. Big left hands by Miyata. DJ survives the round though as the first round ends.

Round Two: DJ coming out more aggressive with leg kicks. He shrugs off a takedown. More leg kicks but Miyata gets the takedown. Miyata in guard. Both men staying busy with punches. DJ gets up to his feet and pushes forward with punches but Miyata grabs a single and gets another takedown. DJ quickly back up but Miyata has a hold of him again and gets another takedown. Miyata in guard but DJ staying more busy from the bottom. DJ pushes away and gets back to his feet. Miyata shoots and DJ catches him in a guillotine. It looks tight but Miyata gives a thumbs up. Miyata hangs on and ends up pulling out. Miyata in guard. DJ tries to get up but Miyata still has a hold of him. DJ is up but Miyata has his back on the feet. Miyata drags him down and DJ rolls into guard. DJ continues to stay active on the bottom with punches.

-DJ was far more active in the second round but the first round was clearly in favor of Miyata. Miyata should win the decision.

Official Decision: Kazuyuki Miyata by Unanimous Decision

Featherweight Grand Prix (Semi-Final): Hiroyuki Takaya (11-6-1) vs. Hideo Tokoro (22-16-1)

Round One: Both men trying to get the range and distance early. Takaya is pressing forward with the jab but not connecting with it. Tokoro staying patient and constantly moving. Tokoro slips going for a kick but he's back up. Right hand by Tokoro. Left hook by Takaya. Tokoro shoots but Takaya easily sprawls. Takaya standing over Tokoro and leg kicking him. Tokoro back up. Takaya just misses with the right. Tokoro going to the body with the right. Leg kicks by Takaya. Good straight right by Takaya. Tokoro just misses with a knee. Both just missing with their punches. Counter right straight by Takaya. Tokoro shoots after eating a punch but Takaya sprawls. Takaya standing over Tokoro and goes back to the leg kicks. Tokoro quickly grabs the leg of Takaya on the kick and has a single. They clinch and Takaya connects with a knee. They square up. Big right hand by Takaya seems to daze Tokoro. Tokoro clinches and pulls guard. Takaya gets out and back to his feet. Tokoro back up. Jumping knee by Tokoro and then he connects with a right that stumbles Takaya. Tokoro with another right and then a left that drops Takaya to a knee. Takaya clinches and Tokoro pulls guard. Big right hand by Takaya. Takaya continues with the ground and pound as the round is about to end. The bell rings right when the ref jumps in to stop it.

After some confusion from Schiavello, who thought the fight was stopped, the decision is that THIS FIGHT MUST CONTINUE.

Round Two: Right hand by Takaya. Another right hand drops Tokoro. Takaya pounds him out and the ref stops it.

Official Decision: Hiroyuki Takaya by TKO

Featherweight Grand Prix (Semi-Final): Bibiano Fernandes (5-2) vs. Joe Warren (2-0)

Round One: A quick clinch by Fernandes. They trade knees. Warren gets the takedown but Fernandes back up. Warren shoots and wrestles Fernendes to his back. Warren postures up ready to throw down but Fernandes catches him in an armbar. Fernandes straights out the arm. The ref stops the fight.

-It doesn't look like Warren tapped out but the ref stopped it for Warren's safety.

-After the fight Warren was upset so Fernandes flipped him off and then quickly left to the back.

Super Hulk Tournament (Semi-Final): Ikuhisa Minowa (42-30-8) vs. Hong Man Choi (2-2)

