Hayato Sakurai, one of only three fighters to ever beat Japanese wunderkind Shinya Aoki, repeated the feat tonight at Dream 8 in Nagoya, defeating Aoki with strikes just 27 seconds into their Main Event showdown. The mixed martial arts fightsport extravaganza comprised 10 bouts, featuring four qualifiers for the DREAM Welterweight GP (76 kg/168lbs); and six additional MMA contests in a variety of weight classes.
Headlining were 33 year-old veteran Hayato "Mach" Sakurai and Shinya Aoki. Sakurai relished the attention focused on this fight, dismissing the suggestion that he would be intimidated by the wily Aoki, who, at the age of 25 is already regarded by many as Japan's best grappler. These two had met in a shooto bout almost four years back, when Sakurai took a unanimous decision. Aoki was looking for payback tonight - instead, he found himself on the wrong end of a brutal beating.
From the bell, Sakurai charged in with a punch. Aoki ducked under the fist to grab hold of a leg, but Sakurai simply muscled forward, pushing his opponent into the ropes. Positioning now conspired terribly against Aoki, who was vulnerably three-pointed, his right arm pinned between his trunk and Sakurai's. From his advantageous kneeling position, Sakurai fired a couple of hard knees to Aoki's face before cocking the right arm and continuing the assault with hard uppercuts. Aoki could neither defend or counter, and the referee had no choice but to jump in to stop the beating.
"It was either stop Aoki or be stopped," said Sakurai afterward. "I am all about freestyle. Aoki said he was freestyle, but he isn’t at all!"
In the second of the Welterweight GP elimination bouts, Japanese judoka Yuya Shirai squared off against American wrestler Jason High. An intense staredown between these two at the press conference escalated into a shoving match before officials intervened. Today, there was more intensity.
High leapt in speedily with a couple of lefts to down Shirai then closed to wrap a rear mount and put on the choke. Shirai tried in vain to break but didn't have a chance, and the referee had to jump in and stop it as the Japanese fighter went limp.
"It felt great," gushed a loquacious High in his post-bout interview. "It was a good fight, and I really look forward to coming back. I hope they all go that way. If the next round was tomorrow, I am ready to go!"
Also in the Welterweight GP, it was Marius Zaromskis of Lithuania - who made a phantasmagoric ring entrance - versus 33 year-old Seichi Ikemoto of Japan. These two were expected to stand and strike, but Ikemoto grabbed the first Zaromskis kick and threw the Lithuanian to the mat. When they did stand-and-strike, Ikemoto surprised Zaromskis with a novel leaping double-chop, and later also failed with a spinning back punch. Zaromskis meanwhile stuck to straight punches and low and high kicks, making solid contact. Ikemoto settled down some late in the first and got some conventional strikes in, but Zaromskis was always prompt with counters, and landed a punishing late high kick. Zaromskis pressed with the fists, but the bothered and bleeding Ikemoto made it out of the round.
In the second, Zaromskis fired in low kicks before blindly backflipping a dramatic knee blast that unfortunately landed totally off target. Ikemoto fought on, getting on top and aggressively passing Zaromskis' guard, but when back on his feet the Lithuanian was better, finishing with another good high kick, closing with knees and uppers. Ikemoto was saved by the bell, Zaromskis taking the unanimous decision.
Remarked Zaromskis from the winner's circle: "I was surprised because he took so many punches and knees, but kept going. I can say he is a very experienced fighter. It was a very hard fight for me."
In the last of the Welterweight GP bouts, Canadian kickboxer and jiujitsu veteran.
Alessio threw the left jab to start, but there were no serious threats until a Galvao takedown led to a rear mount. Galvao clamped the right leg round and fixed the left arm to immobilize the Canadian, then pounded punches to both sides of the head. Alessio finally broke the hold, but Galvao would not surrender the Canadian's left arm. Alessio got the Brazilian stacked promisingly, but could position to get much behind his knee attacks. In a moment, Alessio flipped and then was flipped, and now Galvao fixed the armbar to submit for the win.
