Picks and Predictions for Bushido 13
Denis Kang vs. Akihiro Gono

Many are counting Gono down and out in this fight, and, admittedly, Kang has been stomping through this tournament while Gono has barely squeaked by his opposition. However, I do not expect Kang to be able to annihilate Gono as easily as many predict. Akihiro has been fighting for longer than almost anyone else in this sport, and that kind of experience can either break a man down (Paging Ken Shamrock), or give him a wealth of experience and craft that makes him a dangerous opponent for anyone. Gono falls into the latter category, so he’s going to put up a solid fight. That said, his sit-and-wait striking style has brought him trouble in his last several fights, and I expect a strong explosive striker like Kang will keep increasing the pressure, and not let Gono come into his own. On the ground, this fight should be a wash, while standing I expect Kang to dominate unless Gono has a sneaky counter to Kang’s style prepared. Look for a battered Gono to run from Kang until the final bell, barring Kang gassing out. Kang by Decision



Misaki is a very impressive striker, with a huge variety of techniques he can employ in a number of styles. His fights with Dan Henderson and Baroni opened a lot of eyes. Too bad none of this matters. Filho is going to pin him to the floor in about 30 seconds, and then, depending on a pre-match coin flip, either armbar him for mount, or ride to a unanimous decision. Given Misaki’s grappling experience, the armbar is slightly less likely. Filho by decision.

Nobuhiro Obiya vs. Luiz "Buscape" Firmino

Obiya is coming off losing his undefeated streak in what must have been a confidence-shattering mauling at the hands of Gil Melendez. Buscape is currently competing with Shaolin Ribeiro for the title of “most underutilized talent at lightweight”. Barring huge amounts of ring-rust, Buscape should be able to beat up a unconfident Obiya, but I don’t expect a finish, given Obiya’s lasting power and Buscape’s inactivity. Buscape by decision.

Murilo Bustamente vs. Yoon Dong Sik
Dong needs to have a T-shirt. I would buy it in a second, and buy more for my mom for Christmas. Busta is a tough competitor and a gritty veteran, but I don’t really see him caring about any of his fights lately. Dong has had a really rough road to hoe lately, but after his embarrassing loss to Sakuraba, proved he had what it took in taking a massive beating from Quinton Jackson. Bustamante has two options in this fight, he can force a ground war and probably submit the Judoka, or he can prance around and pick at dong, give him a black eye, and win a decision. Bustamante by submission Round 1


Ikuhisa Minowa vs. Mike Burton

Minowa once again showing he is the hardest working man in the business, Bart Gunn was nearly decapitated by butterbean and has now come back for some sort of weird reverse-revenge meta-vendetta by facing the last man to beat the bean. Whatever, couldn’t this have stopped after pride 2? Minowa by submission (paycheck) round 1

Takanori Gomi vs. Marcus Aurelio

Aurelio shouldn’t have beat Gomi, which is why it was a non-title fight. But he did, but then he shouldn’t have fought Ishida, as the title picture was somewhat clouded. But he did, and he lost. So now we have this wonderful situation, where Aurelio’s claim to the throne is questionable at best, coming off a very clear defeat, and even if Gomi wins here, his belt will remain tarnished until he KO’s that boyscout-looking T-blood coach. Ugly, that is. In his last fight, Gomi looked like he was about to vomit everytime he was on the ground. In his last fight, Aurelio looked like he’d be lucky to remember what his name was. If Gomi sticks to what made him champion, tight boxing and great wrestling, he should make this a painful and frustrating fight for Maximus. If Gomi tries to channel Ishida and GnP his way to victory like he did against Jean Silva, he’s going to get his arm broken. Aurelio may be big enough, but I don’t think he has the technique to force a ground fight. I expect failed takedowns, and then for him to get that Mark Coleman vs. Crocop “I want to fight on the ground but you’re not letting me” look in his eyes, get punched in the gut then the face, and fall over. Gomi by KO round 1.

Gegard Mousasi vs. Hector Lombard

What is this, the “I lost to gono” special? Both of these men nearly blew Gono out of the water in the early going of their fights with him, only to lose to what amounted to his craftiness and staying power. Both had glaring weaknesses in the fight too; Lombard wasting energy like he’d been coached by Alistair Overeem, and Gegard looking hopeless on the ground. What impressed was Gegard’s striking and Hectors power, aggressiveness, and wrestling/groundwork. Matching those facts up, means that Hector, barring another gas attack, is going to throw Gegard to the ground, and beat him up/submit him. Lombard by submission round 1.


Sanae Kikuta vs. Jean Francois Lenogue

Lenogue gets submitted a lot. Kikuta is good at submissions. Kikuta gets KO’d by people who rarely drop someone, like Minotauro and Yuki Kondo. I don’t expect a decision. When one fighter doesn’t have a ground game and isn’t a top wrestler, and the other one is an experienced fighter with a good ground game, you know what happens. Kikuta by submission.

Mitsuhiro Ishida vs. David Bielkheden

In case you’re wondering, yes, Ishida is fighting another jiu-jitsu guy. Just like he has for almost his entire career. As such, we know what to expect here. David is not Shaolin, and, although big for this weight class, he is not Marcus Aurelio either. Ishida will takedown, GnP. Stay, active, keep up the hustle, show that he’s unsubmitable, and make David suffer for his loser’s paycheck. Ishida by decision.

Yoshihiro Maeda vs. Joe Pearson

I really suspect Pride is considering opening up a featherweight division in Bushido, and this is yet another ‘tester’ fight, to build a relationship with the fighters and get them some face time in front of the fans. Maeda is a (at one time rare, but now increasingly common) Japanese KO machine, while Pearson is a (at one time rare, but now increasingly common) American submission machine. I suspect Maeda has been around the block enough to avoid the ground, and just punish the limited Pearson on the feet. Neither of these guys likes to go the distance. Maeda by KO round 1.

Shinya Aoki vs. Clay French

I was really looking forward to seeing Aoki and Melendez go at it. However, last-minute injuries are the reality in the fight game, so we’re being treated to what amounts to an exhibition of Aoki’s talents. Look for him to try (again) to show us a submission that’s never been used in Pride before. This time with less loud tights. Aoki by flying submission, round 1.

Of course, in the finals, my expectations would leave Kang vs. Filho, wherein filho would handily pin him to the floor and rape him. Filho wins this GP easily, no matter who he faces. If Misaki makes it to the finals, he’ll beat Kang. If it’s an all-GRABAKA finals, who knows if they’ll fight, or spar, or put on a grappling exhibition.

“Lock” Order – most certainty first, least certainty last.
Minowa by submission (paycheck) round 1
Aoki by flying submission, round 1.
Ishida by decision.
Maeda by KO round 1.
Filho by decision.
Buscape by decision.
Kikuta by submission round 1.
Gomi by KO round 1.
Kang by Decision
Lombard by submission round 1.
Bustamante by submission Round 1

PRIDE 32 Picks and Predictions

Prides newest event is having some serious troubles, with visas, contract disputes, and other last minute shuffling that has taken at least one very interesting match off the card.

Kazuhiro Nakamuro vs. Travis Galbraith
The fact that he's still under contract to the WFA has pulled Marvin the Beastman Eastman off of the real deal card, to be replaced on short notice by a KOTC standout who usually fights at 185, and has lost when he's fought top fighters at that weight. Nakamura often fights at heavyweight and is extremely versatile.

Great.

Nakamura is going to take him down and beat him up, either scoring a TKO or beating him until he gives up a submission. Nakamura by TKO.

Butterbean vs. Sean O'Haire
What was previously a fun match-up between Mark Hunt and an American no one cared about who would put on a good show has become a match between two Americans no one cares about. I can't believe I"m saying this, but look for Butterbean to gas Sean O'Haire out, and for him to give the big boy the same treatment he gave Bart Gunn back at wrestlmania. Butterbean by head removal KO round 1.

Phil Baroni vs Yosuke Nishijima
Baroni's pride is going to be biting his ass in this one, telling him to stand up and knockout the foreigner in front of the hometown crowd. Fortunately Mark Coleman will be in his corner, telling him to take Yosuke down to the ground where he's useless. Given the relative talent involved, we may see Baroni bust out a submission, but I expect brutal GNP. Baroni TKO Round 1.

Joey Villasenor vs. Robbie Lawler
This is one of three matches on the card that is actually competitive and has any importance for the division. Joey is a very strong finisher, mostly with striking, but his GnP will be weakened without elbows on the ground. Lawler's wrestling and physical power should allow him to control where this fight takes place, and I expect his striking ability will let him but the hurt on the more versatile Villasenor.
Robbie Lawler by KO round 2

Dan Henderson vs. Vitor Belfort
When people expect a fight to be a "mental battle" this is rarely what they're thinking of. However, this fight is going to come down to the minds of the fighters involved. I may have watched too many fights that happened in 2000 or before, but I believe Vitor can knockout Henderson, no matter how good his chin is, at any point. However, I expect Vitor to lose focus and just aimlessly watch himself get his ass kicked. On the other hand, Henderson may choose to pointlessly windmill his right arm the entire fight until he gets caught by Vitor.