Round One: THE MINOWA ROLL! Another roll that does nothing. Minowa shoots for a single but Choi sprawls. Minowa grabs the leg and GETS CHOI DOWN! Choi easily presses him off and they're back up. The fight hits the ground and Choi pounds on Minowa a bit before standing back up. Another takedown attempt by Minowa. Choi sprawls and lands some more punches before standing. Another shoot, sprawl, punches, stand, exchange. Right hand by Minowa. Minowa gets a single and gets Choi on his back. Minowa has side control. Knees to the body by Minowa. More knees to the body by Minowa. The ref stands them up and gives Choi a yellow card. Back on the feet. Minowa shoots, Choi sprawls, Minowa goes to his back, and Choi pounds on him before deciding to stand. Knee by Choi. Minowa shoots and another Choi sprawl. They quickly trade punches from their knees before standing. Left hand by Choi. Minowa shoots, Choi sprawls, more punches from the knees. Minowa goes to his back and Choi lands on top of him. Hammerfists by Choi. Back on the feet. Another knee by Choi as Minowa ducks down. Sprawl by Choi. The round ends.

Round Two: Minowa winging the right hand. Sprawl by Choi and they're in the four point position. Minowa sweeps and gets the back of Choi. Choi moves to guard. Minowa grabs the heel hook. CHOI TAPS!

Official Decision: Ikuhisa Minowa by Submission (Heel Hook)

Super Hulk Tournament (Semi-Final): Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (6-4) vs. Bob Sapp (10-5-1)

Round One: Sapp pressing forward and gets a clinch. Sapp swings wild and grunts on the break. Soko gets the takedown and has side control. Soko postures up from side control and rains down punches. More punches by Soko. The ref has no choice but to stop it.

Official Decision: Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou by TKO

Lightweight Fight: Tatsuya Kawajiri (24-5-2) vs. Melchor Manibusan (2-3)

Round One: Manibusan pressing forward and connects with the right hand. They clinch in the corner. Double unders by Kawajiri. Kawajiri gets the fight to the ground and has half guard. Kawajiri staying active with punches but not doing too much damage. Kawajiri moves to mount. Manibusan not allowing Kawajiri to posture up. Kawajiri is able to posture and rain down punches. Manibusan covering but not doing anything. More punches by Kawajiri. The ref finally stops it.

Official Decision: Tatsuya Kawajiri by TKO

-Kawajiri gets on the mic and says he wants to face the Lightweight champion on New Years Eve.

Intermission

-During intermission Guy Mezger explains that the ref in the Warren/Fernandes fight told him that he saw Warren tap with his fingers and that's why he stopped the fight.

Middleweight Fight: Kazushi Sakuraba (24-12-1) vs. Rubin Williams (0-0)

Round One: Inside leg kicks by Sakuraba. Sakuraba shoots, gets a single, and gets the takedown. Sakuraba in side control. Williams turning into Sakuraba but eating punches. Sakuraba steps over the head of Williams and locks in the kimura. Williams taps out.

Official Decision: Kazushi Sakuraba by Submission (Kimura)

-Sakuraba grabs the mic and says he wants to keep fighting.

DREAM Lightweight Title Fight: Shinya Aoki (21-4) vs. Joachim Hansen (19-7-1) (c)

Round One: Aoki ducks under a right hand and grabs a single. Aoki switches to a body lock and gets Hansen to the ground. Aoki has side control. Aoki tries to mount but Hansen blocks it and gets him to half guard. Hansen gets butterfly guard. Aoki stands but drops back into guard. Hansen controls the arms of Aoki and throws his legs up. Aoki picks up Hansen and tries to slam him but Hansen tries to stand. They end up clinching and Aoki gets the fight back to the ground. Aoki in half guard. Hansen turns into Aoki. Aoki stands and Hansen catches him with an upkick. Aoki drops to his knees, Hansen kicks him again, and the action is halted. The doctor checks on Aoki, who is squinting.

-On the replay it looks like Hansen kicked Aoki in the groin first, then landed the upkick. The upkick was clearly legal but it only happened because of the groin kick. Aoki has five minutes to recover.

