Sengoku plays Sumo Hall in Tokyo 11-7

Sengoku plays Sumo Hall in Tokyo 11-7
By Crimson Mask



SENGOKU 11, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, Japan 11/07/2009

Japan's low-gimmick promotion is back with another very solid looking card. And here goes the opening video. Music's interesting, sorta atonal. And here's the opening ceremony. Nothing fancy this time. Masvidal is announced from Cuba and looks like he's got the flu.

RONNIE USHIWAKA MANN (142.4) vs. SHIGEOKI OSAWA (142.9)

Card kicks right into high gear with this matchup of 23 year old possible future superstars. Mann has a huge experience edge vs. the undefeated Osawa. Osawa is shown with amateur wrestling bg on the video, sporting medals and trophies, and punching power on his MMA clips. Only 7 months in MMA. Mann we have seen before and is very good on the ground and appears to have an edge in height and reach.

Osawa lefty. Mann right lead lands. Another 2-1 as Osawa enters. Clinch, Mann knees the head and takes back. Hooks in. Cross face. Knees the head. Hooks back in. Here's the RNC. One hook out. Osawa drops Mann forward on his head and reverses. FG. Mann always working for position. Osawa drops punches when he has an opening which isn't much, some land, some don't. Warned for back of the head. Mann tries rubber guard but Osawa too tight on him. Close round but Mann 10-9. Osawa lumped up some from the early punches, right eye closing.

Mann forgets his mouthpiece lol. Both feinting at long range, Mann lands a bodykick, Osawa returns one. Mann hits one again. Tries to pull Guillotine but Osawa slips it and is on top in HG. Mann tunrs into him and Osawa gets a Guillotine. Nada. Mann on a leg, Osawa punches the head and they're up. Osawa wild with a right. Mann drills one. Osawa may be gassing. Mann beating him to the punch. Lands to the body and shoots a double. Osawa hangs on the ropes but gets TDed, tries a Guillotine but nada. Mann on top in HG. Osawa gives up back. Mann gets body scissors and partial choke but Osawa turnes sideways. Mann goes for an arm. Hammers away at the bell. Mann 10-9.

Osawa looking very beat up. Wild with a HK. Mann kicks the body. Osawa missing short with kicks. Mann LK. Osawa tries a lead upper from center field. Mann right lead. Both miss a lot. Mann HK. Ref TO to look at Osawa's eye. Or... not. What the fuck was that about. Osawa left hook. Mann HK, pulls triangle. Nada. Osawa on top in FG. Some little hammerfists. Mann tries RG again, nada. Osawa slips it and drops a punch. Ref standup. Warns Mann for being half black. Osawa starts landing his looping shots. Flash KD. Mann shoots, clinches, knees, takes Osawa down. Takes Back. Osawa backdrops, reverses. Trade little punches. I think Osawa won that round but Mann should take the fight. Osawa impressive for his experience level. Mann takes the UD. Good fight.

DAVE 'Pee Wee' HERMAN (239.6) vs. JIM YORK (256.4)

Pee Wee figures to just have too much natural ability for the big tough Kiwi but we remember what happened last time he came to Japan and should have won easy. Got his ass whupped, is what. Here's their recent fight clips, which we have all seen. Oh Dear God---Pee Wee comes in to Boy George 'Do You Really Wanna Hurt Me'. Looks in great shape. We hope. Apparently trains at a real gym now, instead of his garage, since the asswhupping. Pee Wee has height, youth, experience and reach but gives up weight.

Pee Wee lefty. Early clinch. Gets some knees. And the TD although double underhooked. HG. York flips him over and lands a big right as they come up. York landing a lot here. Drops Pee Wee with a right as he tries to kick, Pee Wee upkicks and York grabs a heel hook and drops to his back. Pee Wee ax kicks 5 times from his back and the third one knocks York cold. That was... different.

YUJI HOSHINO (143.3) vs. MARLON SANDRO (143.3)

The multi-talented Sandro was victimized by a horrible decision to Omigawa in the GP and finds himself on the undercard tonight. Hoshino up from the minors and figures to be outmatched. Cage Force champion. Has been off all year injured. No film on him, just stillshots. Sandro is King of Pancrase. Shows his two sick wins in the GP and his reaction to the ripoff decision. Stats very close. Sandro looks a bit bigger and in a foul mood.

