by: Jack Bratcher 
On August 24, 2008 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, Frank “Twinkle Toes” Trigg stepped back into the ring after an eight month layoff to face Japanese Olympic gold-medalist Judoka, Makoto Takimoto. Trigg was a heavy favorite going into the fight with odds of -500 and Takimoto at +300 according to Sportsbook.com.
The first round was at a breakneck pace with Trigg clearly doing the most damage. Trigg looked impressive with his transitions, head movement, and a very solid all-around game. Whether it be standing, on his back, or in the mount, Trigg’s game continues to evolve. He looked comfortable in all aspects of the fight.
The PRIDE veteran and gold-medalist,Takimoto proved to be a wily opponent, at one point even pulling himself out of the ring under the ropes to avoid further punishment and to have the referee intervene. Takimoto had fast hands, landed a few shots, and got a takedown or two. However, he was able to only show what I’m sure is a just a fraction of his judo talent. Trigg controlled the momentum of the fight, imposed his will on Takimoto, and grinded out the victory. Trigg was starting to look winded near the end of the second and third round. In the post-fight conference he attributed this to the large weight cut and the time off.
With so much going on in Trigg’s life, some were worried the distractions might hurt his preparation for this fight. While it wasn’t the best Trigg we’ve ever seen, it’s about the best Trigg anyone could expect under the circumstances. The guy co-hosts a daily radio show, he’s been commentating and wrestling on TNA, color-commentating for MMA events, running his clothing line, and taking care of his pregnant wife who is due right now! And the guy still has enough grit to put in a “full” training camp, go to Japan and go three grueling rounds with a black belt Judoka gold-medalist! Trigg deserves his own gold medal!
Here’s Trigg at the Sengoku 4 post-fight press conference.