That said, Henderson has his head screwed on tighter, so he should turn this into a grinding fight that crushes Vitor's will to fight with greco and clinchfighting. Henderson by decision.

Josh Barnett vs. Pawel Nastula
Barnett's performance in the OWGP oepened a lot of eyes not previously familiar with the big dork. Nastula is a gentleman, a true sportsman, and a tough competitor. He has a natural ability for GnP, and his judo skills will give most grapplers a hard time. If he had been more carefully groomed, he could be a top guy in either heavyweight or lightheavy, too bad he's being used as a "impressive win" for half the top guys in the division.

All of that aside, Barnett is going to control the location and pace of this fight, and should finish Nastula with some naughty pounding from back mount. Barnett by TKO round 2.

Mauricio Rua vs. Kevin Randleman
After Randleman's impressive win over Ninja, I"m sure Shogun will be happy to get some revenge. For his sake, I hope he's watched that tape and prepared for Randleman's speed and power. After the Coleman and Overeem fights, it's clear that Shogun has no chance of stopping Randleman's takedowns when he's still fresh, but with Shogun's extremely active guard, he's the more dangerous fighter in any position. Randleman has a real shot at winning this, by landing a huge bomb on the feet or after a takedown, but his generally poor finishing ability is going to give shogun a LOT of time to come up with a submission or land a headkick that drops the wrestler. Shogun by KO (headkick) round 1.

Fedor Emelianenko vs Mark Coleman
Coleman is a freak. That's the only way to describe the kind of threat he presents. He's not a well-rounded fighter, but nobody can out-wrestle him. Fedor's takedowns from the clinch are impressive, but Coleman is still going to throw him around like a rag doll. The biggest chance Coleman has in this fight is if (as I expect he may) he takes Fedor's back as Fedor tries to fight off a takedown. Coleman has the power and control to avoid the submission or reversal, if he keeps a cool head and doesn't gas.

But this is mark coleman we're talking about. Fedor by submission (armbar) round 2.

"Lock" Order
Nakamura by TKO round 1.
Baroni TKO Round 1.
Fedor by submission (armbar) round 2.
Butterbean by head removal KO round 1.
Henderson by decision.
Shogun by KO (headkick) round 1.
Robbie Lawler by KO round 2

UFC 64 Picks and Predictions

Kurt Pellegrino and Assuncao may not be hoary veterens in the MMA world, but both of them have been competing at a top level in other venues for yars. Despite leading off the night, this should be a close and technical match, on the matt. Pellegrino should be able to use his superior wrestling to dominate position and submit, but Junior is no slouch. Pellegrino by submission round 2


Clayton Guida may not be the best in the world, but he's an incredible talent. He should be able to dominate this fight, Guida submits James round 1.

I don't understand the Okami vs. Kalib fight. the UFC doesn't really care about promoting Japanese fighters, especially not by giving them wins over TUFers. I suspect that they know something I don't and Kalib is going to surprise me and beat Okami. That said, I can only pick based upon what I DO know, so I say Okami decisions Kalib.

Keith Jardine is ugly as sin, just like Nickel's standup. From looking at them, I"m surprised these two are even in the same weight class. Jardine is going to throw off any wrestling attempts by Nickels, and work him standing. Jardine by TKO in the first.

Spencer fisher is being given a stepping stone here. Several of his wins are more impressive than Lauzon's entire career. I expect Lauzon to continue to try to drag the fight to the ground, only to get beat up by Fisher. Fisher by KO round 1.

Kongo is huge and exciting. He should be able to KO his opponent here, but from the ground skills he's shown me, he can lose at any time if it goes to the mat. With his athleticism though, I think Kongo can avoid this and march to victory. Kongo by KO round 1.

Hironaka is goign to upset Fitch. Hironaka by decision.

Sean Sherk is a wrestling monster and should be very powerful for the LW division. Florian may look like a Wendy's cashier and have gotten lucky several times in the octagon, but the skills he has are real. That said, Sherk should be able to throw him around and rough him up badly. I would laugh to see the faces of the anti-TUF crowd if Florian can slap on a sub, since sherk is still questionable at the very-top level, but I don't think Florian will be the one to expose him. Sherk by TKO gnp round 1.

Rich has two advantages over Silva. First, he should be the much bigger man, as he is with most in the division. Secondly, he should have the edge in wrestling. How much of an edge is what's going to decide the winner of this fight, in my mind. Rich's best bet is if he comes out and can show some great GnP. He's not going to submit Anderson, and I doubt he's going to be able to drop him with strikes. If Rich wants to win, it's going to have to be by muscling anderson around until time is up or he's worn him down and out. Anderson has the skills to finish this fight on the feet, but it's going to be hard with someone the caliber of Rich. If rich gets duped into kickboxing with Anderson, he's going to go down hard. This fight is going to be very rough, no matter who wins. Anderson Silva by TKO round 3.

Ken Shamrock is the only man Ortiz has finished in years. Don’t look for this trend to change. Ken has shown evidence of becoming chinny in his last couple of fights, and doesn’t have any skill that can be a threat from Ortiz aside from mediocre boxing. Unless tito gets retarded and eats a shot, Ken is going to be hurt badly, again. Tito TKO Round 2.

Chris Price has a nice record, but Kendall Grove has fought better opposition and is being set up to win. Kendall should wrestle him to the ground from the clinch, and submit him there. Grove by sub round 1.

Jason McDonald is in over his head vs. Ed Herman. Jason has had a lot of fights and is a solid fighter, but he doesn’t have what it takes to be a top-tier competitor. Ed is going to grind him down with slow gnp, until he either rolls into the RNC, or the fight has to be stopped. Herman submission round 1.

Matt Hamill is a monster. His physical strength is exceeded only by his wrestling ability, so he is getting the takedown in his fight with Seth Petruzelli. However, seth has dealt with being on the bottom, having fought much larger men for most of his career. His striking is also light-years ahead of anything Matt has shown. Matt is such a developing talent, it’s dangerous to assume anything about what abilities he has now, but I have to go with what he’s shown. If Seth can avoid brutal GnP early in the fight, he should be able to wear Matt down on his feet and eventually drop him. Petruzelli by KO in the 2nd.

Nathan Marquardt is a methodical technical fighter who has submitted almost half of his opponents, and has been in with the best. Crafton Wallace has rarely been outside of the first round, and both of his losses come from submissions. Do the math. Marquardt by submission round 2.

Dustin Hazelett and Tony DeSouza should put on an exciting grappling show. In such cases, it’s good form to bet on the brazillian. DeSouza by sub round 2.

Rory Singer and Josh Haynes are both limited fighters, but they should put on an exciting fight. I expect Haynes’ brawling and toughness to make this a hard night for Rory, with him losing to accumulated damage and gas in the second. Haynes by TKO in the 2nd.

After hiding behind his jab for 3 roudns vs. Diego Sanchez, Alessio is going to have to step up his game to beat Thiago Alves. With his wrestling and jab, he should be able to do it. Alessio by submission round 2, after hurting him with punches.

Forrest Petz nearly killed Sam Morgan at the last UFN, but seemed to lack the aggression or fear the ground so much that he would not move in and finish. He should be able to correct that this time around, as Davis is not a world-beater, although he’s been very active this year. Petz by KO round 2.

“Lock” Order – Most certain outcomes, in decreasing order of certainty
Tito TKO Shamrock Round 2 (Sorry Ken)
Marquardt Submits Wallace round 2
Ed Herman submits McDonald round 1
Kendall Grove submits Chris Price round 1
Petruzelli KO’s Hamill round 2
Petz KO’s Davis round 2
Haynes TKO’s Singer round 2
Alessio submits Alves round 2
DeSouza submits Hazelett round 2

UFC 63 Picks

Things have been rough around the HumungusMMA office this week, so I didn't get to put together a detailed rundown of my picks, but I thought I should post them here, just so there's an unbroken record of my picks.


Griffin by TKO in the 1st
Pulver by KO in the 1st
Gurgel by Sub in the 1st
Neto Sub in the 1st
Huerta TKO's Dent in the 2nd
Guillard by TKO in the 2nd
Crow TKO in the 1st
Penn by Sub in the 1st
Lambert KO in the 2nd

Wow, what a great event.

I don't mind this being my worst showing prediction-wise when the fights were this great. It's to be expected anyway, with how tough most of these matchups were.

As an aside, this website will never have spoilers before an event airs, unless the delay is more than 2 days. So that's the official policy.

