Black Tiger MMA Review: PRIDE 9: New Blood (6.04.00)
Posted by Mike Campbell on 04.13.2010
Daijiro Matsui challenges Igor Vovchanchyn and Vitor Belfort challenges Gilbert Yvel.
PRIDE 9: NEW BLOOD
June 4, 2000
It’s been seven months since PRIDE 8, so there’s a little catching up to do. PRIDE ran their first tournament, the Grand Prix, the first round was in January, and the quarter, semi, and finals were in May. Mark Coleman emerged as the tournament winner, but the real story was in the quarter finals of the tournament, with “The Gracie Hunter” getting another Gracie head. You might recall Kazushi Sakuraba handily defeating Royler Gracie in PRIDE 8. Well, that loss didn’t sit well with the rest of the family and it brought Royce Gracie back into the fight scene after five years to defend the family name. Gracie and Sakuraba wound up on the same sides of the Grand Prix. Royce beat Sakuraba’s training partner Takada in the first round, and then Royce and Sakuraba locked up in the quarter finals. They went six fifteen minute rounds and Sakuraba emerged victorious via corner stoppage.
HEATH HERRING vs. WILLIE PETERS
Herring hits a front kick and they box a little bit, Herring takes down Peters and quickly gets his back and sinks in the near naked choke. Peters tries to fight it off for a second but winds up tapping out.
CARLOS BARRETO vs. TRA TELLIGMAN
The fight starts out with them dancing a bit with Barreto looking to hit some knee strikes. Barreto goes for a takedown and Telligman sprawls nicely to block it and they wind up in the clinch. Barreto keeps looking for knees while they’re clinched, but Telligman does a great job at blocking and preventing them. Finally they’re separated and Barreto shoots in again, and again Telligman blocks and winds up in a top position and able to throw knees of his own at Barreto’s head whenever he lifts one of his arms. Barreto escapes and Telligman pulls guard, they’re in the corner and the ref moves them to the center. Barreto tries to punch Telligman, but Telligman does a great job keeping the gap closed so that Barreto has no space to build any momentum, and the round ends.
Barreto hits a big knee to the face to start the second round, then he tries to take Telligman down, but he blocks in and Barretto winds up on a top position while having Telligman’s back. Telligman gets to his feet and Barreto shoots in for another takedown, but Telligman sprawls and they go into the guard, with Telligman still being able to keep Barreto close and locking his arms to avoid damaging shots. Back to their feet and Barreto shoots back in and gets blocks, and this time Telligman is on his feet, they trade leg kicks before Barreto gets to his feet. They go back into the guard and it’s more of Telligman smartly keeping Barreto from doing much damage, the rounds ends and it’s a decision for Barreto.
ALLEN GOES vs. VERNON WHITE
Goes starts by throwing a huge head kick, but White blocks it and connects a leg kick. They go to the mat and Goes gets a half mount, keeping one of White’s legs tried up to prevent him from pulling guard. Goes throws punches, while White tries to maneuver around and free his leg. White finally gets free and shoots Goes off. They trade strikes again, but Goes takes him back down, back up, and White actually pulls guard on him while they’re standing. Goes gets a full mount and starts laying in some serious shots but the round ends.
The second round starts with Goes taking White down, and White, again pulling guard on him. The round more or less is spent in this position. It’s not nearly as engaging as the Goes/Malenko fight, but it’s not as mind numbing as Coleman. They’re both clearly trying to accomplish something, Goes wants to win via strikes, and when White locks him up, he settles for throwing his shoulder into White’s head. White, of course, wants to get out of this position. He eventually does, and springs to his feet, leaving Goes on the mat. White tries for a leg kick, and Goes traps his leg and takes him back down where he quickly pulls guard again. They go back to their stalemate and Goes eventually gets a full mount and starts throwing bombs but White is saved by the bell. He’s not saved by the score though, and Goes wins the decision.
