Yoshida Keita vs. Kawamata "Geostar" Joji

I'm going to tell you from the beginning that this might be fight of the year. This match was insanely good and exciting in every moment. Great, great effort on both fighter's parts. No shame in the whole affair. Kawamata Joji, billed as George "Kawamata" Geostar, fights out of Paraestra Osaka and wore the black shorts. Yoshida Keita, in the blue shorts, fights out of Cobra Kai.

Kawamata is a south-paw who used the ropes well to escape. He is also the only fighter I have seen whose corner wore rash guards.

A good deal of the fight took place in Kawamata's corner. He was well coached.



Kawamata employed a technique that is fairly common in Shooto which is beating the stew out of someone who is in your guard while you are on the bottom. I like it. It is effective. He did a lot of damage to the right side of Yoshida's head. It was getting to Yoshida but he couldn't work out of it. Kawamata's corner kept shouting, "It's getting to him! He doesn't like it."



Yoshida worked to pass Kawamata's guard, but "Geostar" was the noticeably better grappler.





Yoshida was the more powerful striker, but Kawamata was cagey and careful. This fight had an awesome pace and alternated between standing and the ground.



Kawamata threatened with foot-sweeps through the first round.


Both fighters regrouped between rounds.




Kawamata seemed relaxed and was in control of the fight.



The second round saw lots of clinching against the ropes, especially in the corners.





Toward the end of the round Yoshida connected with a huge right kick to the body. Kawamata was visibly hurt. Yoshida, who had looked exhausted up to this point was energized and the momentum changed.



After the kicks, Kawamata's takedowns became desperate attempts to get out of stand-up exchanges. He ended up desperately clinging to Yoshida's ankle and taking a beating on the head.



The fight was accurately judged a draw with Yoshida advancing in the tournament. Kawamata had given all he had to give and left the ring sobbing. It was a truly great fight.