Crocop looks phenomenal. His head is totally in the game, and while it'll be hard for him to maintain that level of intensity through to the now-inevitable rematch with Fedor, he looked at his absolute best tonight. He's been nipping at the heels of the champions for so long, in K-1 before Pride, it's great to see him finally get the biggest win on the biggest stage, and walk home with a major tournament belt/crown. His boxing looked phenomenal and he proved he can hurt anyone at anytime. He's developed some powerful GNP and seems more comfortable to playing the top game than ever before.

This was a tough loss for Wanderlei, but he shouldn't lose any fans even after taking such a beating. He fought until Crocop MADE him stop. He showed he was a warrior and that Crocop would have lost at any moment until Wanderlei was limp. The fight probably would have been stopped due to Wandy's eye if it hadn't been such a huge fight, but I don't see the decision as being that questionable.

Barnett vs. Nog is going to be ground into dust in the forums as the debate rages on. Nog controlled position and made more sub attempts, but Barnett had a knockdown and a 'catch' (or two, depending on how you score his guillotine/neck crank). Nog's extra weight looked good, and he did a very good job wrestling with Josh and beat him up on the feet.

Josh didn't look great. It looked like he'd focused on mostly grappling in his training, as his always-awkward striking didn't serve him well tonight. This didn't hurt him too badly vs. Nog where he could overcome the disadvantage with his superior weight and power, but Crocop has more power even if he was the smallest man in the tournament at this point.

Arona showed nice aggression in his fight, and continues to demonstrate those brutal low kicks. What is the deal? He's become the Crocop of leg kicks. Rampage was in a wheelchair the day after fighting Arona, and Wanderlei suffered pretty much the same fate twice. Overeem hit him pretty well a couple times, and get again showed that you never know what is going to happen in an Alistair Overeem fight, for the better or worse.

Shogun showed why MMA is not kickboxing, as the snake looked to be very talented and incredibly quick for his length on the feet. As expected, he had no answer for Shogun's ground game, so he's going to be extremely limited unless he can put together a decent wrestling or BJJ game. I would like to see it, as the guy's standup was very exciting. I just hope he can still form complete thoughts after suffering such a brutal curb-stomping. Welcome to Pride, Cyrille.

Sergei showed he's a tough dude, but he threw away what was becoming a blowout victory over Aleksander. Sergei always looks slow and Alek's speed hurt him, but he should have been able to finish the monster. That said, this is one of the most gratuitously late stoppages I've seen, as Sergei was limp for quite a while, and was beaten so badly he forgot how badly he was beaten, arguing the stoppage call. He probably thought he was only dropped by that first punch and then went down. Both fighters looked tough, but their weakneses were also evident here. Sergei is slower than molasses in a Russian winter, and Aleks doesn't have the fighting spirit of his brother and has a tough time with someone who is as hard as he is and can hurt him back.

Cyborg fought the smart fight and Nishijima needs to go train BJJ for about three years before he fights MMA again. This was another horribly late stoppage, as Nishijima looked to go limp as he was tapping, and was certainly out for quite a while while Cyborg continued to choke him.

Nakamura continues to be mediocre, Nakao to disappoint. Hyun is either going to have to bounce back and realize MMA is for real, and train hard and improve like Yoon-Dong Sik, or he can take the same path as Takimoto and leave MMA forever with nothing but embarassment and injuries.

Every one of the GP participants looked sharp and at or near a lifetime best, so Fedor had better be training hard or those “Nobody Beats Me” shirts are going to be on heavy discount by the end of the year.

OWGP Final Conflict 2006 Picks and Predictions

Alright, it’s time for one of the best mega-cards of the year. The Grand Prix format usually pays off in an incredible final, and this is no different. There can be no argument that the winner of this tournament isn’t the top contender for Fedor’s golden throne, and might even knock him off of it if he doesn’t come prepared.

There are a lot of extremely close fights on this card that could go either way, but it’s my job to predict how the fight will go, so I’m not going to cheap out and say “toss-up”, but be warned before making any bets on my predictions this go round.

Evangelista Santos vs. Yosuke Nishijima

What are the chances that Cyborg had a rough childhood? The man has a Mike Tyson tattoo for God’s sake. That said, Santos should win this fight. He has way more experience, killer instinct, and he’s fighting someone with a boxer’s ground game. That said, Cyborg loves to bang and isn’t a master strategist, and Nishijima should be able to knock him out when he tries to throw. This could be an ugly fight if Cyborg tries some tactics Nishijima isn’t used to, like knees from the clinch or dirty boxing, but I expect Nishijima’s technical ability will net him the win late in the first by KO. Nishijima by KO late round 1.

Sergei Kharitonov vs. Alexander Emelianenko

Battle of the Russian bears. This fight is GUARANTEED to be ugly. Sergei is cold as ice and will not quit, while Aleks can hospitalize someone in 20 seconds.

There are some strong intangibles here that make prediction difficult: Aleks has shown dubious desire to fight in the past, notably faltering in his extremely nervous fight against crocop. Sergei is coming off a serious injury and it’s never safe to bet on a fighter like that.
Aleks hands are faster, but I think that Sergei can take this by hitting harder and better. Sergei can take a shot and he’s going to have to, but he should be able to wear the big boy down and finish him. Hopefully we’ll get to see some Sambo, but I wouldn’t bet on it. Sergei by TKO in the 2nd.

Lee Tae Hyun vs. Ricardo Morais

Another fight to register on the richter scale. The Korean “Sumo” vs. the Brazillian “Godzilla”. Hyun is over his head here. In his first mixed rules fight he’s fighting an enormous heavy hitter. Morais is slower than Christmas, but I doubt Hyun is going to explode with strikes at 6’6” and 300 lbs. It’s time to see if Hyun can take a punch to the face and if he’s been seriously training. If he has, he’ll take Morais down and grind him up for the decision, while defending subs. I don’t think it’ll happen. Top athletes from other sports given a “celebrity match” in pride almost universally rely on their one art and maybe sit in on some BJJ classes if a gracie will give them a free t-shirt. If Morais has been keeping his BJJ skills legit, he’s going to outgrapple Hyun and finish the total novice. Morais by TKO in the 1st.

Kazuhiro Nakamura vs. Yoshihiro Nakao

Both of these fighters are pretty one-dimensional, despite being legit fighters. Nakamura has fought much tougher competition and is more experienced, while Nakao has a size advantage. Nakao is going to put Nakamura on his back, and the spunky Judoka is not going to be able to do anything about it. Nakamura isn’t a finisher. Nakao will grind out the decision win unless he gasses or Nakamura brings something more to the table than he ever has before and puts him on his back and finishes it. Nakao by decision.

Mauricio Rua vs. Cyrille Diabate

With this match, pride continues to run rings around the UFC in terms of fighter maintenance. Shogun’s coming off a bad injury, so he’s given an opponent who will look good in the ring, and present a limited danger, but has weaknesses that shogun can easily exploit. Think Feyd Rautha’s drugged gladiatorial opponents in DUNE. “The Snake” is a real threat on the feet, win numerous impressive KO’s . Shogun had better watch out for those knees. That said, shogun can manhandle him to the mat and then Shogun’s extremely slick BJJ game should come to the fore and end the fight quickly. Shogun by submission early round 1.

Ricardo Arona vs. Alistair Overeem

Wow, another matchup with the potential of Sergei vs. Aleks, and similar divisional importance. These guys are the most explosively athletic fighters in the LHW division in pride, even if they fight at cross purposes. Arona seeks control and finishes when the opportunity presents itself, while Alistair tries to force a finish early in the fight whenever possible. Alistair’s been fighting a lot and might have nagging injuries, while the injury-prone Arona has been taking time off yet again to nurse his wounds. Alistair’s wrestling is underrated, so he’s going to give Arona trouble to start off the fight, and with Arona’s standup technique, Alistair could work him over early to set himself up for the win. That said, Arona will eventually get the takedown, and I’ve never seen Overeem come back from adversity. He’s too savvy and Arona too oldschool “position before submission” BJJ for the submission to be likely, but in the end, Overeem will stop intelligently defending himself. Overeem is an extremely talented fighter with a great skillset, but he always fails when he’s just on the cusp of greatness, and he never misses an opportunity to fight stupid (witness his 30 pointless takedowns on shogun or patented no-look-hook). Arona by TKO round 2.

Which brings us to the tournament. The big fat belt and fedor beatdown booby prize are up for grabs for anyone. Everyone except crocop is coming into this event extremely hungry. Josh is smaller and in better trim than ever before. Silva is proving he’s just now entering the prime of his career. Nog is bigger than ever, but looks good and comfortable at the weight, and is coming off his 2005 layoff with a renewed passion to win. Crocop is hard to read, but it’s safe to assume he’s going to come well-prepared and extremely dangerous, as always. Both he and Nog still believe they have what it takes to dethrone fedor and burn for that guaranteed rematch. Silva is a psychopath out to prove he’s the baddest man in twelve universes, and Barnett thinks the title belt would be a good ending to the movie and look nice on the shelf next to his anime collection.

