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By: Rich Hansen, MMATorch Contributor
DREAM 15
JULY 10, 2010
LIVE from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan
Be sure to check this page at 3 AM EDT for my running commentary on Dream 15. Will Tatsuya Kawajiri finally be able to establish himself as the top Japanese fighter in the lightweight division by conquering his rival Shinya Aoki? Or will Aoki remain the standard that Japanese fighters are compared for the forseeable future? Will Gegard Mousasi rebound with a victory against Jake O'BrienRicco Rodriguezsomebody?
Tonights bouts:
* Kazuhiro Nakamura v. Karl Amoussou
* Mitsuhiro Ishida v. DJ.taiki
* Michihiro Omigawa v. Jong Young Sam
* Melvin Manhoef v. Tatsuya Mizuno
* Gegard Mousasi v. Jake O'Brien
* Gesias Cavalcante Katsuni Kikuno
* Tatsuya Kawajiri v. Shinya Aoki
All fights feature a 10 minute first round, and a 5 minute second round.
All time stamps are Central time.
1:45 AM: On Inside MMA, Bobby Lashley just said that if he were with the UFC he would get a title shot already. I have nothing wise to say.
1:49 AM: Kenny Rice is so uncool that he makes even Bas Rutten look like a dork. Kenny Rice is Austin Powers sans mojo.
1:56 AM: Eddie Bravo stole his hairstyle from Tom Hanks in The DaVinci Code.
2:00 AM: I hear Michael Schiavello's voice. Gots to love the intro. Or complete lack thereof.
2:01 AM: Previewing the card for 10 minutes or so, before the grand intro.
2:07 AM: Trigg rocking the pinkie ring.
2:10 AM: Jake O'Brien weighed in at 226, and then cut down to 212. He's being fined 10% of his purse, and has been assigned a yellow card. In other news, Mo Lawal just face palmed.
2:16 AM: Finally going to the grand intro. Without subtitles.
2:17 AM: False alarm. Schiavello's vamping again.
2:20 AM: Every doctor in Japan is being introduced and is taking a bow. I will remember these 20 minutes the next time I bitch about the pacing on a UFC or Strikeforce card.
2:22 AM: The intro video, however, is second to none. If only DREAM's pacing matched their production values. And, there's actual English on the screen. English, FTW!
2:28 AM: Manhoef looks Manhoefian. Mizuno is wearing eyeglasses. Is it too late to get a gazillion and a half yen down on Manhoef?
2:30 AM: The ring was surrounded by a round LCD screen. The screen rises away, and Aoki and Crusher are in the ring, glaring at each other. Can we please put the main event on first?
2:30 AM: Here's what I don't get. The show is in Japan. The audience speaks Japanese. They intro videos are narrated by a man speaking Japanese. So why are the subtitles also in Japanese? I'm not saying they HAVE to be in English (although that would be, you know, logical and all). But even if they were Greek subtitles, I would understand that better than the subtitles being in Japanese.
2:30 AM: Kazuhiro Nakamura v. Karl Amoussou
Round 1: Amoussou has Wanderlei Silva's staredown abilities. Comes out missing several head kicks, just for show. Amoussou is very active. Nakamura gets a single leg and lands in Amoussou's full guard in the center of the ring. Amoussou doing a decent job controlling posture. Amoussou exerting some energy trying to get to his feet, and gets up after about 2 minutes on his back with a nice sweep. Amoussou throwing vicious punches at the air directly in front of Nakamura's face. Nakamura on top again, in half guard. Posturing up, throwing a couple random forearms. Nakamura standing in Amoussou's guard. Getting some random right hands in there. Nakamura keeps getting to his feet and diving back into Amoussou's guard, unable to pass even to half guard. Amoussou's doing well to kepe Nakamura in guard, and he's not getting hit a ton, but it's definitely Nakamura's round so far. Referee stands them up and shows Amoussou a yellow card. Don't understand that one at all. Amoussou is still very mad at the air in front of Nakamura's face. High knee by Amoussou which excited Schiavello. End of the round.
Nakamura's round. Nakamura was on top, in guard, for 6 minutes. Amoussou looked better on the feet, but didn't really do any damage while standing.
Round 2: Sloppy knees and kicks by Amoussou. Nakamura grabs a single, Amoussou grabs the rope like Fedor v. Lindland (CHEAP SHOT), but eventually winds up in Amoussou's guard. Schiavello enjoys the sweat. Nakamura again posting up, had side control for about .01 seconds, but back into guard again. Mirror image of round 1, although Nakamura is landing a little more often. Amoussou loooked for a kimura, and took the biggest shot of the fight as a thank-you. It was less dramatic than I made it sound, but that's because I'm a drama king. 1 minute left, and the ref stands them back up. Yellow card to Nakamura. It's like The World Cup, minus 40,000 vuvuzelas. Nice combination by Nakamura, left to the liver, left to the face, and winds up in Amoussou's guard.
