Sunday, 19 May 2013 02:05

While we wait for the Shoot Boxing Shoot the Shooto results to trickle in and for Shoot Boxing to post the videos of the fights like they promised, there is at least the weigh-ins to watch, proof that Shoot Boxing is taking its promise to Western fans seriously by posting more and more information on the internet for the world to see. It is nice to see a promotion finally understand what it takes to help out fans across the world and spread the word.

Sunday, 19 May 2013 02:05

Tomorrow is the first leg of the Shoot the Shooto/Shooto the Shoot events, with Shooto's portion of the card taking place and I've decided to finish this look at kickboxing vs MMA with what is one of the strangest, most bizarre fights, in theory and in practice, between kickboxing and MMA and that is last year's special rules match between Shinya Aoki and Yuichiro Nagashima at Dynamite!!! 2010. When the fight was announced, most were confused as to what rules it would take place under, but FEG released the details that there would be a 3 minute kickboxing round and a 5 minute MMA round using MMA gloves for both, with the order being decided by a coin flip. When it happened, the kickboxing round was determined to be first and most figured Nagashima would need to put Aoki away in that three minutes or else the fight would almost assuredly be Aoki's. What followed was the strangest 3 minutes of kickboxing, characterized by Aoki clinching whenever Nagashima got close, shooting for takedowns and throwing dropkicks. However, he made it through the three minutes and it seemed to be smooth sailing for Aoki. Aoki ran in face first, shot for a takedown and Nagashima hit the only window he had in the fight, catching Aoki with a knee and following up with a few hammerfists. Since, Aoki has picked up 3 straight submission wins and Nagashima has spent his time mostly in professional wrestling and has had one fight in K-1 against Kenmun where he didn't look all too impressive.

Sunday, 19 May 2013 02:05

For today's preview, I've decided to look at a fight that I feel is often overlooked and that is Mirko Crocop and Wanderlei Silva's first fight under special Pride vs K-1 rules back at Pride 20. At the time, Crocop had only 3 MMA fights, with one of them being against Nobuhiko Takada under the same special rules that this fight was to take place under. Wanderlei was 19-3 at the time and undefeated in Pride, proving to be a wild wrecking machine. The train of thought going in was that if Wanderlei got reckless with his striking at any point, the 1999 K-1 World Grand Prix finalist would put him away with relative ease. However, that did not happen and Wanderlei managed to hold his own, lasting a full 15 minutes with the K-1 star and having the fight result in a draw. The two later faced off in the monumental Pride 2006 OWGP. Also at the event was an MMA fight between Quinton Rampage Jackson and 1994 K-1 WGP finalist Masaaki Satake, who had an MMA record of 1-6-1 going into the fight.

After the break, Rampage's take on his fight with Satake along with fight highlights and Crocop's fight with Takada.

Sunday, 19 May 2013 02:05

K-1's Dynamite!!! events often feature fights that pit MMA fighters against K-1 fighters in either discipline, often with expected results. However, Dynamite!!! 2008 resulted in a clean sweep for MMA, with Alistar Overeem's huge upset over Badr Hari, Tatsuya Kawajiri and Gegard Mousasi taking wins over fading Japanese kickboxing legends Kozo Takeda and Musashi, respectively, and Minowaman's quick win over Errol Zimmerman. The night also held three other bouts featuring fighters who have made a name for themselves in kickboxing and MMA, with Melvin Manhoef battling Mark Hunt, Mirko Crocop taking on Hong-man Choi and Semmy Schilt facing Mighty Mo, all under MMA rules.

Badr Hari vs Alistar Overeem

Tatsuya Kawajiri vs Kozo Takeda

Gegard Mousasi vs Musashi

MMA bouts after the break

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Sunday, 19 May 2013 02:05

Renowned Thai fighter Bovy Sor Udomson has been around the block in the fight game, including a few shootboxing bouts. Toby Imada is a relative newcomer to shootboxing from MMA, having had four shootboxing fights before he collided with Bovy. Both men threw down, resulting in a really great fight. The video just got out almost two months after the fight, so check it out below.

