World Victory Road’s SENGOKU: SEVENTH BATTLE is live at Yoyogi National Stadium Second Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan on Friday, March 20, 2009. PRO MMA (promma.info) is providing live round-by-round updates and summary of the event. The first round of a Featherweight Tournament is featured as well as two non-tournament bouts featuring James Thompson taking on Jim York and Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal taking on Ryo Kawamura in the main event.
Quick Results:
Nick Denis def. Seiya Kawahara by TKO (punches) rd.1
Ronnie Mann def. Tetsuya Yamada by unanimous decision
Chan Sung Jung def. Sinataro Ishiwatari by sub. (RNC) rd.1
Masenori Kanehara def. Kim Jong Man be unanimous decision
Marlon Sandro def. Matt Jaggers by sub. (side choke) rd.2
Michihiro Omigawa def. L.C. Davis by unanimous decision
Jim York def. James Thompson by TKO (punch) rd.1
Nam Phan def. Hideki Kadowaki by KO (punch) rd.1
Hatsu Hioki def. Chris Manuel by submission (armbar) rd.1
Muhammed Lawal def. Ryo Kawamura by unanimous decisoin
Featherweight Tournament:
Seiya Kawahara (143.3 lbs) vs. Nick Denis (142.9 lbs)
rd.1 – Nick Denis starts off by dropping Kawahara with a high kick. Kawahara recovers only to get dropped again about a minute or so later. Denis follows up with punches forcing the referee to step in. Nick Denis defeats Seiya Kawahara by TKO (punches) rd.1
Ronnie Mann (142.6 lbs) vs. Tetsuya Yamada (143.3 lbs)
rd.1 – Yamada goes for a flying kneebar but Mann escapes and reverses looking for his own submission. There is a scramble on the ground that goes back and forth.
rd.2 – Yamada repeatedly looks for a kimura but to no avail. Mann gets a takedown and controls from the top. Yamada lands a good up-kick.
rd.3 – Yamada lands a big high kick but Mann gets the takedown. Yamada looks for a kimura again but no dice. Yamada ends up going the distance for the first time. Ronnie Mann defeats Tetsuya Yamada by unanimous decision
Chan Sung Jung (143.1 lbs) vs. Shintaro Ishiwatari (143.3 lbs)
rd.1 – The bout goes back and forth. It’s a very active round from both fighters with both guys landing good shots. It turns into a slug fest and near the end of the round Jung gets Ishiwatari to the ground and sinks in a rear naked choke forcing Ishiwatari to tap out as the bell sounds. Chan Sung Jung defeats Sinataro Ishiwatari by submission (rear naked choke) in rd.1
Kim Jong Man (142.9 lbs) vs. Masanori Kanehara (143.1 lbs)
rd.1 – Kanehara delivers multiple brutal leg kicks tearing up the legs of Man over and over. Man comes forward with punches but Kanehara fires back and puts Man to the ground. The round ends with Kanehara in control on the ground.
rd.2 – Kanehara trips Man for a takedown and gets full mount. Man reverses but Kanehara gets back to his feet. Man goes for a guillotine as the bell sounds.
rd.3 – A very close round goes back and forth. Kanehara lands a very nice high kick. With thirty seconds left in the round the fighters are warned to pick up the pace. They start slugging but neither fighter is able to finish. Masenori Kanehara defeats Kim Jong Man be unanimous decision
Note: It is announced that judging criteria says the rounds go to the fighter who comes closer to finishing the fight. There are three, five-minute rounds.
Marlon Sandro (143.3 lbs) vs. Matt Jaggers (143.3 lbs)
rd.1 – Jaggers lands a huge right hand. Sandro gets a takedown and gets the mount. Jaggers reverses. Fairly close round.
rd.2 – Sandro gets the takedown and maintains good control on the ground landing an occasional knee. Jaggers gets to his feet but Sandro wraps his arms around Jaggers head in a standing side choke, pulls it tight, Jaggers goes out and the fall to the ground with Jaggers unconscious. A beautiful victory for Marloon Sandro. Marlon Sandro defeats Matt Jaggers by submission (side choke) in rd.2
Michihiro Omigawa (142.9 lbs) vs. L.C. Davis (142.6 lbs)
rd.1 – L.C. Davis is on the defensive most of the first round. Omigawa gets Davis down, gets full mount, goes for a rear naked choke and then transitions to an armbar. The round ends as Davis is defending the armbar.
rd.2 – Omigawa takes Davis to the ground one more time where he maintains control until Davis is able to get up. They clinch in the corner where Davis lands some knees. They trade some punches but nothing significant although Davis is throwing heavy leather but not landing anything big.
rd.3 – Omigawa’s grappling made all the difference as he took Davis down one more time where he kept Davis for pretty much the entire round. With a couple of minutes remaining, Omigawa took full mount and remained there for the remainder. 30-28,30-28,30-27 for Omigawa. Michihiro Omigawa defeats L.C. Davis by unanimous decision This was the upset of the night as Omigawa had not won a fight in four fights.
Nam Phan (142.9 lbs) vs. Hideki Kadowaki (143.1 lbs)
rd.1 – Kadowaki lands a straight right and Phan throws a shot to the body. Phan lands more to the body. Kadowaki fires back and lands a punch. Phan throws a big right hook that connects and Kadowaki drops to the ground. The ref jumps in with under a minute to go. Nam Phan defeats Hideki Kadowaki by KO (punch) in rd.1
Hatsu Hioki (143.3 lbs) vs. Chris Manuel (141.5 lbs)
rd.1 – Hioki gets a takedown quickly where he lands some shots and moves to mount. Manuel gives up his back. Hioki goes for an armbar but Manuel escapes and gets to his feet. Hioki gets another takedown and mounts again. Hioki goes for an armbar but transitions to a triangle and back to the armbar as Manuel rolls to escape. Hatsu Hioki defeats Chris Manuel by submission (armbar) in rd.1
non-tournament bouts
James Thompson (271.8 lbs) vs. Jim York (264.6 lbs)
rd.1 – Thompson does a ridiculous gong and dash where he almost runs through the ropes when York moves out of the way like a bull fighter. York then starts dropping bombs on Thompson. thompson barely saves himself by clinching up. Both men start to fatigue. Thompson rocks York with a big punch and for a moment it looks like Thompson may win. But York land a quck left that drops Thompson to the ground and the ref stops it. Jim York defeats James Thompson by TKO (punch) in rd.1
Muhammed Lawal (204.6 lbs) vs. Ryo Kawamura (205 lbs)
rd.1 – Lawal dominates the round with repeated takedowns and slams. Mo slams Kawamura on his head. Kawamura throws some combinations but Mo ducks away and gets a takedown. Mo lands some good punches.
rd.2 – Mo gets a yellow card for two unintentional eye pokes. Mo throws a flying knee that barely misses Kawamura’s head. Mo catches Kawmura’s kick and pushes him against the ropes. Mo evades punches from Kawamura and gets two big takedowns.
rd.3 – Once again Kawamura’s punches are avoided and he gets put on his back. Lawal lands some ground and pound but Kawamura gets to his feet, but not for long as Mo pulls him back down. Mo slams Kawamura on his head once again. This dude’s neck is gonna be hurting. Mo tries to finish with ground and pound but Kawamura is able to get up only to be put back down as the bell sounds. 30-24,30-27,30-27 Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal defeats Ryo Kawamura by unanimous decisoin