Since interviewing Gomi back in February of last year, I feel as if his first interview with a U.S. based journalist, helped plant a seed in his brain, which he has since cultivated digging at the earth. When I met Gomi he was coming out of his only two defeats in MMA, which where quite devastating because he lost his Shooto belt to Joachim Hansen, and then got pummeled two months later by BJ Penn in a cage in Hawaii. This was an uncertain time in Takanori’s life, and he abruptly took off to a foreign land unprepared for what he would encounter.

When I told him that everyone in the U.S. wanted to fight him, he just smiled and expressed surprise and amazement. He seemed shocked that anyone even knew about him in the United States. Sure - I told him – Every time I talk to lightweights from the UFC, your name always comes up.

Gomi surfing after defeating Azeredo in Bushido vol. 07. Photography by Yoshinori Ihara

That was only about a year ago, and now six victories later- all by TKO and one submission lock - Takanori Gomi (19-2) is a man to be reckoned with in the welterweight category of world class MMA. He has overwhelmingly made his point to everyone he has confronted, including the former king of the lightweights, Jens Pulver, and Ralph Gracie, who has been MIA from Bushido MMA since that lightning quick devastating right knee signed by Takanori Gomi.

I suppose his most dangerous moment in the last year was very recently in late May against a uniquely creative, aggressive and quick Luiz Azeredo (Chute Boxe). This fight lasted way longer than the others, but Gomi was truly tested by a great striker, who gambled for a KO all the way until he was finished in TKO fashion by the heavy welterweight pounder.

When I had asked Gomi if he would like to fight in North America, he told me he had to take care of business at home first, and now that he is the undisputed king of Bushido (lets see what happens against Chute Boxe's Jean Silva - current Cage Rage lightweight champ - next week) two people immediately come to mind that I would like to see him fight. First Gomi should step into the Octagon and take Matt Hughes’ belt, and then he can go visit Hawaii one more time around for unfinished business with BJ Penn.

Kawajiri was too much for Yves to handle on the Shooto stage on August of 2003. Photography by Hitman Ohba

Could Gomi do it? You UFC heads might mock me for believing that Gomi could defeat Matt Hughes, a man who has been reigning supreme, but was made short work by BJ Penn. And yes BJ is spectacular, and is about to rewrite MMA/BJJ history against Renzo Gracie. BJ Recently lost by decision to the much larger LYOTO -Inoki’s prodigal son- who TKO’d Rich Franklin once upon a time. Anyways, BJ has big cojones, and for Gomi, Penn is the Holy Grail, whose cojones he must remove. It would perhaps be more tactical to lure Hughes and Penn into the Bushido stage, since Gomi has only fought once in the cage and didn’t fare well.

Perhaps the reason Gomi was less known before, is because he belonged to Shooto, a long running MMA organization which is smaller than Pride or UFC. Perhaps one of the reasons is that they produce more lightweight and middleweight fighters rather than the larger than average man, which seems to fascinate the mainstream audience more. Shooto now has a new secret weapon, and his name is Tatsuya Kawajiri (14-2-2), and he is the current reigning welterweight champion. This is highly unusual, for a Shooto champion to be risking his reputation on a foreign stage such as Pride Bushido. But this also seems to be a new phenomenon as far as Shooto goes.

Crusher - Another Secret Weapon

His debut fight was against Takumi, the current KOTC lightweight champion. He lost by a rear naked choke and then spent a full year changing his physique coming back and winning the honor of Shooto rookie of the year (welterweight) in 2002.

Although Kawajiri had a draw against another Shooto outsider named Caol Uno back in March of last year, he has only two losses, the last of which was to Vitor "Shaolin" Ribeiro in December of 2002. He lost a majority decision but was injured during the fight by a submission attempt by Shaolin.
In May of 2003, he faced Takumi again and got his revenge by knocking him down three times during the fight, winning by TKO - referees stoppage.

Little did Takumi know that Kawajiri had rebuilt himself; better faster and stronger. Photogapy by Yoshinori Ihara

Then two years after facing Shaolin, in the 15th Year Shooto Anniversary event, he ousted him as emperor of the temple of Shooto, and has gathered seven victories all of which were by TKO except a decision over Yves Edwards in Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium, which he won convincingly - majority decision.