Sunday, 19 May 2013 02:05

Look, there are a lot of people out there who make fine highlight reels in the realm of combat sports, people who do their best to put together cohesive and exciting highlight packages of their favorite fighters, promotions, sports or anything else they can think of. There reaches a certain point where you want more, and I think that StillWill -- Will Prescott -- currently does the best work. Not only the best, but the work with the most impact. There is no comparison, art is art and everything else is everything else. Will's videos started out like everything else, but over the past year they have evolved into much more and provide emotional impact and go places you don't think they would go. That being said, watch his latest K-1 video and try not to make a fool of yourself, pick up your jaw and wipe your mouth.

Sunday, 19 May 2013 02:05

Aziz Kallah has been hailed as one of the future figures of kickboxing by Steven Wright and October 22nd just seemed like another fight for him. No one knew his opponent, everyone figured it would be a walk in the park for the Lucien Carbin pupil. It turned out to be anything but a walk in the park. Kallah just couldn't get off at all against the tall Russian opponent, Alim Nabiev, who used his height to throw Kallah off. Nabiev looked like a mixture of Yoshihiro Sato and Artem Levin in the ring, blasting step-up knees at Kallah and took a clear decision.

Not only did Nabiev beat a fighter who is supposed to be the next big thing, he did at at 17 years old. Yes, I repeat, Alim Nabiev is 17 years old. It's amazing how he already has such a great skillset at such a young age, even younger than Kallah. With this win, Nabiev really cemented himself as one to look out for in the future. I have a feeling we'll be hearing his name more in years to come. Who said kickboxing is dead?

Sunday, 19 May 2013 02:05

Today's preview looks at Dutch kickboxing legend Ramon Dekkers' lone MMA bout in K-1 HERO's against Japanese MMA legend Genki Sudo and Sudo's own foray into the kickboxing world. Dekkers retired initially in 2001 before signing a contract with K-1 in 2005 to take on Sudo at the first HERO's event. Sudo, known for his aggressive, entertaining grappling style started out in Pancrase and went on to the UFC, going 2-1 in his time with the company. Sudo didn't reach his peak of stardom until signing with K-1, where he actually started as a kickboxer for the company, competing in the first two Japan MAX qualifying tournaments in 2002 and 2003, losing to Taishin Kohiruimaki and Masato in the quarterfinals of each event, respectively. A win over Royler Gracie and "freakshow" fight wins over Eric "Butterbean" Esch and the aforementioned Dekkers, along with his run to the finals of the K-1 HERO's 2005 Lightweight GP sealed Sudo's fame and he has since retired, becoming a musician. Sudo's overall kickboxing record in K-1 was 2-4.

Genki Sudo vs Ramon Dekkers

Genki Sudo vs Taishin Kohiruimaki

Genki Sudo vs Masato

More of Sudo in K-1 after the break

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Sunday, 19 May 2013 02:05

SuperKombat ran their last tournament that feeds into the SuperKombat World Grand Prix Finals a few weeks back and the finals turned out to be Erhan Deniz vs. Wendell Roche. Roche is a fighter who has had some struggles within the past few years, including lack of motivation and having some excess weight on him. He recently made the cut to -85kgs for a few fights and it shows in his performance.

Sunday, 19 May 2013 02:05

For today's preview of Shoot the Shooto, I've decided to look at a particular matchup and that is Shootboxing #1 ranked Super Featherweight Hiroaki Suzuki going up against Shooto and DREAM vet, "Wicky" Akiyo Nishiura. It is fitting that Suzuki is going up against an MMA fighter at the event as he has fought 3 MMA fighters in the past 2 years, taking on Tenkei Oda, Mitsuhiro Ishida and Shigeki Osawa. Nishiura's lone kickboxing fight was against 2010 K-1 63kg GP champion Tetsuya Yamato at Dynamite!!! 2010. Nishiura should stand a better chance than his fellow MMA fighters as he is primarily a striker, whereas Ishida and Osawa are predominantly wrestlers.

Hiroaki Suzuki vs Mitsuhiro Ishida

Hiroaki Suzuki vs Shigeki Osawa

"Wicky" Akiyo Nishiura vs Tetsuya Yamato

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMjM1NDExNzAw.html