1) Masahito Kakihara vs. Rocky Romero: Kakihara is from NJPW, Romero is also at this time a gaijin wrestler contracted to NJPW with a history with UPW, CMLL, ROH, etc. In short - this is almost certainly a thrown fight.
FIGHT: Kakihara Submission Rnd 1. Obviously the potential that this isn't a worked shoot under the context of legit MMA is low. There's a side headlock/cross armbar combination in this fight for crying out loud. Kakihara shows that he has no chance of beating a real opponent as he locks in Romero into a headlock and Romero gladly rolls back into guard rather than keep the back that's been given to him. Volk Han would be disappointed. Kakihara wins by knee bar. (1) for the freakshow wrassler factor.
2) Fredson Paixao vs. Fabio Mello: Okay, again, wasn't expecting his fight on here.
FIGHT: Paixao Unanimous Decision (3)
Paixao: You know, if there is one thing to say about Paixao, its that he isn't exciting. I don't think that's wrong to say as if it is criminal to admit that not all of these guys are wonderful to watch. But Paixao is, historically, not fun to watch. He's very basic in terms of approach - takedown, control, smother, take advantage of the opposition's mistakes. On the mat he's a counter fighter even when on top. You never see him taking too many risks - he'll throw leather when he sees an opening, but is willing to wait and toil a little to make the opening appear rather than just work as hard as others do to make it happen with body strikes or whatnot. Standing he's a robot and not at all good, but the fights consistently go to the mat with him. When Mello turns within Paixao's guard to face him and be on top most of the third, he is ineffective with anything. Paixao is just locking him up with relative ease.
Mello: Doesn't have the wrestling chops, the boxing chops, or the physical gifts to keep Paixao at a distance and so he loses. Could have won this fight had he gotten top position and just laid there though because Paixao isn't that great off his back. Nothing hugely impressive that he did all fight aside from avoid getting stopped.
3) Masayuke Naruse vs. Tony Williams: Who? Naruse is a RINGS vet.
FIGHT: Naruse Submission Rnd 1. Armbar from mount. Looked to be a potential thrown fight. Crowd booed it too. Williams kicking and "selling" a lot. (0)
4) Jorge "Macaco" Patino vs. Boris Jonstomp: Ugh. Bad mismatch here.
FIGHT: Patino Submission Rnd 2. This fight feels like it never ends. Patino wins by arm triangle after dominating all but like 45 seconds by being on top in dominant position. Jonstomp gets taken down and simply doesn't have an answer to that, guard passes, punches, whatever. Patino has been fighting for 15 years and is a vet of UFC, PRIDE, Strikeforce, this, hell, everything. A good grappler with unspectacular striking and who is undersized for the upper weight classes he often participates in. Patino also has Jesus written across his ass, which is a reminder that we've come so far that club fighters have numerous sponsors written across their asses today in this sport a scant 6 years later. (1)
5) Assuerio Silva vs. Alessio Sakara: This seems like a ridiculous mismatch in retrospect, doesn't it? OK heavyweght fights a guy who is an OK middleweight. In the ring against one another, they seem about the same size.
FIGHT: Silva Unanimous Decision. Horror show of a fight. Silva fights to win and does by winning a battle of positioning. (3)
Sakara: Sakara is better on his feet, which you would expect since he had such a history as a boxer. On the mat he can lock up Silva a bit and defend submissions (or at least survive). He stays on top for most of the second actually landing shots thanks to some bad moves by Silva, but for most of the first and third he's on his back. I liked his one-two-body shot combo. Great three punches to throw together and he landed the body shot every time. Just not enough snap in it.
Silva: Muay thai that he has is thrown out the window in favor of submission grappling, double leg takedowns, and ultimately top control. Lots and lots of Silva in side control. He goes for an armbar, a kneebar, a choke, a few different things. Couple good kimura attempts too. Honestly, he should have finished this fight. He had the opportunities. But that's why Silva is a longtime journeyman and not a contender in any weight class.
6) Renato "Babalu" Sobral vs. Jose "Pele" Landi-Jons: This was a fight? Pele was a legendary welterweight, Sobral was most often a heavyweight at this point of his career. Even then, he had recently dropped to 205. Big staredown.
FIGHT: Babalu Unanimous Decision. Again, you look at the fight on paper and its like "OH WOW I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THAT" and then you see it and you go "oh hey that's why I have seen this before and don't remember a single thing". This may have been trimmed. Not 100% on that. (5)
One thing about Brazilian MMA compared to other nations - Holland loves standups when there's not much activity. They let them go in Brazil. I mean, they often really let them go. Even when its boring and not leading to anything.
Babalu: Babalu is landing hook kicks and axe kicks and man, it is really cool looking when he shows off and you wish he was the whole fight instead of laying on top of Pele in half guard or side control which is a lot, and I mean a LOT of the fight.
Pele: Pele is too small for this fight, no matter how much muscle it looks like he packed on. And that means he can't stop takedowns or do anything about them off his back. He also gasses out hard by the second round because Babalu is constantly on him. He does nothing in this fight other than make me want to fall asleep and get hit in the head with 4 inch hammer fists. I'm virtually 100% sure there were edits for this fight but I didn't care.
FIGHT OF THE NIGHT: Patino/Jonstomp
SUBMISSION OF THE NIGHT: Patino/Jonstomp
OVERALL FOR THE EVENT: 2 out of 10. This is miserable to watch. The names are big and man, that main event is a huge one in MMA history given who is involved and what heights both men achieved (even if they never won a major belt). But the fights are fucking terrible dominations or probable fake fights done by pro wrestlers. Sakara/Silva is among the most disappointing fights I can ever remember.
D&R Rating: 43% (13/30)
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