“Fight Of The Soul”

Tomoaki Ueyama vs Hirokazu “Bull” Konno

Round 1:
This bizarre Intermission fight began with an exchange of leg kicks as the crowd cheered anything that Konno did. Both fighters landed quick punches in the corner and Ueyama backed Konno around the ring. Leg kicks landed for Konno and he began prancing around the ring. He then tripped over the rope. Hilarious. Ueyama clinched and landed punches, but Konno countered with knees.

Ueyama threw more wild punches, but Konno blocked them and countered with a right hook. Ueyama scored an emphatic takedown and moved straight to mount. Konno rolled and Ueyama took his back. Konno spun and took top position, but Ueyama scrambled to his feet. More wild punches were exchanged and Konno began prancing away again.

In one of the funniest moments in MMA history, Ueyama dropped Konno with a lunging right hook as Konno continued his prance around the ring. Konno collapsed in a heap and Ueyama dove in with more punches, then locked on a rear naked choke. Konno refused to tap out, but was quickly rendered unconscious. An absolutely priceless fight.

Winner: Tomoaki Ueyama by Technical Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 4:29 of round one. He improves to 3-3-0.

Kazunori Yokota vs Eiji Mitsuoka

Round 1:
Yokota kept his distance with kicks early on and Mitsuoka connected with a nice left hook. Mitsuoka clinched and tried for a takedown, but Yokota defended. Mitsuoka landed punches and pressed Yokota into the corner. The referee separated the fighters and Yokota landed a one-two. Mitsuoka suplexed Yokota to the ground, but Yokota stood up and used a beautiful throw to take Mitsuoka down.

Yokota threw short punches and hammerfists from the top and Mitsuoka answered with strikes from the bottom. Yokota postured up and landed three solid punches, but Mitsuoka swept and worked from half-guard. He quickly took Yokota’s back and slammed Yokota back to the ground. Yokota stood again before the bell. 10-9 Mitsuoka.

Round 2:
Yokota landed front kicks early in round two and Mitsuoka answered with a looping right hook. Yokota connected with a big hook of his own and Mitsuoka clinched. The referee separated the fighters and they traded body shots. Yokota muscled Mitsuoka into the corner and another stalemate followed. Yokota landed a hard leg kick and a quick one-two. Mitsuoka clinched and Yokota landed hard elbows to his shoulder blades.

Mitsuoka clinched and tried for a takedown, but Yokota reversed with a judo throw. Yokota connected with a lunging punching combination and Mitsuoka clinched again. The referee restarted the action and Yokota landed a one-two. Mitsuoka took Yokota’s back in a clinch and landed knees to the thighs. Big punches were exchanged and both fighters landed. Yokota landed a jumping knee and a combination before the bell. 10-9 Yokota.

Round 3:
The fighters embraced to begin the final round and then teed off with punches. Yokota got the better of the exchange and Mitsuoka clinched. Yokota punched free and more haymakers were thrown. A Superman Punch and a one-two scored for Yokota and Mitsuoka was forced to clinch again. He tripped Yokota to the mat, but Yokota wound up on top and punished Mitsuoka with hammerfists.

Yokota postured up and passed to half-guard, then landed punches. The fighters stood and traded knees in a clinch. Yokota landed a front kick and a quick flurry of punches and Mitsuoka tried for a takedown. He got Yokota down, but Yokota rolled through with a Kimura and stood up. Yokota knocked Mitsuoka down and punched from the top until the final bell. 10-9 Yokota.

Winner: Kazunori Yokota by Unanimous Decision after three rounds. He improves to 11-2-3.

Stanislav Nedkov vs Kevin “The Monster” Randleman

Round 1:
The fighters circled each other for the first minute and Randleman sent Nedkov off-balance with a vicious leg kick. He took Nedkov down and worked from half-guard, but Nedkov regained guard. Randleman landed weak punches from the top until the referee stood the fighters up and warned them for inactivity.

Randleman ducked under a one-two and clinched. Nedkov landed two knees and tripped Randleman, then tried for a guillotine choke. Randleman broke free and landed sparse strikes from the top until the bell ended the uneventful round. 10-9 Randleman.

Round 2:
Randleman opened round two with a stiff jab and tried for a takedown, but wound up on the bottom. Nedkov landed punches from the top and moved to half-guard. Nedkov tried to move to mount, but Randleman reversed and worked from half-guard himself. He tried to trap Nedkov in a guillotine choke in a scramble, then pushed Nedkov to his back.

Time was called to replace Nedkov’s shorts, which had become badly torn. The fight was strangely restarted on the feet and Nedkov clinched. Randleman reversed a takedown and landed on top. Nedkov scrambled to his feet and took Randleman down. He landed hammerfists until the bell. 10-10.

Round 3:
Nedkov rushed forward with wild punches in the final round and took Randleman down. He unleashed a barrage of punches and hammerfists from the top, but Randleman managed to block most of them. Randleman held on and prevented Nedkov from doing anything. The referee stood the fighters up and gave both a Yellow Card for holding.

Action resumed and the fighters cautiously circled each other. Randleman landed a nice leg kick, but the pace slowed to a crawl. The referee called time again and this time gave both fighters a Red Card. Randleman rushed in and clinched, but a stalemate ensued. Randleman landed a pair of jabs and Nedkov clinched. He landed knees and scored a takedown before the lacklustre fight came to an end. 10-9 Nedkov.

Winner: Stanislav Nedkov by Split Decision after three rounds. He improves to 10-0-0.