Wanderlei Silva vs. Mirko Crocop
Silva’s only advantages in this fight are his will to win and his cardio. Crocop is a mile wide and an inch deep when it comes to both. Wanderlei can’t show Crocop anything he hasn’t seen already, but last time he saw a massive surprise bomb coming at his face, he fell over and was out of the 2004 HWGP. Crocop will use his power to throw Silva out of the clench whenever necessary, and Silva’s fooling himself if he thinks he can take this fight to the ground and have any success there. Crocop is dangerous with any strike he throws (in the first round) and silva has to rely on his punches. On paper, a more experienced crocop should be expected to end Wanderlei’s dream in the first with a shocking KO. In my heart, I see Silva winning, but I can’t say why. My official pick is Crocop by KO in late round 1. If Silva manages to win this, he wins the tournament.

Josh “Hentai Otaku” Barnett vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
Another exciting and close fight. Josh has better wrestling, size, and probably strength, whereas Nog has more technical grappling and much better cardio and durability. Barnett’s heavier hands will negate Nog’s superior technical striking. Hopefully they’ll engage on the ground and we don’t just see some “technical striking” while each hopes they can fall into sidemount, in a replay of Werdum vs. Nog or Einemo. Barnett’s stamina has always been a question, but the shorter tournament format will benefit him in this fight, but I don’t know how well he’d do in the next round. Nog has a great game, but Barnett’s wrestling is going to put him on his back. If Barnett can prevent the sweep and keep an active GnP, he can take this fight with the judges before Nog gets a chance to work his game. Barnett wins by decision.

That would make for a Crocop vs. Barnett finals. Crocop was one of the best fighters in K-1 but never won a K-1 tournament. The same goes in pride. He doesn’t have what it takes to keep fighting multiple times a night, and is injury prone, most likely due to the power he puts into everything. If this fight happens, the two most fatigued fighters will be the ones in the finals, and it will likely be anticlimactic. Barnett will have more in the tank after the first five minutes, and he’s shown that his game can last with crocop barring freak back-of-the-knee submissions. Barnett will finish this fight in the late first round.

If silva topples crocop, he’ll win the tournament, regardless of who is put in front of him. He’ll beat a gassed Barnett as he’s never been beaten before, or he’ll abuse Nog so badly that he’ll be stopped for the first time.

If we see Nog vs. Crocop in the finals, it will look the same as the first fight, with a shorter “nog eats it” portion and a longer “Nog puts on the submission on a worn-out crocop” period.

On paper, this card cannot but be the best of the year so far. In reality they’d have to gas the stadium for the tournament finals not to produce at least one fight for the ages. This is one of the most important events of the year as well, with many fights providing “touchstones” to gauge future performance from each fighter.

Weekend Wrapup: UFC 62, Bushido 12 and Beyond

Last weekend, after a bit of a dry spell, we had two good cards of MMA action. One, UFC 62, rose above the crapulence of its card to put on a great show, while the other, Bushido 12, made good fights out of great matchups.

As is my duty as a serious fan of the sport, I have to look at what we’ve learned from these latest tests of strength and skill. For those of you with a 4th grade reading level (I'm looking at you, Frank Trigg and Joe Rogan) I've bolded the most important part of each lesson (your english teacher would call it a thesis if you'd made it to 8th grade).

The most important lesson: HumungusMMA is awesome at picking fights. Ok, I called the biggest fight of the weekend totally wrong, but still. Most all of the fights turned out exactly as I predicted, check it out: UFC 62 Picks Bushido 12 Picks. Okay, enough tooting my own horn.

The second most important general lesson: I am a fool with nationalities. I called all sorts of different fighters Dutch when they are not, so in the future I’m going to try to avoid even mentioning that sort of thing, or at least being right more often.

UFC 62, What Have We Learned?

Gouveia is the real deal and Combs is not. Anyone with a Record consisting mostly of 1-minute KO’s in small shows is not ready for a top-tier MMA fighter who will take him DEEP into the third minute. Hopefully Gouveia can work harder and make up for his dismal showing vs. Keith “Troll that scares Children” Jardine, where he was 1 leg kick away from victory for three rounds, and still lost.

Sometimes being a seasoned veteran can work against you. Hermes Franca stayed utterly composed, never giving in to nerves, excitement, or frustration. He also nearly lost the fight because Varner came in and tried to win. However, Franca’s strategy paid off in the end, but maybe next fight he should let a little more emotion get involved.

Cheick Kongo may not be Dutch, but he might as well be. In Holland MMA is dominated by strikers, with ground fighting playing very little role. Wrestling is not a popular sport for young people, and a BJJ parlor is hard to find. Kongo came out of a good fight looking like a striking monster who was severely limited on the ground. Hopefully he can take a page out of Bas Rutten’s book, and leave off improving his already great striking to train his ground game intensively with a good camp. Keep your eye on this guy, because he’s going to be exciting to watch even if he never wears a belt.

Nick Diaz is a scrapper. Diaz brought his attitude to the ring with him and outboxed Neer brutally while seeming to hold off on the power to preserve cardio. Diaz looked somewhat gassed after the first round, but continued to throw on strength of will alone. Anyone who faces this kid better come ready.

Forrest Griffen learned to box. While the first fight was so exciting because Forrest had no choice but to wing bombs at bonnar’s head and eat blows to the face, he impressed this time with very sharp striking that frustrated Bonnar and made him retreat into his shell. Definitely not as exciting as the first, but much more impressive, as he maintained a higher workrate without any signs of fatigue.

Chuck Liddell punches hard. Okay, so this isn’t a new lesson, but his fight with Sobral was absurd. If his fight with Tito goes the same way, we’ll have to put Chuck at #1 in his weightclass worldwide. Sure Sobral opened up for the shot, but Chuck was still very impressive placing his shots and generating that kind of power while moving backwards. The Wanderlei fight needs to happen soon, while both men are healthy, a state not likely to continue long given that Crocop has a knack for hitting people really, really hard with his foot. I have next to no interest in the Tito fight, because unless something weird happens and Tito gets it down AND finishes it, it’s going to be a repeat of the first tilt.


Bushido 12

The best grappler in Japan is a pretty darn good grappler. While Black had a monster record, Aoki made him look like a fool with an extremely rarely-seen triangle from half-guard. Aoki’s banana pants might have been offensive, but he looked comfortable at the weight and adds a very exciting new dimension to pride’s already unbelievable LW division, being one of the best and most exciting grapplers in the world. He still runs forwards with his hands out like a gimp though, but he’s fast enough and long enough to get away with it. For now.

Gilbert Melendez is a gangster. From the long hair, to the ghetto-script “Melendez” tattoo across his back like an El Camino window, Melendez is a gritty scrapper. His fight with Obiya looked on the verge of ending in a brutal KO on several occasions, and Gilbert showed absolutely no hesitation in using the Pride rules to their fullest with stomps, flying stomps, knees to the head, and soccer kicks. Melendez looked good at the higher weight, and dominated just as he did at 143, but we’ll have to see him against one of the true giants in that class before we can be sure. Obiya proved to be a gamer, and landed some heavy shots that slowly Gilbert’s onslaught, but was out of the fight from the first time he was dropped.

Don’t mess with spiders. Brennan didn’t come to fight, and hopefully wasn’t hurt too badly on his way to pick up a paycheck. Kawajiri looked good.

Ishida kills grapplers. The energizer-bunny GnP continued to be effective for Ishida against yet another grappler. Ishida simply set a blistering pace that Marcello couldn’t keep up with. Ishida also showed why he has no submission losses on his record despite almost exclusively facing the best grapplers to fight in Japan. When someone tries to lock on a sub, he repositions himself and hits them, and if they still manage to put the sub on, he WILL NOT TAP. I expect Ishida to have to take some time off for healing and therapy on that arm. Tough fight.

Sakurai continues to look good at his new weight, and will hopefully avoid the slumps of his past and remain a major force in the best division in MMA.

Minowa is the hardest working man in showbiz.

Amar Suloev couldn’t deal with Kang’s power. Hopefully Suloev will take some time off and come back stronger. Kang enters the finals with incredible momentum.

Paulo Filho can submit someone if it’s handed to them. Legend has it that before every fight, Filho flips a coin to decide how he will win. Heads, armbar from mount, Tails unanimous decision. I guess the coin came up heads when sloppy bridging from Chonan left an arm vulnerable. A very very impressive fight for Filho, showing why he’s so highly respected as a grappler, and why so many are frustrated he often doesn’t try harder for a submission finish. Filho is an absolute monster in this division and everyone in the world needs to look out for him.

