Issue 018
October 2006
August 5, 2006, Ariake Colosseum, Tokyo, Japan
By Andrew Garvey
Photos courtesy of FEG Inc.
An enthusiastic, near-sell out crowd flocked to Tokyo’s Ariake Colosseum for a bizarre show that featured one of the year’s best matches, some shocking officiating, some great finishes and the troubling spectacle of a legend being completely and utterly destroyed (yet somehow still managing to win).
Fans of the elaborate production values that used to make PRIDE’s supershows feel like such a major event were well served, even if the HERO’s stage set appeared to be designed by a hyperactive teenager on a bad mushroom trip. As ever with K-1, nothing was simple. The second round and quarterfinals of the 70kg ‘middleweight’ tournament was fought under 2 x 5 minute rounds with an extra if needed, as were the non-tournament matches. The first round and also quarterfinals of the 87kg Light heavyweight were fought with an opening 10-minute round, then a 5-minute round (with a third in the event of a draw). To make things even more complicated HERO’s (the misspelling is intentional) ‘middleweights’ are actually lightweights everywhere else, and their ‘light heavyweights’ are essentially middleweights to most other promotions. Confused? Probably, but you’ll also be enthralled, appalled and excited. Welcome to K-1 Hero’s.
The Middleweight Grand Prix
Hideo Tokoro vs. Ivan Menjivar
One of the most underrated fighters around, Menjivar scored a majority decision in a truly superb fight against housewives’ favourite Tokoro. The two fighters simply never stopped working in one of the most purely entertaining matches of the year so far. Attempts at leglocks, armbars and chokes, not to mention continual switches and reversals highlighted a superb first five minutes. The second round was even better with high kicks, attempted suplexes and even a Menjivar powerbomb! Menjivar used some ground n’ pound, a very nice body triangle to maintain control of Tokoro and plenty more punches mixed in with choke attempts.
Tokoro survived the onslaught but couldn’t shake Menjivar, who was clinging to him like a Koala would the last eucalyptus tree on earth. Tokoro eventually reversed things and went for a guillotine, then a toehold, and with time running out, an armbar. Tokoro looked exhausted at the bell but must have expected a third, deciding round would be needed. Oddly enough no, as Menjivar got the decision. He certainly deserved the win but HERO’s and K-1 have ordered extra rounds for far less reason in the past and the crowd were practically salivating at the prospect of five more minutes. The insider speculation in Japan is that HERO’s wanted no part of the controversy over questionable judging of contests involving Japanese fighters. The press were up in arms about the blatant rip-off that saw the insanely popular boxer Koki Kameda gifted the WBA light flyweight belt just three days earlier, and it seems HERO’s were keen not to be tarred with the same brush and so played it safe.
Hiroyuki Takaya vs. Gesias ‘JZ’ Calvancanti
American Top Team fighter Calvancanti is no stranger to British fans, having fought for both CageWarriors and Cage Rage. Japanese fans must be warming to him after a pair of explosive displays in this tournament (he destroyed Hidetaka Monma in the first round back in May). The aggressive Takaya tagged the bigger JZ with a left hook early, but left himself wide open a picture-perfect flying knee. Takaya went down heavily and JZ followed up with shots on the ground for the 30-second TKO win.
Caol Uno vs. Kultar Gill
‘Black Mamba’ Gill won his first round match with a vicious knee to the face of Hideo Tokoro (who was subsequently brought back after an online poll) in May and landed a near-identical one to Uno’s jaw that dropped the favourite. Gill then went ballistic with punches in an effort to finish another top Japanese athlete. Uno survived and after much scrambling and defending, managed a takedown (despite sustaining a cut right eye). From there Uno worked doggedly for a rear naked choke. Even when Gill stood up, Uno dragged him back down and kept going for the submission. Gill eventually escaped and tried striking through Uno’s guard to end the round.
The second round saw Gill really push the Japanese fighter. Even though Uno is far more experienced, the Indian striker made it hard work for the veteran to get his groove going, controlling the pace of the fight and always looking to strike. However, the ever-resourceful Uno took Gill down and clambered over his back and sunk in a choke for a dramatic come-from-behind win with 90 seconds left in the fight.