"Honestly, John was a strong and experienced fighter with nearly 40 fights. It felt good, I had just two before this fight, but I managed to win!"
The winners of tonight's four Welterweight contests advance to the DREAM Welterweight GP tournament final, set for Saitama this July.
Also advancing tonight was the winner of a bout between Japanese fighters Hideo Tokoro and Daiki Hata - the victor earning a spot in this year's DREAM Featherweight GP 2nd Round.
From the start, Tokoro circled and circled, and few punches or kicks were exchanged until the boys went to the mat, where, unhappily, there was even less action. The referee re-stood the fighters, and Tokoro recommenced circling. Taiki now cut off the ring, creating improved flow, with strikes from both fighters. Tokoro thrice ended up on his back waiting, but Taiki declined to negotiate the darting legs, and so thrice the referee re-stood the pair. Tokoro got a leg takedown with one hundred seconds remaining, but again ended up on his back, fending off Taiki with the bicycle kicks. The best action in the first came with just seconds remaining, as Taiki met a flying knee with a left, then downed Tokoro with a couple of hooks and took a superior ground position, but could not finish.
Aggressive and athletic exchanges in the second, Taiki fearlessly passing Tokoro's guard with punches before yet another referee re-stand. Going twice from the clinch to the ground, Tokoro remained in guard, while Taiki passed aggressively. Keeping the initiative paid off, and Taiki took a unanimous decision.
Kharitonov jabbed a couple of times before Monson dove in with a single leg takedown. The American established a side mount then went round top to put a choke on his opponent. Kharitonov tried to punch his way out of it but Monson was inexorable, submitting his opponent at 1:42.
They stood and struck, Fukuda the southpaw threading the straight punch through early, Ninja closing to clinch and throw but Fukuda taking the top position and passing with the fists. Standing, Fukuda was better with the boxing, rattling Ninja and bringing him to the ground; the Brazilian's legs wrapping round to stop the attacks. Standing with Fukuda facing the corner, Ninja landed a few from behind, opening a cut near the Japanese fighter's eye and encouraging the ringside doctor to have a look. Fukuda was cleared to continued, whereupon Ninja took a single leg takedown to side then rear mount but could not finish - the more dangerous action through the first happened with the pair again got to their feet and resumed trading punches.
They stood plenty in the second, but the stamina was slipping away, and it was only late in the contest that Fukuda connected with the force required to hurt Ninja, landing a left that was the strike of the round. Although he could not finish his opponent, Fukuda had done enough to take the unanimous decision.
After a couple of Nagata low kicks the pair went down in a struggle, whereupon Ribeiro deftly tied up his opponent and worked to a side then full mount to land blows to the head and body. The Brazilian maintained control, switching from side to full mount and striking with the knees and fists while negating Nagata's challenges. Nagata's defense was adequate until finally a knee to the temple opened a jetting cut, prompting a referee break, a doctor's stop and a Ribeiro victory.
Nakahara was simply the faster and more powerful fighter here, tagging his opponent at will then exploiting a failed throw to send Oyama to the ground and laying in with strikes to bring the referee in to end it at just 2:00.
In an 88kg/164lbs showdown, it was Japanese pro wrestlers Ikuhisa Minowa and Katsuyori Shibata, both of whom hail from Nagoya's Aichi Prefecture; and both of whom were apparently keen to impress the local fans.
Both fired punches early, Minowaman landing an estimable left before taking the fight to the mat. Here neither could gain the advantage and a re-stand was called. They preferred the ground however, and set up north-south, striving in vain for leglocks through the balance of the first. Blows and throws then stalemate in the second, Minowaman failing in a leg takedown; Sakurai landing some punches before wrapping legs round in rear mount and cauliflowering his opponent's ears. With seconds left on the clock, Sakurai hoisted a German suplex to end it with some oomph and take a unanimous decision.
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