Mousasi might have lost, but he showed himself to be the real deal, and I should have given him more credit. Hopefully Pride will continue to use him to produce some exciting fights. I have my doubts about that though, given that he’s foreign and was brought in to lose.

Didn’t Dan Henderson used to be a wrestler who used his sloppy but powerful striking to setup takedowns from the clinch? Or was that just a dream I had?

Gomi is still a monster. While this wasn’t Gomi’s most spectacular fight of all time, he was never in danger at all. He however looked extremely uncomfortable on the ground, like he was about to vomit, even when he was in dominant position. Gomi used to have a dangerous GnP attack. What’s going on, Takanori?

The finals of the WWGP should be interesting. The best matchups would be Kang vs. Misaki in an excellent strikers matchup, and Gono vs. Filho in another intruiging fight. Filho can obviously win it on the ground, but I don’t see him subbing Gono so easily, and Gono is scrappy and experienced enough to make a real fight out of it, and maybe even win with strikes. It could be made a Final Conflict 2005 style Bushido supercard if they put Hansen vs. Gomi or Aurelio vs. Gomi on it for the title. Ishida is hot right now, but he needs time and I don’t want to see Gomi ruin him for a year or more.

Looking further into the mists of time, other fights can be seen.

• Kongo needs to fight someone whose name has been on a PPV before. Buentello would be a great matchup, but OOPS UFC let him go so he’s fighting Tank. Great work Dana, your HW division is so strong you’ll barely miss him.
• Nick Diaz needs to fight someone in that monster division he hasn’t fought before. GSP would beat him, but Diaz would make it a good fight, and it would reabilitate GSP for another title run. UFC doesn’t seem to really want Diaz anyway, so they could use that to give him the boot, and then maybe he could sign somewhere he was appreciated, like Pride or WFA.
• Forrest Griffen needs someone to fight. When Babalu is done crying, he could beat Forrest, but then what are they going to do, throw him at Chuck again? Hand Tito another loss after Chuck floors him? Sounds like a bad idea to me. This is what happens when you have thin divisions. Wilson Gouveia would be a good fight.
• Sakurai is getting his momentum up again after being floored by Gomi and needs someone to fight. He would probably prefer not to face someone else from the Ibraki top team, so Kawajiri and Ishida are out, so maybe a rematch of his bout with Shinya Aoki in shooto.
• Kawajiri needs to fight another top guy in Pride. He’s faced checkered opposition since his fighting Buscape and Gomi back-to-back. I wouldn’t mind a rematch of his “win” over Hansen in shooto, because that’s another fight that needs to happen. Shooto might want it to occur within its own ring though. Add Aoki, Melendez, and Ishida to the list of fighters that are in a great position to fight a tough opponent. Throw the names in a hat and no matter what, you’ll get good matchups.

To wrap up, I think butterbean is in good position to challenge Akebono at Wrestlemania LXIX.

DAN HENDERSON vs KAZUO MISAKI Pre-Fight Interview

All thanks and praise to Tensei for putting all these together. I won't usually hold non-opinion stuff like this, but it's not really available most other places to english-speakers.

KAZUO MISAKI
- My mind-state right now is calm, just waiting for the time. This time I cleaned my room with the determination that I may not make it back alive…well, I’m pretty clean so it wasn’t that messy anyways haha.

- Of course I want to win against Henderson in this rematch. I’m in this match with the intent to take it all. But in this fight, I want to be able to show what I’m about more so than the results. It’s not me who decides who wins or loses, that’s up to god to decide the outcome. I’m fine as long as I can do 100% of what I’m capable of. If I can give it all and lose then I have no regrets, and if I win then it’ll add to my confidence.

- When I went to the states and trained with Ricardo Almeida, it was more MMA than jiujitsu. In his dojo there were champs, big fighters, amateur fighters that were strong, and it was a fulfilling training period. I also did some training in the gi. He taught me techniques I didn’t know about, and it really brought me back to the basics. It reminded me of the time when I first started doing judo and martial arts. “Pounce the opponent in front of you, beat the opponent in front of you,” that feeling. If I can mix his techniques and my own decisiveness, and pull out all of my abilities, then it’ll be good. I need to dig deep and get back to the basics.

- Henderson said “you can’t get that much stronger in a couple months?” I think so too, haha. But the same goes for him too. What’s different is that I still have a lot more room for improvement than him. He was my goal ever since I started, and in terms of age, experience, and mentality, there’s still a large gap that I have yet to fill. Before he was simply the stronger fighter, but in a fight anything happens. Even in a rematch this soon there might be some growth. That, you just have to find out in the fight.

- This time I just want to let out 100% of my potential, so it’s not like a win-or-bust situation for me. If I give 100% of my potential and lose, then that just means it wasn’t enough. I just gotta do what I gotta do. Before I said I will win no matter what, but since my last fight my thinking changed. I will win, well every fighter thinks that.

- Saturday will surely be an exciting fight, so I want the fans to support us with their energy.


DAN HENDERSON




- The reason I’m tanned isn’t because I did something special, when I was at my home in California it just naturally became like this. I’m easily tanned, I’m not necessarily competing with the always tanned Misaki haha.

- Watching the Opening round, I think there are a bunch of tough fighters overall. With that many tough fighters it’ll be a good stage to test my skill. Filho and Kang are named as some of the favorites for the GP, but in a match anything can happen so you never know who will advance. But as a champ ready to take them on, I have nothing to fear. Right now I’m just focusing on the Misaki fight. I didn’t do anything technical for the training, I just trained myself to a good condition.

- When Misaki fought Baroni it has only been two months since my match, so I don’t know too much about where he improved. But any fighter will become better with more experience. At any rate, Misaki is a very tough fighter and should not be taken lightly.

- But I still intend to stand on top. I won’t let anyone take that away. I just took this rematch offer because Pride gave it to me, I will beat down anyone in front of me. Do I have confidence that I will win the WW GP again? If I didn’t have that confidence then I wouldn’t be here.

AKIHIRO GONO vs GERARD MOUSASI Pre-Fight Interview

Credit to Tensei

AKIHIRO GONO

- Man we’re in huge trouble…I came into Nagoya but the dancers are arriving on that day. I told everyone to practice on their own and I gave them the video, but it’ll be right before the event itself when we all rehearse. I’m okay, I’m worried that we won’t be on the same beat.

- It should be good, we increased the budget this time. Where did the budget increase come from? From my fight money last time. My own pocket, haha. I want to do something different everytime for the fans who come out to see the event. You need the appropriate investment for that. Not that I have any chance of seeing any returns on it.

- I’ll just say one thing to the fans that will come over. This performance is dependent on the audience to catch the joke. Please make sure you catch the damn joke! I hope everyone will have sharp wits and will see what I’m trying to express. “Ohhh I see,” “I can’t believe he said that!” That’s the kind of reaction I’m looking for. Well, whether you like it or not isn’t my responsibility.

- I don’t really know much about Mousasi. I mean, in the three fights he fought Japanese guys he only did one-two combinations. He’s an amateur boxing world champion right? Great. In terms of just punches, I’m above the level of Japan. I think I’m on a world-wide level. I think I’m at least around OPBF level. I even think I have a shot at becoming a champion in Japanese boxing. So I’m above the level of a Dutch amateur boxing champ. If it’s possible I’d like to put on boxing gloves and fight him in a boxing match. I want to try to see who’s better.

- When I was his age I had some amount of talent, and some people called me a prodigy. But now I have a lot of experience instead. I’ll show him what a vet is like. Afterall, I’m “Magic Man” (*OTers flame away). I gave myself that nickname haha. Some boxer had that nickname and I jacked it from there, but my entrance, fighting, everything is jacked too. That’s what learning is, jacking.

- I look weak, and as a farming civilization we’re not physically as strong. In Pride I have a pretty small frame too. So people think they can win, but they end up falling into my pace. That’s Magic Man! This fight will be like magic, and he’ll be in my world before you know it.

- Until the fight I want to wander around the city, maybe enter a book store and spend an elegant holiday. I think most people are looking forward to my entrance rather than my fight, but that’s ok. My entrance improved but my fight is okay, but I’ll try to make it for you guys so yo ro shi ku!

GERARD MOUSASI
- I got the scar beneath my right eye when I got punched during sparring. Usually my partner is very careful about these things though. It’s just an accident, haha.

- I wasn’t really satisfied with how the Opening round fight went. I really wanted to be more aggressive when I got his back but I was too cautious about his subs and couldn’t really go all out. In the Gono match I want to fight like I usually do.

- I’m a striker, but I trained a lot of ground work during this time. I worked a lot on controlling the opponent and punching in various situations. I also did some weight training and so I’m more powerful now too.

- Gono is a tough fighter and it’s hard to stop his movements. He’s undoubtedly a good fighter. I respect his boxing skills but I’m better. Gono said he’ll use plenty of time to hurt me? He’s a funny guy, he probably just says those things haha.

