Just when you think this card could not get any better, it does. It was announced that the Yarennoka!! 2007 mega card would have 4 new participants. This announcement came simultaneously to the addition of 1 bout to the K-1 Dynamite!! 2007 show. The added bouts were…
Yarennoka!! 2007
- Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Kazuo Misaki
- Murilo Bustamante vs. Makoto Takimoto
K-1 Dynamite!! 2007
- Bob Sapp vs. Bobby Ologun
The emphasis on the 2 traditionally lighter weights in PRIDE is very apparent and kind of makes it feel more like a Bushido show, which is a great thing considering Bushido style shows were some of the best cards in PRIDE. I think this is most likely due to the contribution of Shigeru Saeki, one of the directors of Bushido. 3 of the 4 fighters are also former PRIDE fighters, excluding Akiyama.
For those familiar with the controversial Akiyama, he represents a sort of unpredictability factor considering he’s managed to finish fights in many different positions and by many different methods. He is famous for primarily 2 things, one being the Akiyama grease scandal, in which he was accused of adding lotion to his body prior to his fight with Sakuraba at K-1 Dynamite!! 2006 , and the other being the man who recently knocked Denis Kang out. Akiyama has managed to climb up rankings by his last impressive win and looks to try to keep his winning ways against 2006 PRIDE Welterweight Grand Prix Champion, Kazuo Misaki.
Misaki, a PRIDE veteran, who managed to capture the Grand Prix title last year and did manage to win his respective title facing better competition than Akiyama did in the 2006 K-1 Hero’s LightHeavyweight Grand Prix. The Grabaka Hitman beat Phil Baroni and Dan Henderson in the 1st and second round but was derailed by Paulo Filho via armbar. As destiny would have it Misaki would advance after it was revealed that Filho would be unable compete due to injury. Misaki would be crowned king of the 83 kg after a very close decision over Denis Kang.
Speaking of Welterweight Grand Prix champions, Murilo Bustamente was 1 judge’s decision away from becoming PRIDE’s Welterweight after he lost a very close fight at the original 2005 Bushido tournament. A former UFC Welterweight champion, he vacated his title to join most of his Brazilian Top Team counterparts in PRIDE. He was quickly inducted into PRIDE by facing Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at PRIDE’s Total Elimination 2003 Middleweight Tournament. He again lost a very close decision fighting a much heavier and natural 205 pounder in Jackson. He would go 0-3 in his 1st 3 PRIDE fights fighting at 93 kg. but would eventually drop and find his niche in the PRIDE 83 kg. division.
When this year began with a bang and the upsets started happening the Japanese Gold Medalist, Makoto Takimoto was a big contributor to the upset train. Takimoto won the 81 kg. division at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and would also contribute at the time to one of the biggest upsets of the year. Zelg “Benkei” Galesic was a phenomenon sweeping Cage Rage and fought Takimoto at PRIDE 34. To the surprise of everyone in the MMA community, Takimoto managed to submit Galesic in the 1st round. Although his record is a decent 3-3, I believe this is one of the fighters whose record doesn’t necessarily characterize him as a fighter. His losses are to one of the most gifted individuals at 83 kg. in Gegard Mousasi, RINGS veteran Kiyoshi Tamura, and Grabaka Founder and Lumax Cup Tournament of J 97′ champion, Sanea Kikuta.
Overall, these additions to the Yarennoka!! show just make me want to have Doc Brown come and pick me up in his Silver De Lorean and take me to a future where Yarennoka!! is much closer. I’m anticipating this show to be one of the best, if not the best show of the year. Can they do it?
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