Sandro LKs a couple. Yuji counters with a right lead. Sandro bangs a left hook, clinch. Yuji tries a trip, nada. Ref break. Yuji body kicks, Sandro counters with a right. Clinch. Sandro kneeing, blocking Yuji's. Ref break. Yuji body kicks, Sandro counters a right hook, follows up with another, and good night. Sandro cuts his promo in Portuguese, then English asking for a title shot.

AKIHIRO GONO (167.6) vs. KIM YOON YOUNG (167.1)

The veteran Gono comes off the horrible head kick KO loss to Dan Hornbuckle and might be entering the punching bag career phase here. 'Snake Eater' Kim a sub specialist up from the minors. We see the horrible KO several times. We see Kim nailing a RNC. He looks very tall. They throw Ramen to the crowd---Shin Ramen is another Kim nic and is how he is announced. Here's a Gono entrance! OMG---he's not in costume. No dancing. His first straight entrance ever. Well, coming off that KO, don't blame him. Gives up 13 years and 5 inches. Huge edge in experience. Kim not a striker so maybe thought 'safe'.

Mirror game early. Gono LK. Another, Kim has a 1-2 but not landing it. Eats a left hook. LK. Kim jab. Gono LK, right hand. Kim's hands and feet are slow. Gono countering easily. Kim pulls full guard. Latches onto an arm. Tries a triangle. Has Gono's hands trapped. Gono 10-9.

Gono lands some LKs, eats a body shot, shoots and scores but Kim has him wrapped up again. Gono gets loose for a sec and drops a right. Kim after Kimura. Gono pulls out. Kim after triangle, Gono gets to HG. Tries to posture back, Kim regains FG. Gono stands, scrambles to side, but Kim regains HG. Gono trying to get his leg out, can't. Kim goes for the arm again. Gono passes to side. NS. Up. Kim lands a right lead. Gono didn't like it. And a 2-1. Not much on them. Gono left hook. Not much action. 10-10.

Kim getting more aggressive. Combo, clinch. Gono bangs out of it. Kim's shots starting to land. Gono drops him with a right, knee on the way up. Hook, right, flying knee. Kim hurt but keeps coming. Gono starting to land at will. Left hook, left upper. Kim keeps coming and bangs the body. Gono has the left hook zeroed in now. HK. Kim reeling. Flying knee. LK. Body shots. Kim fires back. Gono landing everything. Kim still there and tries a HK. Lands a low kick and TO. Smart if intentional, HE needed the rest. He's all bloodied up. Gono TD. Kim octopuses, tries a triangle. Gono drops a right. Gono 10-8 and wraps up the UD.

Gono switches to very VERY fluent English---beyond fluent actually, eloquent and grammatically perfect---midpromo and puts Hornbuckle over and asks for a rematch, hoping Hornbuckle wins the title first.

STANISLAV NEDKOV (203.9) vs. KEVIN RANDFLEMAN (203)

Nedkov off the groin-shot-infested win over Travis Room With A Wiuff looked plenty good enough to beat Randleman, which is not saying much and hasn't been for years. Nedkov has good wrestling and JJ and is undefeated, 10 years younger. Almost as muscular as Randleman.

Both pawing jabs. Almost silly. Kevin tries an LK and Nedkov shoots. Clinch. Kevin TD to side-ish HG. FG. Nedkov double underhooks. Kevin tries to push his head and can't. Ref standup. Warns both for not being Japanese. Nedkov punches wild. Kevin shoots. Clinch. Nedkov bulls Kevin down with a Whizzer and pulls Guillotine. Kevin pulls out and is on top in FG. Eh. 10-10. Not much either way.

Kevin actually jabs. Nedkov bulls a TD. Kevin almost monkeyflips him. Nedkov on top in HG, grinds the forearm. Hammerfists. After the far arm. Nope. Kevin reverses. FG to HG. Nedkov sits out but Kevin takes him back down. WTF? Nedkov's trunks sorta come apart. TO for repairs. Both getting a rest here. Clinch, Nedkov knees the body. TD but Kevin reverses on the way down. This is the best Kevin has looked in a long time. Not gassing, either, so far. Not accomplishing much from the top here though. Nedkov escapes, gets a double. Pounds the body from side position, Crucifix, pounds the head. Kevin gets to 4 point. Another 10-10 IMO.