- I think Gono is looking for ways to tire out the opponent, but I won’t fall for that. I don’t mind standing or the ground, but standing is better for KO. It’ll be a tough fight but I’ll be the winner.

- I’m looking forward to Gono’s entrance performance too haha. If he takes time like that entering then I can spend that time focusing in the ring, and I can warm up too. The audience will be in an uproar as well. If I was good at dancing then I could dance too, but I don’t think that’s my character haha.

RYO CHONAN vs PAULO FILHO Pre-Fight Interview

Tensei did the translation, I'm just the monkey who put it up.

RYO CHONAN



- My mind is clear right now, in a state of nothingness. Last time I was on a two loss streak so I was a bit nervous, but I’m usually pretty empty with my thoughts.

- Filho is very strong. Takedown, jiujitsu on the ground. That’s where he puts his game on the line. I don’t think he’ll be the champ. I’m not saying that I’ll be the one to stop him, but the top athletes like Dan and Kang are great in takedowns, ground, stand up, basically everything. Filho doesn’t do the stand up so that’s a question mark. That’s what I want to go for two. In most cases I’d be very glad to be fighting Filho….

- Not to make any excuses, but to be honest my condition is the worst. But when I fought Suda in DEEP my condition was also bad, in that case though it actually helped me get into it even more. So it’s not all bad. I have nothing to lose, so I’m just going to go right in and give it all I got. I hope the fans will enjoy watching it.

- I don’t hate summer, but you kinda wanna party around if you can right? Haha by the time my fight is over, summer is pretty much at an end. Before, the room I lived in didn’t have A/C and we only had a fan so I’m used to the hot weather. Also my neighbor was very loud and so I would rather be outdoors than stay in the room. Well I still like training too.

- I don’t know how far I can go, but I want to entertain the fans at least. If I gas out then you can just laugh and say “that fool didn’t practice enough.”



PAULO FILHO


- Condition is extremely good. Training went well. In the Opening round I was sick and couldn’t train well, but this time I’m doing ok.

- Chonan is a very tough fighter. He’s also a dangerous opponent. I respect him but I will defeat him in a good fight. I can’t really explain his strengths, but he never gives up. With that determination, when he’s about to lose he comes back to win. That’s dangerous. When my teammate Jucao fought him, I was surprised by the way he fought. I want to be cautious this time in order not to let him turn the fight around.

- At the press conference a day after the Opening round I said “I want to fight a Japanese fighter,” and it came true so I’m happy. Not just this tournament, but there are a lot of strong Japanese fighters so I wanted to have the opportunity to face one of them. I’m glad it became a reality. Japanese fighters are tough, and they have decisive techniques. I think all the fighters are dangerous.

- I didn’t train with Rickson this time. He was busy so there was no time. But we did some talking. So this time, like always, I did a lot of sparring with my teammates. At the gym I do striking as well as the ground game, so while I don’t know how things will go in a match, I can react against both. Of course I’m a BJJ fighter so I want a sub, but I want to end the fight in a good fashion so I’m interested in a KO too.

- In the other GP matches I’m watching out for Kang VS Suloev and Misaki VS Henderson. Also, it’s not the GP but Mach VS Azevedo as well. I actually knew Azevedo for a while now, he has technique and a lot of heart. I was very happy to hear that he would be in Bushido. I’m confident that he will be able to fight a good match.

- I’m very happy about the news that Mike Tyson, who I respect, will be a part of Pride now. I think he’ll do well in Pride as well. If I get matched against him then I’ll take it any time, but I’d rather be a friend than his opponent haha.

DENIS KANG


- My condition is very good. This year I’ve been fighting a lot without rest, so I’ve been maintaining my good condition at all times. I feel I’m naturally staying in shape.

- Suloev is in the second round, so he must be a strong fighter. He’s especially strong with kicks. His kickboxing skill and footwork is good too. But I’m better at applying pressure and in terms of overall skills, so I don’t feel intimidated by him. I will be relaxed going into the fight, but it’s times like these where you can eat a counter so I want to be cautious too.

- I will first engage in stand up, and want to eventually take it to the ground. Subs are the fastest ways to finish a fight. I think the fight will go basically the way I just said. Recently I’ve been doing a lot of wrestling, boxing, and jiujitsu. For subs I like kimura, arm bars, and RNCs.

- Some fans are saying that I’m one of the strong contenders in winning the GP, after watching my fight at the Opening Round. To me that’s a great source of pride and honor. I really deeply appreciate the fans. Right now I’m maintaining a good condition, but in order to become a champ I think I would have to train even harder.

- In this event, Butterbean who joined the American Top Team 3-4 weeks ago will also be completing. He’s very famous in the states. He has a lot of experience, and he’s huge so everyone’s surprised. And he only came to ATT recently, but he absorbs techniques amazingly fast. For us this was really surprising. He basically has no neck, so he has the advantage of being hard to choke.

- I have pride in representing ATT. Compared to the other teams we are relatively young, but we have a lot of strong fighters. I want to take home the belt and give the team an additional boost. I don’t know the percentages of winning or losing, but I have 150% confidence in fighting on the ring. I want to win for the Japanese fans and dedicate the belt for you guys.


AMAR SULOEV
- My condition is very good right now. I went to a training camp in terms of special preparation for the match. We trained in a school gym type place with the Emelianenko brothers and the Red Devil team for a month. We did a lot of things so I can’t explain it all here.

- I’ve always been interested in my opponent Denis, I’ve known about him for a while now. Our weights are the same so I thought I’d face him eventually. My game plan is to just go out there and fight. It’ll be a good fight. If he goes to the ground it should be a pretty good match. I’m ready all round, including grappling.

- I’m glad people say I’m one of the favorites to win after the Opening round. I think in the 2nd Round all the fights will be great.

NOBUHIRO OBIYA VS GILBERT MELENDEZ Pre-Fight Interview

Tensei did the translation. I owe him.


NOBUHIRO OBIYA


- All that’s left to do is to do it. It’s exciting. My fatigue from training is recovered too. I went to a wrestling training camp for a week so it took a little time to get the fatigue out, but I got to relax so it turned out well.

- Did I gain anything from the training camp? Yes, I haven’t trained that much before. Aniki (big bro = Gomi) also went to tune up, so it was fun getting ready for the fight. I ran forever on the summer ski slopes so my stamina and my lower body strength are definitely better. Also it was at a high altitude, so all that running was in thinner air. My athletic capabilities are increased and my balance is better than before.

- For this fight I trained in a different training environment from before. Gomi-san built his own gym and moved away from our team, so I decided to think for myself and take advantage. That lead to me building my confidence too.

- I talked with Gomi-san, he told me “Don’t let your fight end as a tidy little victory.” “This is Bushido, it’s Pride.” Of course, I don’t intend to just go for a small non-descript win. I will always fight to the best of my abilities, and I will go buck wild. I want to fight a match where people will say “it was the most dangerous and insane.”

- Gilbert Melendez is young and aggressive. I’m pissed off. He said in an interview that he wants to fight Gomi. I’ll show him it’s a hundred years too early for Melendez to take him on.

- I’m just trying to hold back the urge to go buck wild. I’ll relax for now. For me, I wait to turn on the switch til the very last moment. Until the fight I will zone out, relax, and increase my focus. I think everyone went to all the summer festivals of Japan, but I think this fight can make people say that “Bushido was the best festival of summer.” I want this fight to be a manly fight.




GILBERT MELENDEZ

- I’ve been training all this time to fulfill the dream of being in Pride, so I’m glad that it came true. Pride has the top fighters from all over the world, its competition level and entertainment value are both wonderful.

- I trained a lot for this fight, I’m in great shape. I used to fight as 65kg but I wasn’t really feeling good. By going to 73kg I feel more healthy, and stronger as well.

- I respect Obiya, I saw a couple of his fights in DEEP and he was a really strong fighter. I feel honored to be able to fight him. His left hook has a lot of speed and is dangerous, so I want to especially look out for that. I will keep fighting with the intent to finish him, and I want to finish him as quickly as possible.

- I’ve been training a lot of grappling and wrestling, I want to show that technique in the fight. To give you a hint, I want to fight with wrestling as the backbone. But I became pretty tough now, and my jiujitsu skills have increased. In one word, you can say that I’m an all-round fighter.

- I feel that my striking skills have increased since first coming over to Japan. I’ve been training hard, haha. I think I’m stronger now than the last time I fought in Japan, so I want you guys to look forward to that. I’m a pretty chill person, but once I’m on the ring I will beat anybody who steps in front of me.

- Do I want to fight the champ Gomi? Right now I want to gain some experience inside the Pride ring. But I will definitely climb to the status of the champion. Gomi knows no fear and you can tell he has killer instinct. He’s a very tough fighter. But that’s the same for me too. I always want to win with a KO, never a decision.