CARLOS NEWTON vs. NAOKI SANO
They come out dancing a bit and throwing strikes, Newton takes Sano down and gets a mount. Newton throws punches and Sano’s attempt to block open him wide up for an armbar (Bas calls it before Newton even tries it) and Newton gets the quick win.
AKIRA SHOJI vs. JOHN RENKEN
Renken tries to strike early with kicks, but most of them wind up missing. Shoji takes him down and gets a side mount and looks for a full mount. Renken tries to lock him up, so Shoji uses his chin to land shots. Renken tries to escape using his legs to take Shoji over, but Shoji avoids it and winds up on his feet while Renken is still down and he tries a couple of leg kicks. Back to the mat the fight goes and Shoji looks for an armbar, but isn’t in the right position, he maintains patience and when Renken tries to flip him again, Renken puts himself into position and Shoji gets the armbar.
GARY GOODRIDGE vs. RICCO RODRIGUEZ
At first this looks like a sparring match instead of an actual fight. They dance, and throw cautious jabs, and dance, and Ricco tries for a takedown and Goodridge avoids it. They dance some more. It looks like it’s going to get going when Ricco goes for another takedown and Goodridge sprawls, but can’t stay on his feet. He grabs the ropes and gets warned. Ricco takes him down and Gary tries to pull guard, but Ricco traps his leg to get a half mount. They lay there for a while and Ricco gets the full mount and starts throwing punches but accidentally catches Goodridge in the groin leading to a break. When they get restarted the dance, and dance some more, and Ricco finally takes him down and gets the full mount, but Goodridge grabs him in an almost bear hug like manner to keep him from doing anything and gets saved by the bell.
The second round starts with Ricco catching Goodridge with a leg kick and Goodridge firing back with a punch. Ricco shoots in and Goodridge sprawls, but Ricco gets a single leg and takes him down. They spend the rest of the right with Ricco on top, Goodridge’s plan appears to be to keep Ricco from doing any damage until they get stood up. It doesn’t work out too well, because Ricco is able to stay busy enough with trying to strike, submit, and free himself from Gary’s grip, so the ref doesn’t have to intervene. The round ends and, to no surprise, Ricco wins the decision. I’ve never been much of a Gary Goodridge fan, as much as I love the Bohlander fight from UFC VIII, and between this and his PRIDE 8 snoozer, I’m not getting much reason to change my mind.
IGOR VOVCHANCHYN vs. DAIJIRO MATSUI
Matsui shoots for a takedown, but Igor sprawls and does a beautiful segue into a side mount, and then to a half mount on Matsui’s back and starts throwing punches at his head area. Igor isn’t looking for a huge KO though. He’s got enough advantage just from the position he’s in, Matsui has no idea where the punches are headed. Matsui gets a big cut open over his eye, and they take a break to get him checked out. When he’s good to go, the ref positions him, and you can hear everyone groan, because they all know Matsui is a goner. To his credit, he quickly flips over before Igor can land another punch, but that just gives Igor a regular mount, and the eye gets opened up again and this time it’s stopped.
VITOR BELFORT vs. GILBERT YVEL
Belfort drops Yvel with a quick left and then goes for a mount, Yvel and Belfort wind up in a grapple, both throwing punches, and Belfort is much more successful. They wind up in the ropes get moved back to the center. They go back to grappling and looking for punches, Belfort works his way up and gets a chance to land some good shots, but they’re back in the ropes again, and get moved. This goes on for the whole round.
Yvel tries a back kick to start the second round, and Belfort takes him right down. They grapple for a few minutes and get stood up. Yvel tries another kick and gets taken down, and then they get stood up. After the third go-around the ref tells Yvel he needs to get busy on the mat and not just hold Belfort. Yvel hits a knee, but still gets taken down and they spend the rest of the round grappling and throwing punches. Time runs out and, to no surprise, Belfort is given the win.
The 411: This the worst PRIDE event that I've reviewed yet. Aside from the Vovchancyn/Matsui fight, they're either blink-and-you'll-miss-it short or long fights that go to a decision and are solid at best. I'm missing Sakuraba right about now.