Nedkov combo, shoots to clinch, knees, TD. FG. Pounding, missing some, hitting some. Kev pulls him in. Ref standup. Yellow cards Nedkov? AND Randleman. Back to pattycake. Both looking gassed now. Red card to both. I thought a red card was a DQ. Kevin shooting, stuffed. Nedkov knees the gut. Ref break. Kev jabs a couple. Both way gassed. Kevin LK. Nedkov lands a right. Clinch, Nedkov knees the body. waistlift TD. SM. Grinds the forearm. Nedkov 10-9 and should take it. Nedkov... Randleman... Nedkov takes the SD. Sort of a stinker, but again, better than Randleman has looked in a while. Nedkov extremely underwhelming here.

EIJI MITSUOKA (154.3) vs. KAZUNORI YOKOTA (153.7)

On paper, interesting style clash with Yokota's control game with unpredictable flashes of heavy hands vs. Mitsuoka's submission arsenal in this very even seeming matchup of LW contenders. On the vid we see Mitsuoka subbing people, and Yokota KOing Schulz about 15 times. Stats very close. They keep getting the name graphics backwards.

Eiji lefty. Yoko giving that herky jerky Grabaka look. Eats a LK. Eiji closes and clinches. Pounds with a free hand. Blocks a throw. Knees. Blocks the throw again. Shoulder butts under the chin. Knee. Beating Yokota up here. Ref break. Eiji catches a knee, throws Yoko, gets Flying Mared but catches the head on the way over. Yoko pulls free and on top in guard. Eiji tries a sweep. And gets it the next time. Rides, up and rear waistlock. Takes a single and drops Yoko on his head. Up and waistlock. Yoko tries a back elbow. Eiji 10-9.

Yoko lead hook. Tries to follow up but telegraphs too much. Stuffs a shot. Clinch. Too fast ref break. Yoko right lead twice and eats one. Clinch. Yoko footstomps. Ref break. Yoko gets off but misses, clinch. Eiji drops for a single, Yoko elbows the back. Yoko goes for an arm, Ref break, Yoko warned for elbowing the spine. Yoko side headlock, Eiji takes back. Yoko hiptoss and lands a good right on the way up. Clinch. Ref break. Clinch. Yoko turns, Eiji knees the legs. Yoko landing everything long now. Eats a right. Clinch. Yoko 10-9. Fight is even.

Yoko opens throwing and landing. Eiji lands one and clinches. This is Yoko's fight, standing. Lands on the break. Clinch. Break. Clinch. Eiji walking into shots. Clinch, gets rear waistlock, Yoko hipthrow. On top in FG. Thumping with any hand that's free. Giving Eiji nothing to work off of. Eiji elevates, scrambles up clinched. Ref break. Yoko landing first and last. Clinch. Yoko goes for Kimura, uses it for arm drag. Right up. Yoko bowls Eiji over into FG. Eiji nearly grabs a leglock. Yokota 10-9, should take the UD and does. Fight never really jelled. Yokota cuts a retarded promo about going bald.

Intermission. Card a bit lackluster so far. Okay what is this? A fight DURING intermission? Why is it 'intermission', then? If the... what? 'The Fight of the Soul'? Hirokazu Konno (I guess), billed just as 'Bull', vs. Tomoaki Ueyama. Why is this 'The Fight of the Soul'? 2 rounder. Terrible, almost comedy fight. Ueyama wins.

There is some kind of giant in the ring cutting a promo. He's on the NYE show? Who the hell is this guy? They say he's a Chinese wrestling champion? He's over 7' tall. He whips his shirt off and he's lean and muscular as hell. He is never identified.

SATORU KITAOKA (154.3) vs. JORGE MASVIDAL (154.3)

Recently deposed LW champ Kitaoka's killer wrestling and subs but questionable cardio vs. the always dangerous boxing-based attack of Masvidal should make for a good fight. If Masvidal can stay out of trouble early he could pull the upset. God Kitaoka is a weird little guy. Masvidal 5 years younger and big edge in height and reach. Kitaoka in shorts not long tights.

Kitaoka lefty. Shoots. Pulls out of a Guillotine. Jorge gets it again. Not sunk though. Jorge sitting against the ropes. Kitoka kind of driving forward into his lap. Grabs a leg. Heel hook. Jorge gets Brock position but short of landing. Kitaoka turns it. Jorge lands hard shots. Pulls out but Kitaoka grabs the leg again. Lets it go but on top with waistlock. Jorge sits up on the ropes and pounds and stands out, lands a knee, a big straight right, and a HK. Kitaoka is hurt and grabs a leg but Masvidal takes his back and pounding away. Kitoka gets his own back onto the mat and grabs the leg again. Jorge grabs Guillotine again. Kitaoka rolls and Jorge gets SM. Drops a right at the bell. Jorge 10-8. Kitaoka looks finished. They have to carry him back to the corner. Mouth breathing, nose broken, forehead lumped up.