SHINYA AOKI PRE-FIGHT INTERVIEW

Thanks to Tensei for translation. Jason Black was unavailable.

- My mentality is as usual. I don’t feel different about being in Pride, and just because I’m in a fight I don’t feel anything special about it too. I think I should be in my best form for the fight.

- My impression of Jason Black…he’s white, haha. That’s about it. I think he’s pretty good on the ground, but I think I’m better. His mentality of winning by submission is very good, I should take notes from him haha. He’s like me, somewhat big for this division. The cutting this time was pretty good. I was pretty small to be fighting in Shooto at 76kg, but I didn’t think the weight would drop this smoothly. I realized after cutting but I think this is my best weight at this point.

- It’s just my personal opinion, but I think my ground game’s the best, so I’m just out working hard to prove my personal opinion. I don’t have a game plan, but I have an image of how I’ll pull off the win. Regardless of the circumstance I think my body will react, and I always think going into a fight that I’ll be winning with a sub, so it’s the same as usual. In Pride, I think Big Nog and Fabricio are good grapplers. But I won’t be the “New Nogueira,” I’ll be the “New Imanari” haha. By the way Imanari told me to be careful because the Pride fight times are long. But grappling matches often have 10 minute first rounds, and it’s sometimes easier to have longer rounds for grappling.

- The number of subs I can use? I should say something like 2000 for you guys, haha. I don’t usually do those kinds of lip service, but my moves are all textbooks, I just have a lot of “transitions into techniques.” I can’t brag like I have a couple thousand……maybe as much as the stars in the sky? haha

- For the fans that see me for the first time, I want them to see….my face. Haha seriously, I really want them to see the ground techniques, the accuracy of submissions. People tend to think subs are bland, but I will show a flashy and attractive submission game. Ofcourse, if I have a chance to pull off a flying something then I definitely will go for it.

- To get here I’ve been helped and supported by a lot of people, so I want to show them a great fight. After making weight I want to eat and fight in a good condition.
*Jason Black flew in late, therefore was not present for the interview.

HATSU HIOKI vs. JEFF CURRAN Pre-Fight Interview

All praise to Jesus...err....Tensei

- I just feel that my match is approaching. I don’t especially feel any pressure. I’m usually able to turn nervousness to my advantage. My condition is great, all my techniques should be functioning well.

- I saw several of Curran’s videos, he’s also well rounded and his submissions are especially strong. I am going to be watching out for his guillotines and triangles from the guard. Other than that, he seems tough and persistent. I think he’ll be a good opponent for me.

- It’s my first time fighting in Pride, everyone around me is hyped and there will be 130 people coming to cheer me just in terms of the people related to my gym. For the fans that will see me the first time, I want them to see the Strike-Throw-Submit interaction that is unique to MMA. I’m not going to change my style because it’s Pride, instead I’ll fight the same way I usually do. I believe that if I’m able to fight at my pace, the performance will naturally be received well by the audience. I trained hard for this fight, so I will relax for the rest of the time leading up to the fight.


JEFF CURRAN

- I’m very excited to be in Pride for the first time. They gave me the opportunity to be in such a big show, I want to give it everything I got. I always wanted to be in Pride, it’s an exciting show for those that are watching too. I was getting all pumped up watching the fighter intro clips, haha.

- In this fight, I want to show the best performance of my career as a fighter. That way hopefully I can continue to participate in Pride. My strongest point as a fighter is my high level of technique. I’m also confident that I can fight intelligently. It’ll be a very tough fight for my opponent because I have a low chance of making mistakes. I think he’ll be very frustrated because the fight won’t go according to his game plan. I also have confidence in the power of my punches. On the ground I’ll go for a submission victory too.

- Hioki is an all-round fighter, and he’s proven that he’s a good fighter with his record. I think he’s talented, and he can stand as well as submit. His reach is long so he has an advantage in his boxing too. But in terms of physical strength, I can overcome him. Can he still stand after taking my punches?

- There’s danger lurking in every fight. As for me, the key point in this fight is power. If you ask what’s his most dangerous skill, you can say everything. Also, I’m not the type to formulate a deep game plan before the fight, I just go with the flow on the ring so I’m ready for whatever he brings to the table.

- I did special training for this fight. I usually do my routine training, but with each opponent I make slight adjustments. Also, I fine tuned my condition and technique. This time I want to fight smart. I’ll just say that I trained in a way where I can keep fighting in a good condition even if it becomes a long fight.

- Hioki wants to have a fight with a lot of Strike-Throw-Submit action? Same goes for me. Both of us are smooth on the ground and have good takedown technique. I’m confident in my punches too. It’ll be exactly what the fans want.

- Do I want to fight the champion Gomi? I can’t really say anything at this point, but if they will give me the match then I will love to take it. Personally, I think since Aurelio beat him, Aurelio is the rightful champion at this point. But Gomi is a super star, even if it’s a non-title match I’d like to take him on.

- A lot of fans probably think of me as a ZST fighter. I intend to step on the ring representing ZST. I appreciate what ZST has done for me, and ZST is a great event too. For ZST who gave me good experience, and for my team, I would like to fight representing them. I want a good result.

BUSHIDO 12 PICKS AND PREDICTIONS

Feel free to disagree in the comments, and to remind me how awesome I am once they all come true. Or you know, what a retard I am and how poorly I picked them.

Hatsu Hioki vs. Jeff Curran
Both guys are very impressive, and really should help form a new 143 lb division in Pride. Make it happen. Curran has fought and beat the better fighters, notably taking Kid Yamamoto to decision, but don’t be surprised if Hioki steps up his game and wins it. Should be a very close fight. Curran by submission round 2.

Shinya Aoki vs. Jason Black
Black has a ridiculously good record, but against low-level fighters. He has trouble dealing with great grapplers. Aoki is pretty much the best Japanese grappler alive right now. Uh-oh Mr. Black. Black stands a chance of winning it because Aoki isn’t incredibly durable and runs forwards with his arms out like a gimp, but Black isn’t a GnP monster. Look for Aoki to just cream him with subs. Black could survive to the end of the match to lose a decision based on sub attempts, but Aoki has made incredible grapplers look like children, so expect a sub round 1. Aoki by submission round 1.

Nobuhiro Obiya vs. Gilbert Melendez
Two undefeated former shooters are stepping up in weight to fight it out. Obiya trains with Gomi and has wins over tough opposition in DEEP. Melendez is a monster in the featherweight division, so he shouldn’t be badly outsized at 160, but the real question is how much of his ability depends on being a giant compared to his opponents, who don’t cut nearly as much weight at featherweight. That said, Melendez is a finisher and a brutal one. I’ve never seen him even in trouble in a fight, and he can smash people standing or on the ground. Look for him to finish early. Melendez TKO Round 1

Tatsuya Kawajiri vs. Chris Brennan
A few weeks ago, Brennan was bitten by a brown recluse spider and tried to pull out of this fight. A brown recluse’s venom dissolves and kills muscle and tissue and is very serious. Serious business. For reasons unknown (most likely involving the phrase “never fight for DSE again”) Brennan has decided he will take the fight after all, so expect him to look worse than usual and gas badly. That said, Kawajiri is still burning from his embarrassingly one-sided loss to Gomi, and wants to prove a point in every fight. He’s out for blood, so I would expect a stoppage in round 1 even if Brennan came at 100%. Kawajiri TKO Round 1.

Mitsuhiro Ishida vs. Christiano Marcello
Marcello is the BJJ coach for Chute Boxe. Since Chute Boxe is the best thing to happen to Pride since Takada dojo, he gets to fight in the big show. Unfortunately, he’s being set up in a “look how awesome our ‘new’ Japanese fighter is” match. Ishida is essentially un-subbable. In addition to great grappling skill, the guy WILL NOT TAP. He’s a workhorse and is going to drive a GnP pace Marcello can’t hang with. Marcello isn’t nearly as big as Aurelio, so he’s going to get beat up worse, but will most likely make it to the closing bell, with lots of bruises and swelling. Ishida by decision.

Hayato Sakurai vs. Luciano Azevedo
Sakurai is an elder statesman of MMA at this point, but he looks to be in the best shape of his life. The guy can do it all, judo throws, wrestling, kickboxing, and submissions. These years will be regarded as the peak of his career if he can avoid going into another lazy slide of uninspired fights. Azevedo is a very talented fighter with a great submission rate for any grappler, especially one that claims luta-livre as his style, but I don’t think he’ll be able to control Sakurai’s game. “Mach” is going to take it to him standing with short punchs and heavy leg-kicks, in what should be a highlight fight.. Mach KO round 1.

