Yoshida obliterates Maurice Smith

There’s an old cliché about the ‘head/heart/mouth writing checks the body can’t cash’. Maurice Smith experienced that dynamic firsthand in the main event of World Victory Road: Sengoku 3.

After testing the legendary kickboxer’s range and reflexes in the first minute of the fight, Hidehiko Yoshida took care of business with almost frightening speed and efficiency. Once he determined that his reflexes were superior to those of his 46 year old opponent, he quickly rushed Smith and bulled him to the corner. Having negated Smith’s still deadly striking ability, Yoshida tied up his opponent and had no trouble completing a beautiful judo throw to get him to ground. Once he had him there, the fight was all but over as the judoka started to work for his trademark neck crank/side choke to which Smith had no response but to rake at Yoshida’s eyes. This did little more than make him mad, and with a quick burst of strength fueled by adrenaline Yoshida locked the hold in deeply. Never more than an adequate ground fighter even during his prime, Smith had the only option available to a striker in his late 40’s on the mat with a judo master and tapped out to end the fight. The official time of the fight was 2:23 of round one, but even that doesn’t adequately convey Yoshida’s dominance in victory.

If Yoshida was upset at Smith for the eye rake he didn’t show it after the fight where he graciously shook hands with not only his opponent but every one of his corner men. Despite being dispatched by Yoshida with ease, Smith deserves a lot of credit for having the guts to take the fight in the first place. Still in phenomenal shape for a man in his late 40’s, he simply didn’t have the same reflexes that he used to. Yoshida quickly determined this in the standup exchange, but still afforded his opponent the sort of respect that a fighter who once went an astounding ten years without losing a kickboxing match deserves. 

In the semifinal match, well traveled Travis Wiuff had no trouble with Kazuyuki Fujita. The 37 year old veteran of PRIDE and New Japan Pro Wrestling was simply overwhelmed by Wiuff, whose career is clearly on the upswing following his YAMMA Pit Fighting tournament win and a tonight’s victory over a legendary fighter in Fujita. Wiuff’s career has been nothing if not a classic example of tenacity and grit. At the age of 30, he’s compiled an amazing 53-11 record in less than seven years as a professional. Despite losing decisively in his only two appearances in the ‘big leagues’ (one fight in PRIDE and another in the UFC) he’s persevered by fighting anywhere and everywhere he had the opportunity. He may have found a home in Japan and after the dogged determination he’s displayed in the pursuit of his career he’s earned the right to some success. Always a solid wrestler, he’s greatly improved his striking and it was on display tonight as he floored Fujita with a straight right hand and followed up with a half dozen hammer fists before the referee stepped in.

Earlier in the evening, Kazuo Misaki won an easy unanimous decision over game Logan Clark. Misaki, who ranks among the best middleweights in the world, is equally as adept on the ground as on his feet making him a particularly tough matchup. Clark’s strategy appeared to be to swing for the fences with wild, sometimes awkward haymakers. Not surprisingly, this allowed Misaki to put on a counterpunching clinic against his frequently off balance opponent. Clark did manage to connect with a wild uppercut in the third round, sending Misaki to the canvas. He recovered quickly, however, and demonstrated his dominance on the ground to close out the fight.

In other action Nick “The Goatâ€? Thompson submitted Michael Costa with a kimura in an entertaining back and forth fight. Despite a significant disadvantage both in height and reach, Costa controlled the standup exchanges while the lanky Thompson dominated the ground action. Costa knocked Thompson down early in the 2^nd, only to have his opponent recover and use the leverage afforded by his long legs to get the submission. Thompson, the reigning BoDog welterweight champion, has very quietly put together a 12 fight winning streak and has prevailed in 19 of his last 20 contests. 

Sanae Kikuta quickly forced Chris Rice to tap to an armbar, while Marcio Cruz manhandled Mu Bae Choi for most of the first round before ending the contest with a rear naked choke. Rodrigo Damm landed a perfectly placed straight right out of nowhere to KO Jorge Masdival after a lackluster first round characterized by the inactivity of both fighters. In the evening’s opening bout, a game Kazuo Takahashi made it a fight for a full round before being overwhelmed by the fast hands and power punching of Fabio Silva.

World Victory Road’s next event will be Sengoku 4 scheduled for August 24^th at the Saitama Super Arena. Announced for this event is the return of Takanori Gomi, arguably the best lightweight fighter in the world. Gomi—aka “The Fireball Kidâ€?—last fought at the inaugural Sengoku event where he defeated Duane Ludwig by TKO.