Fight is over.
Decision: Nakamura wins a Unanimous Decision.
3:00 AM: HDNet just ran a commercial for DREAM15, starring Alistair Overeem. Whoops.
3:00 AM: Mitsuhiro Ishida v. DJ.taiki
3:05 AM: Ishida is coming to the ring to that awful Coldplay song. I know, which one, right? Anyhoooo, Go DJ! But seriously, this means that Gilbert Melendez has lost a fight to a guy who has at least once come out to Coldplay. Time to revise my Lightweight rankings.
Round 1: Ishida offers to touch gloves. taiki offers to touch Ishida's glove with a flying kick. Ishida rebuffs that and takes him down immediately. Half guard. To side control. Looking for an armbar. taiki excapes, still in side control. Ishida back to the arm, looking for a kimura. Lets it go, punches taiki's face a few times, goes for an armbar, it's CLOSE, but taiki escapes, and they're back to their feet. Take that, Chris Martin. Eat a hamburger, Gwyneth. taiki punches, Ishida ducks under and takes him down with a double leg. Full guard, posturing up, landing several strikes. 5:30 left in the round. Ishida lets taiki up, and immediately shoots with a double. Winds up in half guard in the corner, and immediately hops to side control, stuck by the ropes. Ishida is HUGE for 143. Ref scooots them to the middle of the ring. Ishida tries for full mount but winds up in half guard. Back to side control. taiki's not doing much, but neither is Ishida. taiki rolls over, and Ishida's going for his back. Short knee to the head. Ishida has his back, scramble, and he's back in taiki's closed guard. Ishida backs up, taiki upkicks, gets to his feet, and Ishida shoots another double leg and we're back to full guard in the middle of the ring. This is a recording. Fighting for position, and Ishida gets his back again. Back to side control. taiki's not getting hit, but Ishida's on him like a wet blanket. A boring, dull, wet blanket.
Ishida's round. Ishida's wrestling is dominant, but I taiki can't stop a shot to save his life. He needs kevlar.
Round 2: 6 seconds into the round, and Ishida has taiki on his back. Half guard in the corner. taiki with a punch from the bottom that opens the cauliflower in Ishida's ear. Ishida starting to land a little as well. Took his back again. Not trying to finish, again. He has both hooks in now, but taiki's defending well. Full mount for Ishida. Half way through the round. Ishida's had mount for 45 seconds, hasn't landed one clean shot. taiki rolls, gives up his back, and scrambles to his feel. Exciting exchange (relatively), but Ishida winds up on top agin, in full guard. Ishida's ear is grizzly. Throwing several shots to taiki's temple now. More action in the last 90 seconds of the fight than in the first 810 seconds.
Fight is over.
Decision: Ishida wins a Unanimous Decision.
3:30 AM: Michihiro Omigawa v. Jong Young Sam
3:33 AM: Intro video featured a mash up of Drop it Like it's Hot and Whole Lotta Love. I feel so old.
3:34 AM: Omigawa (10-8-1) is a bigger betting favorite than Cyborg was over Finney. That, friends, is my scouting report on Jong Young Sam. Schiavello actually called Jong a 'to-mah-to' can.
Round 1: Jong shoots, stuffed. A whole lot of air being punched. Nice jab by Jong. Omigawa knocks him down, throwing bombs on the ground. Jong survives the onslaught. Omigawa all over Jong in half guard. And Jong weathered the storm. fighting for position, and Omigawa sticks a guillotine. Can't finish, and back to the feet. Omigawa takes him down, north south to full guard for Omigawa. More action in 4 minutes than in the first two fights combined. Jong is bleeding from the mouth. Jong threw up the legs, almost hit an armbar. Omigawa pulls out, and is back to full guard. That was quick by Jong. Referee stands them up. Yellow card to Jong, which is weitd because he was throwing punches to Omigawa's side when the stand-up occurred. Omigawa landing with his left now. Omigawa senses the kill. Throwing wild hooks, jong grabs him and pulls guard. Omigawa postures up, looking to pass, better be careful to avoid the upkick. Winds up in half guard, trying for side control. Omigawa locks in a guillotine from the top, and Jong taps! jong is bleeding profusely from his mouth. Not good.
Result: Omigawa wins by submission with a guillotine at 8:45 of round 1.