Ikuhisa Minowa vs Eric “Butterbean” Esch
Who cares, how it turns out, this fight is going to be awesome. Seriously though, Minowa’s wrestling and subs will probably let him submit Butterbean without too much trouble. But the bean is taking his training seriously it seems, and is actually with a great team in ATT. He’s beaten 5 in a row with submissions under various special rules, and he can always turn someone’s face inside out with a punch, so it should be pretty exciting. Minowa Submission round 1.

Takanori Gomi vs. David Baron
David Baron has a lot going for him. He’s 10 and 1. He’s a snappy dresser and has a cool haircut. He’s also probably going to make a decent payday getting chin-checked by the best LW in the world. Gomi KO round 1 2 minutes


THAT OTHER PRIDE TOURNAMENT

Gegard Mousasi vs. Akihiro Gono
Please do not be confused by Gegard’s record. Travis Fulton would blush to have wins over some of these guys. Gegard was brought in for one purpose: to lose to Takimoto and put him over, to make DSE’s investment in him worthwhile. It seems reasonable: French kickboxer with questionable ground skills and an impressive-sounding record with nobody that great on it vs a great judo player. Has UFC 1 written all over it. Too bad Takimoto doesn’t have a mean bone in his body. Gono is going to have his with with Mousasi, if he doesn’t gas out during his entrance (or blow a knee Aerts style). Gono submits Mousasi round 1.

Denis Kang vs. Amar Suloev
Kang, a former BJJ fighter, has gotten a taste of the knockout and likes it. Look for him to gun for more bombs in this fight. It’s really hard to judge where Kang is now from the Ninja fight, because in any fight that ends that fast, someone got lucky. He hasn’t lost since 2003, which, interestingly, is the last time he faced a great opponent. Still, 18 fights without a loss against even middling opponents is impressive, and Kang has fought a lot of good, if not great fighters. Meanwhile Suloev has been fighting very solid guys and impressing everyone when he comes out of his shell and tries to win. If Kang can get aggressive and score early and put Suloev on the back foot, he could take this. But I expect quality will shine through in a close fight, and Suloev will surprise people by winning this one. Suloev by Decision.

Ryo Chonan vs. Paulo Filho
I’m sorry. I want Ryo to win, but Filho is going to hold him down. Chonan’s only hope is some kind of cut or injury, which isn’t impossible as he’s won by cut before and Filho is often injured. Don’t be surprised to see the armbar, but I don’t think it’ll come, because Chonan really wants and needs this fight. Filho by Decision

Dan Henderson vs. Kazuo Misaki
This rematch should be interesting. I honestly don’t think Dan is that hungry anymore, or really ever was. The man is just naturally a competitor, but I don’t think he cares about the belt particularly, and just wants to go in there and fight. I think Misaki really feels he can prove something and be the great Japanese hope in the 183lb division. Expect Misaki to try to implement the same game of technical striking, with a little more refinement. Dan’s going to come in and do what he always does: use his power and toughness to keep it even on the feet, and use his wrestling ability to control the pace of the fight. If Misaki doesn’t screw up and eat a bomb, and Dan comes in shape and doesn’t fall apart later in the fight, Dan’s going to take a clear decision in a solid technical fight. Henderson by Decision

TAKANORI GOMI vs DAVID BARON PRE-FIGHT INTERVIEW


Thanks to Tensei for translation.

TAKANORI GOMI


- This time I'm feeling excited for my match. Unlike last time when I was feeling like I had to do this. The WWGP is going on, and there are also the LW fighters who made things pretty interesting the first half this year.

- For some reason I'm the main eventer this time haha. I learned that just now, but no one wants to see a decision in the main event. They want some sort of results. A KO loss or a sub loss. KO or sub, they must see this happen. So I feel good and relaxed. It's a great opportunity to bring out everything I did in training. Right now it's summer vacation for people, maybe alot of people will come. It feels good. I don't have to worry about the results, I'll just keep going forward. That's my mentality this time.

- I do feel that I want to show the Nagoya fans something great live. Maybe I can show them something amazing. My theme is "Explosion." In the end we can all get rowdy.

- The last time I exploded was in NYE. It feels like the first fight in 8 months since then. So I don't know what will happen. I do have some nervousness, but I'm working hard everyday so I think it's fine. I even made my own gym. I built it with the prize money I won with my own fists. That's why I can explode as I like on the ring. Going forward I want to fight a few fights where I have no regrets. I don't have to be preoccupied with the results.

- I want to be on the ring soon. I'm even a bit antsy, which is rare. That's why I want to be natural, not worried about the results, and fight with a bit of curiosity about where I will go next. It's not like last year when it was all "Gomi must win." The fans this time will get to see "What will Gomi be like when he goes all out?" I don't think they want to see a solid decision. I will be in there relaxed and free of worries. There's only several fights an year, so I want to have some fun.

- After the wrestling camp, I tuned up at the gym for a week. I didn't get anything special from training at the camp, but maybe it'll show up in the gym.

- David Baron seems like a solid opponent. He looks like the type who trains the basics alot. He's good at fighting from the top and holding opponents down, he punches well too. To win in this ring, you gotta show that you're on another level from the opponent. There are that many top fighters around, and some fighters become top fighters after going into Pride. So I want to be on the offensive against those upcoming fighters, and press the fight.

- An event is over with the main event, so I just want to go all out. I want the crowd to be heated up too. I want everyone to just burn up into flames this summer. Everyone has their festivals and fireworks to go to in the summer, but from September schools begin, so I want them to think of this event as the final festival of the summer.

- Rascal Gym opened recently, and I get to be at the starting line before any of the gym members so I feel a little destiny in that sense. I want them to see me and follow me. It's a good timing, this time alot of things are happening at the right time. I think all the students at the gym are interested in what happens, but they already get to see a peak of this world 1 month after they started. I hope they would think "some day I'll be the one" and have fun training. I want to fight in a way to signify the birth of the Rascal gym.

- My corner will be Bushin-juku's Suzuki Nobuya-san. Also my gym students. They take care of me too. I don't really want a top 3 fighter in my corner. If everyone says different opinions then it messes things up. I'd rather have support than advice. This time I'll fight blond. My color is pretty faded now. If I have time I'll try to go to a salon.

DAVID BARON




- I'm glad to be fighting in Pride. I started judo at 9, I started Savate and Kempo, I feel that I finally made it here. In judo I won the military's regionals, and I eventually became the champ for the military. The reason I was in the military tourneys was because I used to be a fireman, and firemen in France are under the military.

- Unfortunately I didn't make the Olympic team, but in the judo world tournament for firefighters I lost to a Japanese guy and was second place. The reason I started MMA was because I wanted to become a more complete fighter.

- I use my Savate skills in MMA alot. Savate is basically like Muay Thai, but as opposed to using the face of your feet like in Muay Thai, you use the whole feet in Savate.

- I saw Gomi's videos alot of times, he can punch, wrestle, and grapple. It won't be an easy fight. But in terms of ground technique I'm definitely better. I'm finally able to enter the event I wanted to. I want to give my best and have an exciting match. Gomi's called the Fireball Kid, well I'm a firefighter so I'll put out that fire haha.

Eric "Butterbean" Esch Pre-fight Interview


Again thanks to Tensei. Minowa was unavailable. Probably flagpole sitting or swalloing goldfish.


BUTTERBEAN
- I'm very excited about my first Pride fight. I always liked Pride, I feel honored to be able to fight in the best ring in the world.

- The reason I've been doing MMA lately is because MMA is fun. Because of my big body, boxing tends to get boring. By contrast there are so many factors in MMA, it goes well with my big heard. I train at ATT now, they're like family to me now.

- My best weapon is obviously punches, but my ground game improved now too. Before people used to say "he's over after he gets taken down" but now it's different. I'll shock everyone with my "Bean"JJ, haha.

- My best move I guess is the choke? I won several times with chokes and it'll be fun to beat Minowa with a choke. Well I'm like a turtle and I don't have a neck, so I don't think Minowa will be able to choke me. By the way I'll fight at around 390 pounds. There are other MMA fighters that are as big as me, but they don't have stamina. I have that stamina, and I know how to use my body effectively.

- Minowa is strong and brave, he's one of my favorite fighters. This match will be between two brave warriors, so I think it'll be really exciting, and I myself am looking forward to this fight. I have to watch out for his leg locks though. So I will try to keep him from geting to my legs. On the other hand if I'm standing then there's nothing to be afraid of. Minowa, go ahead and punch me as much as you want, I'll just stand there smiling haha.

- Minowa fought tall fighters before, but he probably never fought a big and strong guy like me. This fight will be Minowa's techniques versus Butterbean's power. Some are comparing this to Ali VS Inoki, but Inoki knows nothing about the ground game. I will show you the new style: BeanJitsu I'm learning at ATT. I'm as big as two Ali's!

- Would I rather win with a KO or a win? What does the audience want to see? I don't mind either way. If they want a KO, I'll give them a KO!