Ishida baby.... NEW CHAMP I call it like I see it
Toronto Mike, it is not a "Japanese cultural perspective" you're speaking about. It is a "Pro wrestling culture perspective".
You guys also have to take into account the fact that since losses don't mean that much in Pride, we can see more high level matchups on a more consistent basis.
Sure the belt thing is whack, but in the end we have seen most of the dream fights already.
Fedor vs. Crocop THEY MADE IT HAPPEN
BUSHIDO LW GP 'nuff said
Silva vs. Rampage
Silva vs. Crocop
etc. etc.
It's not like they are protecting their champs. The champs in Pride are always consistently facing top competition.
Yep..
people like to underestimate Gomi's ground.. but he comes from Kiguchi Dojo. one of the most respected wrestling dojos in Japan.
Gomi has the size advantage.
If Gomi is ON.. Ishida will have zero chance.
Let's hope he's motivated.
"people like to underestimate Gomi's ground.. but he comes from Kiguchi Dojo. one of the most respected wrestling dojos in Japan."
be that as it may be you put Gomi on his back and he is a fish outta water. Fact when Luiz Azeredo (before getting brutaly KTFO) put gomi on his back and pretty much gomi layed there till he got Yellow card.
or when he got put on his back by aurelio he got submited.
I like Japanese fighters as much as the next man but Gomi's weakness is when he hits the ground he thinks too much like a wrestler, he give up his back in fact two of three of his losses have come by choke. (and we are not counting the choke he got slaped on by matt serra and Uno just about had his number in contenders)
"I saw him wrestle the captain of the #2 team to a draw under combat wrestling rules in mid 2005"
Yes he was incredible that year when he won the GP. Unfortunatly for him we are talking about 2006 where he looked like shit against Aurelio twice. Whereas Ishida pretty much played with Aurelio
I don't know why some of the japan-centric fans are picking Ishida to win.
Ishida is not a strong finisher, and GOMI is stronger and a monster on the feet. I think Gomi will be on fire for this match. I sensed a bit of jealousy in Gomi's eyes when he saw how easily he handled Aurelio.
Gomi will come focused and KO the little man.
While its true that Gomi has the wrestling ability, he probably needs to work on his SnB strategy a bit more to keep at top notch level down the road.
He did stuff Kawajiri's td attempts and KJ is one of the better td guys in the class (but perhaps that was as much due to, as someone mentioned, it being Gomi's peak performance time maybe).
"Fact when Luiz Azeredo (before getting brutaly KTFO) put gomi on his back and pretty much gomi layed there till he got Yellow card."
True but you are totally missing the fact that Azeredo was doing shit all as well and looked too like he was just waiting for the ref to stand it up. You have to be able to see the whole pic here.
But back to Gomi and a better SnB game, perhaps its just not really his style since he is more the stalker than a counter SnB guy like Liddel and Crocop but this Ishida fight will be interesting because the td will be Ishida's main desire and it is coming off a really tentative/shitty performance from Gomi against Aurelio.
But, on the other hand, Gomi did display patience against Aurelio in the rematch, obviously too much so but lets not overlook the fact that when Gomi didnt overly come forward and attack on Aurelio, Aurelio had no answer either. And HE pretty much kept on backing up for most of the fight waiting for td opps that didnt come or that he couldnt make really (or couldnt make anything out of when it did hit the ground).
So, again, this is a pivitol fight for Gomi. And what happens if Gomi KTFO Ishida? Can we really say Aurelio is still that much better than Gomi considering all that Gomi has accomplished and considering that Aurelio is 0-2 after that sub win over Gomi?
I would have been much happier to see a better performance out of Gomi in that rematch though, i dont think anyone is happy with that, not even ol EY.
Btw, anyone seen Ishida/Shaolin?
And has Shaolin tried to get into Pride? Is he a better version of Aurelio?
Wonder if they will rematch Gomi and Hansen in Pride.
Also think Mach and Uno would do well vs Aurelio and Shaolin.
Ishida haters get ready to eat some crow. Ishida has decent strikes and very nice ground. You better rewind his career. The only person who exploited his ground game was Shaolin. He has the power to knock you out aswell. Ishida is one of the most exciting ground fighters in the biz. Nothing boring there.
"Who cares about the belt situation."
Um, anybody who has half a brain.
"Btw, anyone seen Ishida/Shaolin?"
Yeah Ishida dominated the takedowns and Shaolin swept him. Also had Ishida in a pretty deep sub. That fight and Ishidas fight with Togashi made me realize Ishida is pretty much untappable. The guys limbs bend in freaky ways
"And has Shaolin tried to get into Pride? Is he a better version of Aurelio?"
Shaolin reportedly had offers from UFC and K1. UFC wanted an exclusive contract while Shaolin still wanted to compete in Shooto aswell. So he went with K1
And i would say he is right now the most underrated LW in the world. He is a much much better wrestler than Aurelio and better BJJ
BTW im going with Ishida with the upset. Gomi looks like he has lost his fire because he is champ again. And Ishida is on a huge roll
Ishida will wreck Gomi.
And all will be right with the world.