Kazuhiro Yasuhiro vs. Rani Yahira
In a pretty poor contest Rickson Gracie student Yahira immediately went for a takedown on Karate stylist Yasuhiro. The Japanese fighter struggled like a landed fish until Yahira got what he wanted and moved to an arm triangle that efficiently finished a very predictable clash of styles in just 68 seconds. Really, style vs style matches like this help no-one, and seem to be included just to bump up the numbers and add a little extra entertainment to the card. Even though Kid Yamamoto and Genki Sudo may be out of action, there are plenty more worthy lightweights who could have filled this spot and given the fans a real fight to look forward to.
The Light Heavyweight Grand Prix
Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Kin Taiei
The carefully matched world class Judoka Akiyama took on former K-1 star Kin Taiei, a veteran of some classic battles in the 1993-94 K-1 kickboxing era, in a fight notable only for its horrendous officiating. Akiyama struggled to take the kickboxer down at first, but once he managed it went for an armbar that Taiei couldn’t escape. Akiyama held on to the arm and bent it in an odd but obviously not dangerous position. It looked as if Taiei’s arm had been broken, and the referee jumped in and called for the bell, much to Taiei’s bemusement. This was an outrageous blunder, which HERO’s later apologised profusely for. Highly unusual for a typically quiet Japanese audience, much of the crowd booed loudly as the promotional golden boy Akiyama was announced as the winner after 2:01 of the first round.
Melvin Manhoef vs. Crosley Gracie
When Manhoef’s original opponent Carlos Newton pulled out with a rather dodgy sounding knee injury (rumours are that Newton was reluctant to take on the destructive striker), Gracie stepped in with just 48 hours notice. This proved to be a foolhardy decision for one of the legendary family’s better fighters. He was only in Japan to corner Rodrigo (also fighting in the tourney) and simply wasn’t in fighting shape. He continually went for failed takedowns then rolled onto his back at the slightest chance of getting hit. He seemed terrified of Manhoef’s striking throughout one of the most vociferously booed MMA fights in recent Japanese memory.
Manhoef wasn’t entirely blameless either, constantly walking away and forcing Gracie to stand back up, and no wonder it was heavily edited for the delayed TV broadcast. Manhoef finally decked him in the corner and unleashed a fearsome barrage of punches to the thoroughly beaten Gracie’s head that forced the stoppage with 48 seconds left in the first round.
Rodrigo Gracie vs. Shungo Oyama
Shungo Oyama scored a unanimous decision in another fight cut to ribbons for the TV audience. Those in attendance on the night were ‘treated’ to a slow, forgettable fight. It was definitely not a good night for the Gracies. Rodrigo spent most of the fight on his back doing little while Oyama did a little more from the top to earn a surprising win over a very lacklustre opponent.
Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Kestutis Smirnovas
Little-known Lithuanian Smirnovas absolutely slaughtered the 37-year-old legend in the first couple of minutes of this fight, but thanks to some truly disgusting officiating and Sakuraba’s unbelievable resilience, ended up the loser in a very disturbing fight.
Sakuraba has spoken before of his eventual wish to die in the ring, and the negligent joker in charge of this fight seemed to be doing his best to make sure that wish come true. Decking Sakuraba with a big left hand, Smirnovas went wild with follow up punches, landing 12 hefty strikes, most of them with Sakuraba’s unconscious head sticking through the ropes. Sakuraba was completely out of it, and was making no attempt to defend himself from a brutal assault. Instead of stopping the fight, the referee jumped in and dragged Sakuraba away from the ropes for a restart. He then allowed Smirnovas a blatantly dirty free punch before giving the signal to commence fighting. That should have been a disqualification, and when Smirnovas blasted Sakuraba with a fierce barrage of hammerfists and 4 big right hands, the official had another chance to end it and again failed to do his job. Somehow, Sakuraba recovered enough to try a takedown but when that failed, he ended up taking yet more punishment. With less than two and a half minutes gone, Sakuraba had taken a savage and unnecessary pasting.