3:46 AM: The blood from Jong's mouth was gross.
3:50 AM: Melvin Manhoef v. Tatsuya Mizuno
3:51 AM: Manhoef is up next. No yellow cards in THIS one.
3:54 AM: Manhoef entrance. Schiavello is talking about nipples and climaxing. Trigg is scared. He should be.
3:57 AM: Had Mizuno been in the ring during Manhoef's entrance, he would have died from fear. And rightfully so.
Round 1: It's on. Like Megatron, but not as lame as saying It's on like Megatron. Feeling each other out. Manhoef starting to land. Mizuno shoots, doesn't land. Getting hit hard against the ropes, but takes his punishment. Manhoef drops him!, But instead of backing off he walks into Mizuno's guard, much to Mizuno's relief. Hammerfists. Mizuno attempts an armbar, no go. They're stuck in the ropes. Manhoef stands up and walks to the middle of the ring, without Kim Winslow asking him if he 'wants her up'. Missed left hook by Manhoef, Mizuno ducks under and shoots into the ropes. Struggles, and he takes Manhoef down. Full guard. Ref scoots them to the center of the ring. Mizuno with a couple strong elbows. He's landing a couple more big fists. Half guard. Mount, but back to half guard. Kimura, it's close, but Mizuno loses it. Side control now, with knee on chest. Going for a kimura again on Manhoef's left arm. Well defended, but Manhoef can't be comfortable here. this is close. Huge knees to the head by Mizuno, who still has the kimura. Goes for an armbar, Manhoef gets out, and he's droppong bombs on Mizuno! Manhoef backs away. Trading blows, Manhoef is DOWN, Mizuno has him in the corner, throwing lefts and rights. Manhoef not defending, but most of Mizuno's punches are hitting the corner padding. Miizuno on top, grabbing a kimura on the right arm. side control. Manhoef taps!
Result: Mizuno wins by submission with a kimura at 7:23 of round 1.
4:07 AM: The was an awesome fight, and a HUGE upset. Mizuno is bawling as he cradles his trophy.
4:09 AM: Mizuno is very emotional while addressing the crowd. Gives all the credit to Matt Hume.
4:10 AM: Gegard Mousasi v. Jake O'Brien
4:11 AM: HDNet is advertising bikini girls in HD. could do worse than that, I suppose.
4:14 AM: Mousasi's highlight reel versus non-wrestlers is damned impressive. Strange that they don't have video of him versus Babalu, though, considering their ass-whooping partnership from Strikeforce. O'Brien didn't get even warrant a one second mention in the intro video.
4:18 AM: Jake looks fat. They politely called him paunchy on air. I really want to love Mousasi again. I'm just fickle towards him because Lawal exposed such a big hole (I said big hole, huh heh huh) in his game.
Round 1: Jake is shown the yellow card before the staredown. Jake shoots 1 second into the fight. Stuffed. Has a double up against the ropes. Not working. Standing guillotine by Mousasi, and it's over. What?
Result: Mousasi wins by submission with a guillotine at 0:31 of round 1.
4:22 AM: Jake O'Brien takes a fight, flies to Japan, comes in at 226, cuts to 212, has a gut bigger than Roy Nelson, and then gets tapped in 31 seconds. Well done. Mousasi is addressing the crowd in English. doesn't have much to say.
4:23 AM: Intermission? Don't know, but HDNet is in heavy commercial mode right now.
4:25 AM: Yep. Intermission.
4:37 AM: Still in intermission, showing highlights of the show so far. Trigg just trashed Jake O'Brien, and rightfully so.
4:51 AM: Caol Uno walking to the ring. Returning to compete at DREAM 16. He's dropping to featherweight, and his return fight might be his last fight.
5:00 AM: Ishida comes out to Coldplay. Weak. Kikuno comes out to We Are the World. Effing awesome. what does that say about me, I wonder? Bring on the crescent kick KO!