After the Brazilian national anthem was played, Shaolin came out throwing heavy hooks to the head, while Kawajiri landed a series of solid low kicks. As Ribeiro started feeling Japanese steel cutting at the sun of his chins, as well as combinations to the face, he decided to take it to the ground. But he could only get kawajiri halfway down, as he balanced himself on a knee and avoided the takedown. As Kawajiri stood clinching he landed some knees and the bell ended the round with Shaolin still circling out.

As the sophisticated Shooto crowd chanted for Shaolin (a lot of ladies in the audience) after a series of lefts which unbalanced Ribeiro, Kawajiri eventually nailed Ribeiro with a hard right about thirty seconds into the second round for the mandatory count from the referee. After the count Kawajiri grew confident, smelling the kill chasing him back landing combinations. The lankier Ribeiro needed to take it to the ground, weakly shooting in and pulling guard. Tatsuya eventually took the mount and forced an intervention by the referee towards the end of the second. Ribeiro was not throwing anything back for about the last minute of the fight. He was completely overwhelmed and could not respond or recover from the situation. It was an exhilarating victory for Kawajiri and his clan, but a devastating loss for the 155lbs. Shooto Champion from Brazil. In this victory, Kawajiri seemed extremely focused and confident, he was never in any trouble against the then champion, and he showed that he is passionate about fighting and winning with his fists.

Kawajiri made his debut at the last Bushido Vol. 7 and impressed everyone in Japan and Korea, by destroying Kim In Seok. Just as Gomi, this kid likes to punch, pummel n pulp up the unfortunate opponent. Shaolin Ribeiro not only lost his belt, but also was taken out for the first time in his career by this athlete. So this tells us that there is no shortage of talent in the 155 lbs. division, no matter what anyone tells us about “cultivating” talent. The talent has cultivated itself, or in this case by Shooto, it’s just waiting for an opportunity, a shot at the big time, the bigger stages of MMA.

Yuki Kondo will stand or grapple with anyone opponent you put him in the ring with. Photography by Hideto Ida

Yet Another Ground n Pounder

For Yuki Kondo (43-16-5) it has been another type of a roller coaster ride. Although he has won his last five Pancrase fights since loosing to a much larger Josh Barnett for the open weight King of Pancrase belt about two years ago, Yuki has suffered one decisive loss to Wanderlai Silva, a controversial loss to Dan Henderson, as well as just coming off a daring defeat against a dense and agile Igor Vovchanchyn in the first round of the Pride Middleweight GP.

Although Yuki doesn’t care, or simply doesn’t even notice the weight factor, he is too small for this weight class, even though he still holds the King Of Pancrase belt at a similar weight. (Light-heavy) With a few fights still left in his UFC contract, I think it would be a great time for Yuki to be invited back into the UFC. He would be a great opponent for the very new 185 lbs. champion Rich Franklin, who actually walks around at least 15 to 20 lbs heavier than Yuki.

Ironic isn’t it, everybody has been going down a weight class to conquer belts lately, because the competition has become quite technically proficient, and the sport has simply evolved; except for Yuki Kondo or Sakuraba for that matter. I think Sakuraba would also be another great candidate for the UFC’s 185 lbs. title.

Kondo has a style, which simply flows. He becomes water against anyone you give him, whether it be Sammy Schilt or one of the new gunners in the UFC, perhaps. When I had asked Yuki about moving down a weight class, he basically said that he hadn’t even considered it, because weight is never a factor as far as he is concerned. But these are now different times, and even DSE is putting their foot down on Sakuraba’s fancies of fighting the big men.

Dream Team Japan

It’s time to bring those Japanese ground n pounders into the cage, or we must take the cage fighters to the ropes, to see if they can take what a lot of fighters would like, someone else’s throne.

Yuki Kondo always seems to get a bum deal, and I think people his size are truly afraid to encounter him. Sure Wanderlai stomped him for a quick finish (while holding the rope -illegal) but its time to match Yuki against other 185 pound fighters, and then we can simply see for ourselves.