GCM Communications Presents ‘MARS’Saturday, February 4th, 2006At Ariake Coliseum, Tokyo, JapanLive Gate: N/Areport & photo by Hideki Kobayashi (www.boutreview.com) // PIC: Vitor ‘Shaolin’ Ribeiro was bit rusty but dominated with a superior positioning on the ground.Rodrigo vs. MonmaAfter the fight, backstage, Rodrigo Gracie stated, ‘I think I won the fight.’ I thought that would be correct, but only if one premise existed – yes, if this fight was held in the cage. Rodrigo, from beginning to end, while in the standing position, was only able to push Hidetaka Monma to the corner instead of going for a take down or landing strikes, nothing decisive.At the same time, Monma, for the past year, only concentrated on fighting in the cage, and what he practiced the most was, avoiding take downs when pushed against the cage. Ironically, those long hours of practice resulted in this fight. If this was in the cage……… Both fighters’ ulterior motives within the ring created this, an unexpectedly boring fight. They were aggressive, perhaps very enthusiastic. But I must say it was going around and around and getting nowhere. When both exchanged strikes, it got heated up, but as soon as it goes into a clinch, Rodrigo pushes Monma to the corner. If this was in the cage, the advantage should be given to Rodrigo for pushing Monma into the cage but this was a ring, surrounded by ropes. Monma won’t go down, and Rodrigo can?t take him down. The same sequence continues, both conglutinate, for the entire three rounds. The inaugural MARS show, at Ariake Coliseum, started at 6 pm and this was the twelfth and the last bout of the evening. Many fans left without confirming the judges’ decision of the Main Event and I felt disconsolate seeing this picture. I urge the promoters to reform and upgrade in the next show.Shaolin vs. MitsuokaJust like as Vitor ‘Shaolin’ Ribeiro himself admitted, ‘This was the first fight of the year so I couldn’t quite gear up to good form,’ in an un-like Shaolin mode, he was forcing the moves, but dominated in terms of positioning, naturally, winning his comeback fight in Japan.In the first round, Eiji Mitsuoka’s striking shined. When Shaolin almost caught him in an armbar, Mitsuoka quickly stood up pulling his arm out. But no matter how many times Mitsuoka gets up, over and over, Shaolin was the one who persistently shot in for a takedown. Although he takes the mount position, Shaolin didn’t go for submissions, instead he went for punches to score points – unrefined play. In this fight, Shaolin’s flamboyance was concealed, on the contrary, it was defense that didn’t allow Shaolin to finish the fight. Mitsuoka’s tenacity shined the most at the end.Hironaka vs. SchultzKunihiro Hironaka took the side mount, in the first round, snapping on an armbar, but Ryan Schultz, with just pure guts and power, somehow defended turning the tables. By the end of the round, Schultz was pushing the pace even rocking Hironaka with a powerful right hook.In the second round, Hironaka executed a beautiful double leg take down, and then again, from the side mount, went for an armbar. Once again, Schultz almost pulled out but Hironaka held on and it was all over.Rahny vs. YanoTakumi Yano dictated the pace early with a kimura and omo platta but Rahny Yahya’s title, ADCC Runner-up, was not just for show. In the midway point through the second round, with Rahny’s triangle choke, Yano went out completely but the referee didn’t see it so Rahny went for a triangle armbar, but Yano was already snoring. If the referee stepped in little later, this could have been a disaster. Rahny told reporters, after the fight, ‘I almost had him, at least, ten times.’ Yano however was good at letting the attack go by him, always with composure, loosening up on the ground.When Rahny went for a spinning choke (a.k.a. anaconda choke), Yano spun around, escaped, even took the back mount position. But Yano seemed like he lost stamina in the first. During the interval, Yanowas lying on the canvass listening to his corner. When Rahny got him with a double leg take down, in the second, Yano, really couldn’t properly defend anymore. Rahny got the mount position and then he slowly went for a triangle choke.Complete Results:12th Match – 80 kg & Under Bout 5 min / 3RRodrigo Gracie (Brazil / Team Royce Gracie) vs. Hidetaka Monma (Japan / Wajiu-tsu Keishu-kai A-3)Winner: 3R Draw (0-1: 30-30, 30-28, 30-30)11th Match – 70 kg & Under Bout 5 min / 3RVitor ‘Shaolin’ Ribeiro (Brazil / Nova Uniao) vs. Eiji Mitsuoka (Japan / Wajiu-tsu Keishu-kai RJW)Winner: 3R Vitor ‘Shaolin’ Ribeiro by Decisoin (3-0: 30-27, 30-28, 30-28)10th Match – 76 kg & Under Bout 5 min /3RKuniyoshi Hironaka (Japan / Academia Az) vs. Ryan Schultz (U.S.A. / Team Quest)Winner: 2R 1’40’ Kuniyoshi Hironaka by Tapout (armbar)9th Match – 68 kg & Under Bout 5 min /3RTakumi Yano (Japan / Ugo-kai) vs. Rani Yahya (Brazil / Ataiji Jr. Jiu-jitsu)Winner: 3R 2’14’ Rani Yahya by Tapout (triangle choke)8th Match – 85 kg & Under Bout 5 min / 3ROsami Shibuya (Japan / Freelance) vs. Thales Leites (Brazil / Nova Uniao)Winner: 3R Thales Leites by Decision (0-3: 28-30, 29-30, 29-30)Aeon Flux Special Match Smack Girl Rules Bout 5 min /2RYuka Tsuji (Japan / Angura) vs. Miyuki Ariga (Japan / Zendo-kai)Winner: 2R 1’44’ Yuka Tsuji by Tapout (heel lock)7th Match – Open-weight Bout 5 min /2RAlan Karev (Russia / Marupro Gym) vs. Koji Kanaoya (Japan / Frelance)Winner: 1R 3’09’ Alan Karev by Tapout (kimura)6th Match – 79 kg & Under Bout 5 min / 3RTakumi (Japan / Paraestra Osaka) vs. Kenji Arai (Japan / Pacnrase)Winner: 2R 0’04’ Kenji Arai by KO (uppercut)5th Match – 83 kg & Under Bout 5 min / 2RIzuru Takeuchi (Japan / SK Absolute) vs. Bae Myeong-Ho (Korea / Toshin-juku DRAGON)Winner: 1R 3’46’ Izuru Takeuchi by TKO (referee stoppage – punches on the ground)4th Match – 77 kg & Under Bout 5 min / 2RYuji Hoshino (Japan / Wajiu-tsu Keishu-kai GODS) vs. Yasunori Kanehara (Japan / Team Crowd)Winner: Draw (1-0: 19-19, 19-19, 20-19)3rd Match – 65 kg & Under Bout 5 min / 2RAkitoshi Tamura (Japan / Tsudanuma Dojo) vs. Ian ‘The Barn Owl’ Loveland (U.S.A. / Team Quest)Winner: 1R 3’40’ Akitoshi Tamura by Tapout (triangle choke)2nd Match – 70 kg & Under Bout 5 min / 2RYusuke Endo (Japan / GOKITA GYM) vs. Fan Ju-Don (Korea / Toshin-juku DRAGON)Winner: 2R Yusuke Endo by Decision (3-0: 20-18, 20-18, 20-19)1st Match – 65 kg & Under Bout 5 min / 2RHayate Usui (Japan / Wajiu-tsu Keishu-kai RJW) vs. Michihisa Asano (Japan / KILLER BEE)Winner: 2R Hayate Usui by Decision (3-0: 20-18, 20-18, 20-19)
