Powergate: Gate 5 -Ikyu-san vs. Kaneyama

Gate 5 featured Ikyu-san, a fighter named after an anime monk and Kaneyama Hiroki, a fighter named after a big mountain of money. Ikuya-san's only affiliation is the yakiniku restaurant he is trying to promote through fighting. Very, very Osaka. Kaneyama had an 11 centimeter height advantage, but Ikyu-san came in 2 kilograms heavier. Kaneyama seemed to be the particular favorite of the one ring girl who didn't look like she was escaping life across the tracks.

Kaneyama earned my support for coming in to Ripslyme's "Funktastic." Taking me back a few years to a purer, more drunken time. Ikyu-san came in to the Ikyu-san theme song. Somehow this stuff is never considered nut funny in Japan. Maybe because the term "played out" Hasn't been invented yet.

(Photos Later)

Sorry, there has been some technical difficulties with this photo set, so it will be all text like Zork.

Kaneyama was a southpaw and the better striker. He looked comfortable on his feet and his extra length was allowing him to land fairly regularly. Ikyu-san's stockiness enabled him to counter this striking with low, double leg takedowns. On the ground, Kanayama worked a half-assed rubber guard. A theme on the night.

In the 2nd round Ikyu-san continued to take Kanayama down and slam him while in the guard. A big slam from standing severely damaged Kanayama's elbow causing the fight to be stopped. It looked very serious.

As I was trying to photograph the action, I was looking through the view finder. I heard people start yelling, "Elbow! Elbow!" And Kanayama writhing in pain on the ground. I thought that he had been knocked out with an elbow and couldn't understand how Ikyu-san had got the win. It was all explained to me later.

No one was happier with their win than Ikyu-san. He took the mic and invited everyone to come to his yakiniku restaurant. He wandered around soliciting people to take photos of him. He seemed like a cool guy, but I didn't bite.

(Photos were lost in the matrix)

Powergate: Gate 4 - Russian Suzuki vs. Tsuda Tomoyuki

Russian Suzuki from Cobra Kai faced off against Tsuda Tomoyuki from KFN in a welterweight bout.

This is the most exciting moment in the fight.



Tsuda (in blue trunks) came out and wandered around for a bit. When pressed by Suzuki, he threw two high kicks. They weren't effective, destructive high kicks. They looked lost. They weren't part of a combination. They looked like a guy saying, "Look, I can throw a high kick. Can I win?" He was taken down.



Russian Suzuki was strong from the top, but not strong enough to end the fight.



Tsuda's only defense was frantic attempts to get his feet between him and Suzuki and shove him off. Suzuki kept coming back.





A lot of guard sitting happened. Tsuda's corner had one command; "MOVE!"


I wandered off to get a new memory card from my bag. The fight went into a second round that looked like the first and Russian Suzuki won by decision.

Powergate: Gate 3 - katada vs. Matsuyama

I didn't undertake this site in order to start beef over the Internet. I will simply describe you several incidents that occurred during the night and let you decide if one team is, indeed, full of jokers.

Katada Nobuaki from Bhairava was unusually relaxed as he came to the ring. Matsuyama Makoto, from Team Joker was sporting the requisite burkha. The bout was fought at lightweight.

Matsuyama (in the fire trunks) was a little ball of violence and movement from the outset; the commotion quickly fell to the ground.



Katada threw up a triangle but Matsuyama viciously slammed out of it.



Both men struggled for position, Matsuyama somewhat more violently.





Matsuyama took the back only to end up on the bottom.




Matsuyama forced the issue with a triangle.





The ref called a stop to the fight.



Katada was disappointed, but not disrespectful. He protested lightly that he was okay and had been working to get out.



Matsuyama got real dumb, real quick and went back after Katada, shoving the ref and yelling, "You want more? You want to go again?"Katada stood passively.



Matsuyama enjoyed his performance.

Powergat:e Gate 2 - Wakatsu vs. Miki

Cobra Kai's Wakatsu vs. Miki from (team unknown) was a solid fight. Good technique all around. Lots of heart. Technical grappling.

Miki (in white) came out firing.



Until he hit Wakatsu with a hard low blow.



This brought about a yellow card and some time to regroup.




Miki seemed comfortable on the bottom. His guard was solid. Wakatsu showed a good base and was not phased by being in the guard.



Wakatsu tried to break the guard by standing up. Miki held firm.





Wakatsu finally gets out and goes for a Kimura.







Wakatsu went for the armbar and Miki got top position.



And went about the hard business of revenge.




Wakatsu defended with some interpretation of the rubber-guard.



Miki says no to Eddie Bravo.


Look, a blurry hooker. This must be the harbor. This must be round two.



Vicious, back-and-forth grappling ensues.



Miki uses a leg-lock attempt to administer some poundage.





Wakatsu rolls for an armbar.



Settles for some kind of crack-head control.



Considers the gogo.



Ends up with the tightest omaplata I have ever seen in MMA.



Miki's corner cries out that it is nothing. That he can handle it. He remains calm as Wakatsu uses the hold to pound his face.



Omaplata still locked, Wakatsu tries his corner's suggestion of alternating to the wrist-lock. Miki toughs it out to the bell.



Great fight. Wakatsu takes it on decision. Respect to both.