Powergate: Gate 10 Kishimoto vs. Umezono

Umezono Fumihira wandered, tottered towards the ring with a heavily bandaged left knee. He was the crowd favorite, representing Paraestra Osaka. He looked like a man walking to his death. A man who would have rather been somewhere else. The crowds enthusiasm for Umezono was matched by Kishimoto Hideki's, out of Ground Core, enthusiasm for the upcoming lightweight clash. Although not as favored by the crowd, Kishimoto came in with the better record and the lightweight belt. Although they both stood 173cm, Umezono had a 6kg weight advantage. He looked around as if someone might come up and tell him he didn't have to go through with it. Kishimoto bounced off of the ropes.

At the bell Umezono's extended hand was met with a flying knee by Kishimoto. In the struggle Umezono ended up on the bottom.









And that's how the fight went down. Umezono, although having a cooler last name, was never in the fight. I am not sure how severe his knee injury was and how it effected his training but he brought nothing to the match, mentally or physically. After the fight he picked up the microphone and announced his desire to retire. A row of well dressed women in their late 30s occupying the front row shrieked in disbelief. Umezono said, "I want to retire, but there are those who will never forgive me. So I will take some time off and get my mind and my body right and try again. I don't really feel like it..." But then he called out Yamazaki. Hmmmm....