5:00 AM: Gesias Cavalcante v. Katsuni Kikuno
Round 1: JZ looks physically solid, but his left ankle is bandaged heavily. Knee to the sternum by Kikuno. Knee from the clinch by JZ. Kikuno pushes Jz into the corner, JZ throwing light knees to Kikuno's thighs. Ref separates them. Uppercut by Kinuno, JZ still throwing knees. Kikuno pushes JZ back to the corner again. More short knees by JZ. Coker is at ringside, killing my enthusiasm for this card. Back to the middle. JZ shoots, takes him down. Side control. Tried for a guilltotine, Kikuno spins, and we're standing again. Kikuno may have been thumbed in the eye in that exchange. Kikuno with a liver kick, make it two. Tried for a third, missed. No combinations standing from either man. JZ takes Kikuno down, in full guard, near the ropes. Looking to pass. Half guard. JZ breathing heavily, neither man throwing anything while they struggle for position. JZ tries for mount, doesn't get it, and we're standing. Kikuno got a couple uppercuts in during the scramble to his feet. JZ shoots, doesn't get him down, and, you guessed it, pushes JZ into the corner. And, you guessed it, short knees to the thigh by JZ. Ref breaks them up. 3:20 left. JZ shoots, clinch, Kikuno trips him Kikuno on top in half guard, JZ deep into the ropes. Moving to center ring. Full guard. JZ gets the rubber guard, very high. Lets the guard back down. JZ shrugs him up, and we're standing. another stalemate. Kikuno slips while throwing a liver kick, but JZ doesn't charge. Standing. Knee by Kikuno, leads to JZ shooting. Stuffed. Kikuno pushing JZ into the ropes, punches JZ through the ropes. Body kick by Kikuno. JZ eats a left hand
Close round, I'd give it to Kikuno if this were the States. The fight is Kikuno's style of fight.
Round 2: JZ lands a couple good punches, liver kick by Kikuno, JZ shoots, takes him down near the ropes. Full guard. Gets the mount with no resistance. Kikuno explodes, almost powers out, but JZ retains mount. Kikuno gives his back, JZ has the rear naked choke on, in the ropes. More of a neck crank than a full RNC, as his shin is not under Kikuno's chin anymore. Let's it go, still has Kikuno's back. Heel kick. JZ has the full figure four body lock (WOOOOOO). another nice high heel kick. Kikuno manages to sit up, JZ not letting go, though. JZ throwing lefts. deep into the ropes again. Kikuno's standing, but can't shrug JZ. Better position for JZ now. Has Kikuno's back, both on their sides. Depe in the ropes once again. JZ really wans the submission, but he's not going to get it. Kikuno escapes and throws a knee as the bell rings. JZ did enough to win the fight, though.
Decision: Cavalcante wins by Split Decision.
5:21 AM: Just in case you think that the only blind referees are in the US, someone gave this fight to Kikuno.
5:25 AM: JZ is taking his sweet time leaving ringside. If this were Vaudeville, someone offstage would yank him out with a cane around the neck. Scott Coker sighting. One more reason to NOT have HD. Now JZ's signing autographs at ringside. The production crew has had enough and just went all Academy Awards on him by dimming the lights and starting the video for the main event.
5:35 AM: Tatsuya Kawajiri v. Shinya Aoki
5:36 AM: These two couldn't be more opposite. Styles, personalities, attitudes, everything. Death metal versus Baka Survivor sums it up best, though.
5:38 AM: Why is Tila Tequila singing the Japanese national anthem?
5:39 AM: I have been informed that Remah is the singer. My bad.
5:43 AM: AND HERE WE GO!
Round 1: Aoki wearing trunks, no grappling pants. And in other news, Samson cut his hair. Kurt Pellegrino approves of Aoki's apparel. Aoki shoots for a single, gets a leg. Nasty heel hook. Kawajiri is back heel kicking Aoki's face, but Aoki's not letting go. Kawajir's getting desperate here. Trying ofr a heel hook of his own, can't get it, AND HE TAPS!
Result: Aoki wins by submission with a heel hook at 1:53 of round 1.
5:47 AM: Kawajiri still on his back, being tended to. foot lock was on for a LONG damn time. Kawajiri is seen being carried out of the ring while Aoki addresses the crowd. That's bad news, he might be looking at torn ligaments. Aoki had that lock on for more than a minute. While on the microphone, Aoki either proposed to his girlfriend or announced publicly his engagement. Aoki then announces a Melendez challenge for DREAM 16 on September 25.
5:47 AM: DREAM 15 is done. As is Tatsuya Kawajiri's 2010. Thanks for reading. Well, for reading this, I mean.
Quick Results: Kazuhiro Nakamura defeats Karl Amoussou by Unanimous Decision. Mitsuhiro Ishida defeats DJ.taiki by Unanimous Decision. Michihiro Omigawa defeats Jong Young Sam by submission with a guillotine at 8:45 of round 1. Tatsuya Mizuno defeats Melvin Manhoef by submission with a kimura at 7:23 of round 1. Gegard Mousasi defeats Jake O(verweight)'Brien by submission with a guillotine at 0:31 of round 1. Gesias Cavalcante defeats Katsunori Kikuno by Split Decision. Shinya Aoki defeats Tatsuya Kawajiri by submission with a heel hook at 1:53 of round 1.
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