DREAM 3: MAY 11, 2008
Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan
Lightweight Grand Prix Second Round (16-man tournament):
Tatsuya Kawajiri 21-4-2 vs. Luiz "Buscape" Firmino 12-3 Coming off 2 straight wins the "Crusher" seems to be back on his MMA track. The "T-Blood" member needs to stop an opponent but probably won't against the ATT prospect. The 2 fought before to a close decision Tatsu won. A close bout but the power wrestler in Kawajiri should nullify Luiz's Ju-Jitsu yet again.
WINNER-Kawajiri by another decision
Mitsuhiro "Endless Fighter" Ishida 16-3-1 vs. Caol Uno 24-10-4 "Endless Fighter," when the hell did that become his nickname, and is it because he always fights to a decision (12 of his 16 wins!)? At any who, this is a sort of passing of the torch as Uno a former elite Japanese Lightweight Hero has faded, and Ishida is stepping up into the role. I'm not calling Uno "done" quite yet, the guy is still a submission specialist, but at a tender young 33 he is actually past his prime with 38 pro fights taking their toll. No way we don't see a decision between these 2 15 minute fighters but should be entertaining none the less.
WINNER-Mitsu Ishida
Joachim "Hellboy" Hansen 17-6-1 vs. Eddie Alvarez 13-1 The best matchup in the 2nd round of the tourney features two furious strikers who love to go to war! Short stack Alvarez lacks the reach and all but out powers Hansen if he can avoid the knee attack. This is going to be a great fight but I wonder why the Japanese fighters got such easier draws? This 50/50 fight could go either way but I'm leaning toward the Fight Factory cult hero and his non-stop assault. Not because he is an American, I like Hellboy better, but Eddie has only been bested once.
WINNER-Eddie Alvarez by TKO
Shinya Aoki 15-2 vs Katsuhiko Nagata 4-2 This bout is postponed to May 11th as the Japanese run company continues to tilt the boards in favor of the most popular Japanese fighter in the tournament. For "unnamed injuries" Aoki is unable at this point to fight after his "rematch" with Gesias "JZ" Calvancante which he should have lost because the strikes were legal but I've bitched about this over and over so anyway.
Jason "Mayhem" Miller 20-5 vs. Katsuyori Shibata 2-3 Uh, really? I mean, I know Mayhem is popular and all, but you didn't have to feed him a "Tomato Can" of this lower level. The guy is a "Pro Wrestler" for shits sake and has lost 3 fights in a row. Jason has had 5 months off so I guess this is a tune up. He toys with Shiba and wins easily.
WINNER-Mayhem however he wants
Melvin Manhoef 20-4-1 vs Dae Won Kim 4-3 Judo (Kim) versus pure brutal power. Manho is going to destroy this poor fella, cardio or no.
WINNER-Melvin and it won't take long
Daisuke Nakamura 13-9 vs. Bu Kyung Jung 0-2 Yet another Nakamura which is like having the name Smith in America, is a submission fighter and little else. B,....I don't know who these guys are. I'm just reading their bio's and guessing but then I realized I don't care.
WINNER-Nakamura
Nick "Diablo" Diaz 16-7 vs. Katsuya Inoue Diaz is fighting,...wait it just got cancelled. Oh wait, the fight is back on again. Nope, they pulled him out-hold on hold on, the fight is happening? Could they decide if this fight is going to happen or not? Its been cancelled and re-added at least 3 times now. Give it a name. Ah well if they do fight WAR DIAZ!
Takeshi Yamazaki 13-7-2 vs. TBA Yamazaki trains with the "Grabaka Hitman" Kazuo Misaki and is best at submissions. TBA is not to be overlooked here. TBA has had some incredible wins in its day and trains very hard in all disciplines. Expect TBA to bring the pain and never submit.
WINNER-TBA in an upset
If the DREAM people want to be taken seriously in the MMA world they are going to have to quit stacking their cards in favor of their hometown heroes. Its just obvious and doesn't give the best matchups for a Grand Prix. And lets try to get a card finalized so the fighters know who they are going to face at least a day before the fucking event. Its all about planning people. *Side bar, I just think its funny shits is in the spell checker.
Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan
Lightweight Grand Prix Second Round (16-man tournament):
Tatsuya Kawajiri 21-4-2 vs. Luiz "Buscape" Firmino 12-3 Coming off 2 straight wins the "Crusher" seems to be back on his MMA track. The "T-Blood" member needs to stop an opponent but probably won't against the ATT prospect. The 2 fought before to a close decision Tatsu won. A close bout but the power wrestler in Kawajiri should nullify Luiz's Ju-Jitsu yet again.
WINNER-Kawajiri by another decision
Mitsuhiro "Endless Fighter" Ishida 16-3-1 vs. Caol Uno 24-10-4 "Endless Fighter," when the hell did that become his nickname, and is it because he always fights to a decision (12 of his 16 wins!)? At any who, this is a sort of passing of the torch as Uno a former elite Japanese Lightweight Hero has faded, and Ishida is stepping up into the role. I'm not calling Uno "done" quite yet, the guy is still a submission specialist, but at a tender young 33 he is actually past his prime with 38 pro fights taking their toll. No way we don't see a decision between these 2 15 minute fighters but should be entertaining none the less.
WINNER-Mitsu Ishida
Joachim "Hellboy" Hansen 17-6-1 vs. Eddie Alvarez 13-1 The best matchup in the 2nd round of the tourney features two furious strikers who love to go to war! Short stack Alvarez lacks the reach and all but out powers Hansen if he can avoid the knee attack. This is going to be a great fight but I wonder why the Japanese fighters got such easier draws? This 50/50 fight could go either way but I'm leaning toward the Fight Factory cult hero and his non-stop assault. Not because he is an American, I like Hellboy better, but Eddie has only been bested once.
WINNER-Eddie Alvarez by TKO
Shinya Aoki 15-2 vs Katsuhiko Nagata 4-2 This bout is postponed to May 11th as the Japanese run company continues to tilt the boards in favor of the most popular Japanese fighter in the tournament. For "unnamed injuries" Aoki is unable at this point to fight after his "rematch" with Gesias "JZ" Calvancante which he should have lost because the strikes were legal but I've bitched about this over and over so anyway.
Jason "Mayhem" Miller 20-5 vs. Katsuyori Shibata 2-3 Uh, really? I mean, I know Mayhem is popular and all, but you didn't have to feed him a "Tomato Can" of this lower level. The guy is a "Pro Wrestler" for shits sake and has lost 3 fights in a row. Jason has had 5 months off so I guess this is a tune up. He toys with Shiba and wins easily.
WINNER-Mayhem however he wants
Melvin Manhoef 20-4-1 vs Dae Won Kim 4-3 Judo (Kim) versus pure brutal power. Manho is going to destroy this poor fella, cardio or no.
WINNER-Melvin and it won't take long
Daisuke Nakamura 13-9 vs. Bu Kyung Jung 0-2 Yet another Nakamura which is like having the name Smith in America, is a submission fighter and little else. B,....I don't know who these guys are. I'm just reading their bio's and guessing but then I realized I don't care.
WINNER-Nakamura
Nick "Diablo" Diaz 16-7 vs. Katsuya Inoue Diaz is fighting,...wait it just got cancelled. Oh wait, the fight is back on again. Nope, they pulled him out-hold on hold on, the fight is happening? Could they decide if this fight is going to happen or not? Its been cancelled and re-added at least 3 times now. Give it a name. Ah well if they do fight WAR DIAZ!
Takeshi Yamazaki 13-7-2 vs. TBA Yamazaki trains with the "Grabaka Hitman" Kazuo Misaki and is best at submissions. TBA is not to be overlooked here. TBA has had some incredible wins in its day and trains very hard in all disciplines. Expect TBA to bring the pain and never submit.
WINNER-TBA in an upset
If the DREAM people want to be taken seriously in the MMA world they are going to have to quit stacking their cards in favor of their hometown heroes. Its just obvious and doesn't give the best matchups for a Grand Prix. And lets try to get a card finalized so the fighters know who they are going to face at least a day before the fucking event. Its all about planning people. *Side bar, I just think its funny shits is in the spell checker.
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