Kitaoka shoots, eats a knee, gets the double. Jorge tried a Guillotine. Lost it. Ref standup. Kitaoka shoots, Jorge loses a choke, Kitoka grabs the heel. Jorge spins out, lands a knee, G&P. Kitaoka hangs on tight. Gasping. Slaps the head. Jorge stands out. Ref standup. Jorge drops him with a sweep and ankle pic and puts him out with 7 right hands. Kitaoka still out after Masvidal finishes his promo. Huge win for Masvidal.

JORGE SANTIAGO (183) [SENGOKU MW Champion] vs. MAMED KHALIDOV (181.7) *non title*

Potentially terrific fight. Santiago has been off since his FotY title win over Misaki in January (was supposed to fight Belfort on Affliction). Khalidov like Jorge is a very well rounded fighter, and does unorthodox things and is dangerous from any position. Santiago figures to be a little better at everything but this could go either way. Khalidov on a 17 fight streak. Almost equal wins via KO and sub. Same for Santiago who has on paper a slight edge in size, and a considerable one in quality of experience. Both 29. Khalidov looks bigger if anything.

Mamed short with LKs. Jorge right lead short, Mamed misses a high spin back hook kick. Jorge lands a right and clinches and takes Mamed down. SM to HG. Mamed stays tight. Jorge drops an elbow and liver shot. Grinds the forearm. Mamed CLOCKS Santiago from the BOTTOM and knocks him off. Follows up and he's riding and punching and now top and punching and Jorge is OUT and it's OVER. Holy shit. Spectacular win.

Khalidov gotta get a rematch for the title now, unless SF or UFC grabs him off first (and I bet his phone was ringing this morning). Did I mention he's dangerous from any position? Wow.

HATSU HIOKI (143.1) vs. MICHIHIRO OMIGAWA (143.1)

Hioki was favored to win the GP but had to drop due to injury after beating eventual winner Kanehara, against whom Omigawa improbably made it to the finals, partially aided by the bad decision over Sandro. Hioki figures to be able to tap Omigawa after it hits the ground, but Omigawa has been specializing in upsets this year. Hioki has a lot of height and reach, youth and experience.

Omigawa lands 1-2 to the body. Right lead. Eats a jab. Another. Tries to bull in. Hioki finds the jab, eats a left hook. Takes Omigawa down in the corner. Pulls out of Guillotine. SM with an arm pinned. Takes free head or body shots when they're there. Knees the body. Omigawa closes guard. Tries to elevate but Hioki takes his back. Hooks in. Omigawa had an arm. Hioki goes for arm bar. Omigawa stacks him up. Hioki thumps the head with his free hand. Omigawa pulls out and starts to pound at the bell. Hioki 10-9.

Hioki switches lefty. Switches back. Jabs. HK. LK. Omigawa tries to work his way in. Ducks into a knee. Hoki's jab working. Jab jab knee HK. Omigawa wings and misses. Hioki boxing nice. TO for... nothing. Warning for excessive Marquis of Queensbury. More spirited trading and Hioki TD. HG. Almost Brock position and dropping shots. FG. Omigawa upkick and they're up. Hioki back to the jab. Omigawa keeps coming, misses some, lands a couple. Hioki 10-9.

Omigawa tries a Sunday off a fake glove touch. Bullshit move. Starts landing some shots. Hioki lands his but Omigawa's harder. Hioki takes an ankle but Omigawa right up and steps out. This is getting Ali-Frazier now. Omigawa lands some hard shots and Hioki takes him down, but scrambles up and clinches. Ref break. Hioki jabs, Omigawa goes to the body. Clinch. Ref break. Hioki finding the range now. HK. Omigawa keeps coming, stuffs a TD. Omigawa walking in, eating shots, teeing off, missing, landing. Stuffs a TD. Hioki buckes him with a short right and pulls guard and tries triangle and pounding away. Omigawa wins the round but not enough to win the fight. Good fight, not great.

Decision... Omigawa... Hioki... Omigawa gets another bullshit SD. Omigawa actually says on his promo he doesn't agree with the decision.

Pretty good card but Sengoku has done better. If the fights had been in a different order might have been a very dramatic, exciting card.