If his fights with Wanderlei Silva had shown Sakuraba to be exceptionally gifted at taking punishment, this fight took that point further. Defying all laws of nature to regain his feet and get back into the fight, Sakuraba took more shots on the feet and was looking wobbly after another meaty right hand to the jaw. Unfortunately for Smirnovas, all this abuse had exhausted him. Now Sakuraba started landing punches, and after a nice combination to the head and body by the ropes, Smirnovas tried to turn and run.
Sakuraba followed and a combination of his punches and sheer exhaustion dropped the Lithuanian to the mat and Sakuraba flopped into side control. After a hopeless struggle by Smirnovas, Sakuraba locked on an armbar for a truly remarkable victory 6:41 into the fight. Afterwards HERO’s bigwigs Sadharu Tanigawa and Akira Maeda were openly furious about the refereeing that had put one of their biggest stars in such danger. Sakuraba said nothing. He was too busy to speak to the press, fleeing the arena, his mashed face hidden under a towel, for a check-up at the hospital.
Round Up
Alexandre Franca Noguiera, known as Pequeno, dropped a decision to the tough Koutetsu Boku. With both men returning from serious knee injuries, these two former Shooto champions were set for an intriguing comeback fight in the night’s opening match. Nogueira kept trying for takedowns while Boku used his excellent takedown defence and technical striking style to keep the Brazilian at bay. The fight followed that pattern for most of the two, 5-minute rounds and ended with Boku walking away with a unanimous decision.
Enormous Dutch K-1 World Grand Prix champion Semmy Schilt returned to MMA action after 2 years to take on Korean Judo star Kim Min Soo. A Pancrase, UFC and PRIDE veteran, Schilt effectively held onto the Korean’s Gi during an early clinch and landed a nice left hand which bashed Kim’s nose, but after two minutes Kim finally secured the takedown he wanted. Blood staining his own Gi and Schilt’s face, Schilt set him up for what may have been the world’s slowest triangle choke. Schilt also bashed away with punches to his bloody opponent’s face, giving Kim further incentive to tap out 4:46 into the first round.
Thoroughly broken down legend Don Frye had to work hard against easy opponent Yoshihisa Yamamoto Little happened in the fight other than trading of scrappy strikes until Frye dropped Yamamoto with a boot to the belly and a hard punch to the face that floored him in the corner. Frye clambered on top of him and put on a rear naked choke for the win with 8 seconds left in the opening round.
The Semi-Finals
With Akiyama’s tainted win, Sakuraba’s likely injuries, Oyama’s surprise victory and Manhoef’s presence, the light heavyweight semi-finals set for later this year will certainly be interesting. In this field Manhoef has to be the favourite as he’s already bashed Oyama before. The thought of him fighting Sakuraba could be even more unpleasant than the Smirnovas match, and while Akiyama may present a threat, K-1’s protective attitude towards him speaks volumes.
The middleweight semis are wide open, with Uno’s experience and versatility, Menjivar’s energy and grappling prowess, Calvancanti’s explosive striking and Yahira’s pure grappling skill making for a fascinating final four, however they are matched up.
Full Results:
Koutetsu Boku def Alexandre Franca Nogueira via Decision (Unanimous)
Semmy Schilt def Min Soo Kim via Submission (Triangle Choke) 4:46 Rd1
Ivan Menjivar def Hideo Tokoro via Decision (Majority)
Gesias Calvancanti def Hiroyuki Takaya via KO (Flying Knee) 0:30 Rd1
Rani Yahira def Kazuya Yasuhiro via Submission (Choke) 1:08 Rd1
Caol Uno def Kultar Gill via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) 3:30 Rd2
Yoshihiro Akiyama def Taiei Kin via Technical Submission (Armbar) 2:01 Rd1
Melvin Manhoef def Crosley Gracie via TKO (Strikes) 9:12 Rd1
Don Frye def Yoshihisa Yamamoto via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) 4:52.Rd1
Shungo Oyama def Rodrigo Gracie via Decision (Majority)
Kazushi Sakuraba def Kestutis Smirnovas via Submission (Armbar) 6:41 Rd1