They restart back on the ground. Hansen tries to sweep to his feet but Aoki stays in guard. Hansen very active on the bottom with punches and heel strikes. Aoki stands but quickly drops back to guard. Hansen looking for submissions. Hansen closes to locking up an armbar but Aoki locks his hands. Hansen rolls and is now on top of Aoki. They continue to roll and Aoki looks for a leg lock but Hansen survives. They get to the feet but Hansen has the back. Aoki turns into him and has a double. Aoki gets the takedown. More heel strikes by Hansen. Aoki eats an upkick as he stands. Aoki moves to half guard. Hansen continues to be more active off his back. Hansen pushes him away but Aoki right back on him. The round ends.

Round Two: They quickly clinch. Aoki gets the trip takedown and is in reverse half guard. Hansen gets him to full guard. Punches from the bottom by Hansen. Aoki passes to half guard. The ref stands the fight back up. They both get a yellow card. Aoki clinches right away and eats a knee but gets the double leg takedown. Aoki gets side control. Aoki quickly mounts. Aoki stays tight to Hansen. Aoki looking for a guillotine choke from the mount. Hansen slips out and Aoki rolls for an armbar. Hansen has it blocked. Hansen rolls and goes to knee Aoki in the head but Aoki blocks it and finishes the armbar. Hansen taps out.

Official Decision: NEW DREAM Lightweight Champion - Shinya Aoki by Submission (Armbar)

-Aoki gets on the mic and apologizes for having a boring fight.

DREAM Featherweight Grand Prix Final (Main Event): Bibiano Fernandes (6-2) vs Hiroyuki Takaya (12-6-1)

Round One: Takaya pressing forward. Fernandes gets the takedown but Takaya is right back up. Takaya gets the takedown. Fernandes goes for an armbar but Takaya pulls out. Fernandes rolls for a heel hook. Takaya spins out and to his feet. Good right hand by Takaya. Fernandes gets the takedown. Takaya back to his feet but Fernandes has his back on the feet. Fernandes jumps on the back. Takaya walks to the corner. Fernandes has both hooks in on the back on Takaya. The ref breaks them. Back on the feet. Fernandes pressing forward but Takaya covering up. Leg kicks by Fernandes. They trade winging rights. Leg kick countered by a right by Takaya. Takaya just misses with the uppercut. Right hand by Takaya. Takaya shrugs off a takedown. Takaya timing the leg kick and countering. Big right hand by Fernandes. Body kick by Fernandes. They trade leg kicks. Right hand by Fernandes and then he clinches. Dirty boxing by Takaya. They break. Fernandes eats a left as he misses an overhand right. Fernandes gets the takedown but they're in the ropes. Takaya gets to his feet. They break. Right hand by Fernandes. Left hook followed by a right by Takaya. Fernandes goes for a takedown by Takaya shrugs him away. Another stuffed takedown by Takaya. Fernandes is cut over the eye. Inside leg kicks by Takaya. Fernandes almost leans into a head kick but he got his arms up. Stinging jab by Takaya. The round ends.

Round Two: Right hand drops Takaya. He's up quickly but Fernandes pounces on him. Fernandes gets the takedown and has his back. Takaya stands but Fernandes is still on his back with both hooks in. Takaya has him in the corner. The ref breaks them. Good right hand by Takaya followed by another one. Fernandes answers with a right of his own. Body shots by Fernandes. Takaya shrugs away a takedown. Big swings by both men. Another overhand right by Fernandes. Good left by Fernandes. Takaya bleeding from the lip. Leg kick by Takaya. Leg kick countered by the left by Fernandes. Left followed by a right by Takaya. Takaya shrugs off a takedown. Right hand by Fernandes. Takaya lands a right. Another left-right combo by Takaya. Knee to the body by Takaya. Left hand by Takaya. Uppercut by Takaya. Takaya letting his hands go as the round ends.

-Really good and close fight. Fernandes had better ground positions and got the knockdown but Takaya won the stand up war for the most part. I think Takaya will get the decision.

Official Decision: DREAM Featherweight GP Winner & Champion - Bibiano Fernandes

-Fernandes is presented with his belt and trophy.

-Schiavello and Mezger wrap up the show.

-End Show.