Shootors Make Weight For 7/21 Korakuen Hall Card
Continue Reading July 20th, 2006
All fighters for tomorrow’s Shooto event at Korakuen Hall have weighed in.
Some were able to make weight a little easier than others. Late replacement Clayton Guida weighed in at 70.3 kilograms initially, and then 70.1 kilograms, before making the 70.0 limit on his third attempt. Guida, who took the fight on less than a week’s notice, stated that he is always prepared to fight, and he hopes to have his hand raised tomorrow. His opponent Yusuke Endo, who came in at 69.9 kilograms, said he was eager to fight again in Shooto, and hoped to put on a great fight with Guida.
Up and coming 60 kilogram fighters Hiroyuki Tanaka and So Tazawa came in at 59.9 and 59.7 kilograms respectively. Both men had high hopes for their new Class A careers, as Tanaka said that this time, he came with teammate Junji Ikoma, but he hopes that he can win, so next time he fights, he will return to Korakuen Hall alone. So Tazawa said that he must show his strength in the ring, and show why he gave up “the salaryman’s life” to pursue a career in Shooto.
Twice adversaries Junji Ikoma and Masatoshi Abe tipped the scales at 56.0 kilograms and 55.8 kilograms respectively. Both men said that while they’ve fought twice before, they know that they’ve both become different fighters in the last three years, and look forward to squaring off again in the ring tomorrow.
The returning former 60 kilogram king Ryota Matsune weighed in 100 grams over before making weight. Of his opponent, 2005 rookie champion Takeya Mizugaki, Matsune said that he was a serious opponent for a return bout. He said Mizugaki was both powerful and skilled, but that it simply meant he would have to fight his hardest. Mizugaki, who weighed in at 59.7 kilograms, said simply, “Everyone thinks I will lose tomorrow. But I will win. I want to knock him out.”
The 66 kilogram catchweight in the bout between 65 kilogram ace “Lion” Takeshi Inoue and American Top Team up-and-comer Cole Miller was thought to benefit the American, who is used to fighting at the weight as the North American standard for the weight class. However, it was the champ who needed the extra kilogram, as while Miller came in at 65.8 kilograms on the scales, Inoue weighed in at 66.6 kilograms, and then 66.2 kilograms, before making the 66.0 kilogram limit on his third try. Miller, who noted that he had no trouble making weight, said that he admired the striking skills of “Lion”, but that he came to Japan in order to win. The champion Inoue was jovial about his weigh ins, and stated that while Miller is much taller than his usual opponents, his gameplan will not deviate from his usual striking tactics.
65 kilogram championship hopefuls Kenji Osawa and Akitoshi Hokazono both made weight on their first tries. The always low key and low profile Hokazono, who tipped the scales at 59.9 kilograms, said that both he and Osawa had paid their dues in Shooto, and he would control the bout of elder statesmen. Osawa, who weighed in at 59.8 kilograms, said that tomorrow, he would carry out the bout successfully. Osawa said that when he fought Hokazono two years ago, he was unaware of Hokazono’s skill. “I was finished in the blink of an eye,” said Osawa, “But this time, I’m stronger.”
Official Weigh In Results:
Yoshiki Noguchi (Paraestra Sapporo) - 69.5 KG
Yoshihiro Koyama (Paraestra Matsudo) - 69.7 KG
Takayuki Kobe (ALIVE) - 56.0 KG
Takuya Mori (Paraestra Sapporo) - 56.2 KG ? 56.0 KG
Kazuya Tamura (Mach Dojo) - 60.0 KG
Teruyuki Matsumoto (Shooting Gym Osaka) - 59.7 KG
Daisuke Ishizawa (Paraestra Sapporo) - 65.0 KG
Hiroshi Nakamura (Tokyo Yellow Mans) - 65.0 KG
Yusuke Endo (Gokita Gym) - 69.9 KG
Clayton Guida (Hellhouse) - 70.3 KG ? 70.1 KG ?70.0 KG
So Tazawa (GUTSMAN Shooto Dojo) - 59.7 KG
Hiroyuki Tanaka (Chokushinkai) - 59.9 KG
Masatoshi Abe (Abe Ani Combat Club) - 55.8 KG
Junji Ikoma (Chokushinkai) - 56.0 KG
Ryota Matsune (Paraestra Matsudo) - 60.1 KG ? 60.0 KG
Takeya Mizugaki (Shooting Gym Hakkei) - 59.7 KG
Takeshi Inoue (Shooting Gym Yokohama) - 66.6 KG ? 66.2 KG ? 66.0 KG
Cole Miller (American Top Team) - 65.8 KG
Akitoshi Hokazono (Freelance) - 59.9 KG
Kenji Osawa (Wajyutsu Keisyukai A3) - 59.8 KG
Crymson and Sustain Present Professional Shooto
July 21st, 2006
Korakuen Hall
Tokyo, Japan
Doors Open: 17:00
Fights Start: 18:00
Tentative Fight Card (Card Subject To Change):
2006 Shooto Welterweight Rookie Tournament Semifinal
Class B, 70 KG, 2R 5M
Yoshiki Noguchi (Paraestra Sapporo) vs. Yoshihiro Koyama (Paraestra Matsudo)
2006 Shooto Featherweight Rookie Tournament Quarterfinal
Class B, 60 KG, 2R 5M
Kazuya Tamura (Mach Dojo) vs. Teruyuki Matsumoto (Shooting Gym Osaka)
2006 Shooto Bantamweight Rookie Tournament Quarterfinal
Class B, 56 KG, 2R 5M
Takayuki Kobe (ALIVE) vs. Takuya Mori (Paraestra Sapporo)
2006 Shooto Lightweight Rookie Tournament Semifinal
Class B, 65 KG, 2R 5M
Daisuke Ishizawa (Paraestra Sapporo) vs. Hiroshi Nakamura (Tokyo Yellow Mans)
Class A, 70 KG, 3R 5M
Yusuke Endo (Gokita Gym) vs. Clayton Guida (Hellhouse)
Class A, 60 KG, 3R 5M
So Tazawa (GUTSMAN Shooto Dojo) vs. Hiroyuki Tanaka (Chokushinkai)
Class A, 56 KG, 3R 5M
Masatoshi Abe (Abe Ani Combat Club) vs. Junji Ikoma (Chokushinkai)
Class A, 60 KG, 3R 5M
Ryota Matsune (Paraestra Matsudo) vs. Takeya Mizugaki (Shooting Gym Hakkei)
Class A, 66 KG, 3R 5M
Takeshi Inoue (Shooting Gym Yokohama) vs. Cole Miller (American Top Team)
For The Vacant Shooto World Featherweight Championship
Class A, 60 KG, 3R 5M
Akitoshi Hokazono (Freelance) vs. Kenji Osawa (Wajyutsu Keisyukai A3)
We supposed part of us should be depressed by the news that Clinton Portis is taking his 
