Sakurai Submitted by Baron at Shooto
Fighters.com’s seventh-ranked lightweight “Mach” Hayato Sakurai (32-8-2) succumbed to a guillotine choke submission in the arms of former European Shooto king David Baron (15-2) in Tokyo Saturday.
Baron sank the death blow as “Mach” shot for a takedown. The final tap touched the mat at 4:50 of the first round.
The “L” is Sakurai’s first since getting KO’d by third-ranked “The Fireball Kid” Takanori Gomi (28-3) in 2005.
Baron hasn’t lost since 2006, ironically to Gomi by rear naked choke submission.
The Shooto Tradition event also featured a 154-pound title fight between Takashi Nakakura (10-2-1) and Ganjo Tentsuku (9-3-2).
It was a hard-fought slog for both Japanese warriors, but the judges saw the fight 30-28, 30-29, 20-39 for Nakakura.
“Ironman” Akitoshi Tamura (12-6-2) ended a 143-pound war with Shooto vet “Moon Wolf” Rumina Sato (24-12-2) at 2:37 of round three with a north/south choke submission.
“Savant” Trenell Young (9-7), recently of the IFL, upset “Lion” Takeshi Inoue (14-3) by two-round UD scored 19-18 all around.
Fighters.com will post an interview with Young about his surprising Shooto debut this week.
123-pound Yasuhiro Urushitani (14-3-6) and Ryuichi Miki (6-2-3) fought to a majority draw, Urushitani’s second consecutive draw, and third draw in his last four fights.
Top 155-pound contender Yusuke Endo (11-2-1) submitted debuting vince Ortiz (0-1) in 3:34 of round one.
Frenchman Bendy Casimir (14-4-2) won a unanimous decision over “Torao Supernova” Shinji Sasaki (6-2) in another 155-pound contest.
Hayate Usui (9-6-1) won a majority decision over Sakae Kasuya (3-3-3).
“Shinpei” Noboru Tahara (4-2) cut Katsuya Murofushi (3-3), causing a stoppage by TKO :46 of round two.
