In the first round, Yoshiro Meda, landed steady low-kicks.
By losing two in a row, to Masakazu Imanari and DJ.taiki, he realized, "Going all out and keeping my composure, now I know how to separate the two" and that is why he kept his range landing a series of low-kicks.
Atsushi Yamamoto from KILLER BEE, well aware of Maeda's flying knee, was very cautious also. A little passed the three minutes and thirty seconds mark, Maeda grabbed Yamamoto's left kicking leg finally taking the fight to the ground.
Maeda passed one leg to a half-mount but Yamamoto's defense was tight, and after about a minute of no improvement in positioning, the referee stood them back up.

Both shifted a gears in the second round. Yamamoto's left straight and Maeda's right jab started to connect. After over minute of a hard striking battle, Maeda came on top. First, with a solid left
straight, and when Yamamoto backed off a bit, Maeda chased him with a left straight, frontal kick, followed by a flying knee.
At the end, it was Maeda's signature move that sealed the deal.

Backstage, Maeda was not shy, "I am too happy. This time, I really didn't have any confidence. I lost two in a row. I am happy that I was able to beat that level of an opponent in that circumstance.Yamamoto is strong. He has got a good sense of timing coming in and out. His had a stiff left punch too."
Finally, Maeda is going to have an opportunity redeem himself against DJ.taiki, an up and coming fighter who defeated Maeda in March of this year, "Today, the moment Shida lost, I thought, 'I am the one. Things are going my way.' I get the revenge, win the belt, it's a good flow, right?"

However, Maeda's opponent in this featherweight King of Pancrase tournament, DJ.taiki looked solid. He basically controlled Miki Shida, a quick all around fighter who faired against Ivan Menjivar last year. In the first round, DJ allowed Shida to take the top but stabilized the opponent in his guard. DJsprawled and sprawled and with a right straight floored Shida in the second.
Finally, in the third round, DJ landed a strong right straight, and from there DJ followed it with a barrage of punches, and at the end, when DJ nailed Shida with a left hook to the chin, Shida went down and it was all over.
DJ is tall, lanky, and fast, with sharp striking skill, and a quick sprawl.
Yes, DJ is for real. It isn't going to be easy for Maeda.

Photos & Official Results - Pancrase 6/06/2006 >>