In a surprise ending to DREAM’s Super Hulk Tournament, Ikuhisa “The Punk” Minowa knocked out Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou in the third round of their New Year’s Eve bout at FieLDS Dynamite!! 2009 in Saitama, Japan.
Each fighter appeared to have won one round a piece going into the third and final round. Both fighters were very tentative in the third, and in fact were penalized with two yellow cards a piece for inactivity. However, when Minowa finally struck, he only needed one punch to land, and Sokoudjou went to the mat.
It was a short left hook that dropped Sokoudjou backward, bending his legs beneath him, and caused the referee to step in. Sokoudjou appeared to think the stoppage was early, but it was too late, the Japanese were already celebrating their hero.
For complete play-by-play coverage of this fight as well as all of the night’s fights, visit ProMMA.info‘s FieLDS Dynamite!! 2009 results page.