In my attempt to catch to current events, I made a commitment to myself to finish reviewing Yarenokka and K-1 Premium Dynamite. I started off with reviewing Yarenokka (here and here) and will probably finish some time soon, but after viewing both event I'm going to switch gears here and review some fights from K-1 Dynamite. Frankly, K-1 Dynamite was a bit better event in terms of the fact that there were many more finishes than there were at Yarenokka.

Kazushi Sakuraba vs Masakatsu Funaki (Masa Funaki from here on) is dream fight for many long time MMA fans that were familiar with the Japanese MMA scene that emerged during mid-1990's and grew to being the biggest MMA scene in the world until mid-2000's. Both fighters helped start-up and popularize their respective organizations.

Masa Funaki started up the Pancrase organization in 1993, which is famous for it's special rules during it's early years, giving a start and producing numerous MMA stars and MMA personalities (Bas Rutten, Ken Shamrock, Frank Shamrock, Guy Metzger, Semmy Schilt, Yuki Kondo, Evan Tanner, Nathan Marquardt and many more). Think about this short little list, at one point or another these guys were either champions or top contenders in whatever MMA organization they've fought at the time. Masa Funaki personally built up Pancrase, a MMA organization that held over 190 events, and a big share of Japanese MMA scene in 1990's with literally his blood sweat and tears. He promoted the event, he coached and trained many of the fighters in the organization and fought in just about every show from 1993 to 2000 recording a total of 50 fights and 38 wins over various level of competition but including fighting most of the fighters I just mentioned earlier. In 2000, Funaki faced the infamous "400-0 undocumented" record fighter Rickson Gracie only to lose by RNC once the fight went to the ground. Anyways, history of Pancrase and Funaki and their impact on MMA could take numerous posts, my point here is that in mid-1990's Masa Funaki was one of the better Japanese fighters and legend in Japan. You can check out Masa Funaki in action in his early days in the very few available Pancrase tapes PANCRASE Alive Tour Vol.1, PANCRASE Truth Tour Vol.1 and PANCRASE Alive Tour Vol.2.

Kazushi Sakuraba, while getting his rise to stardom in UFC Japan, is primarily known for his background as a Japanese pro-wrestler, beating up on all kinds of Gracies and some famous BJJ fighters in an entertaining fashion and by doing so helping to propel Pride FC into a premier world class MMA organization till it's unfortunate demise.  He is also famous for valiantly fighting off and receiving 3 spectacular beatings from a now very famous Wanderlei Silva. After those spectacular beatings Sakuraba won a few fights and also received a few more not spectacular but scary beating courtecy of his mis-managers and referees (his fights with Arona and Smirnovas). Spectacular beatings aside, Sakuraba was and is a MMA legend that during his hay day provided fans all over the world with some history making fights and influenced many other fighters with numerous, new at the time, approaches/strategies in dealing with Brazilian JiuJitsu based fighters. You can see some of his legacy making in Pride FC: Pride Fighting Legacy and Pride FC: Pride Fighting Legacy, Vol. 2.

Onto Kazushi Sakuraba vs Masa Funaki fight. I really like both fighters and watched all of Sakuraba's fights and majority of Funaki's.  Obviously Sakuraba had the advantage of having more recent experience and was a big favorite in my mind, but I was rooting for Funaki, him being the earlier pioneer of MMA in Japan and an underdog, and  was kind of worried about this being his first fight in 7 years.  Funaki surprised me, while he was looking kind of stationary once the bell rang his reflexes to Sakuraba's striking were pretty fast. After a slow start of feeling each other other out by a few kicks and jabs, Funaki landed a good body kick while Sakuraba was near the ropes and followed up with a few over committed punches toward a covering up Sakuraba. This gave Sakuraba a chance to take Funaki down into Funaki's guard. When Sakuraba postured up Funaki opened guard and tried to go for a kneebar to please his fans. Sakuraba stuffed his attempt and took his back while Funaki turtled up and was still looking for a kneebar for a short while till he rolled back into the open guard. Sakuraba lightly threw a few punches and stood out of the guard and got caught by Funaki's upkick. Sakuraba was in the position to kick the downed Funaki, after all that's one of things that made him famous, but he chose not to and just engaged Funaki on the ground again and quickly getting the side mount and shortly after finishing Funaki with the most basic Kimura.

I don't know if anyone else picked up on it, but Sakuraba really tried to avoid punching or kicking Funaki on the ground out of respect. You could tell by the way Sakuraba was right after the finish and by the fact that he doesn't take it easy on anyone else.  Sakuraba had a lot of respect for Funaki and what's he's done and did not want to embarras him by beating him up and took him out with a submission, which is a much more honorable way to go out.

Did the fight live up to the dream match expectations? Kind of and no. Kind of because it actually happened and it was a decent fight considering both Sakuraba and Funaki are almost 30 and had very gruelling careers and are past their prime time. This may be would have been a little bit better fight 5 years ago. Funaki would have had a 5 year break to heal and train anew and Sakuraba would have just recovered from his second loss to Silva. With that said, I'm glad it happend and the fans of both got to actually see it no matter the outcome.

No onto another point, Funaki didn't really offer much in terms of defense to Sakuraba's Kimura. He is not alone though, there's been many fights recently where it seems like once kimura is locked, fighters don't get out of it.

The only defense to Kimura fighters are offering to their opponents, this happens time and again, is to lock their hands and push toward the direction from where the kimura is being applied from, which only plays into getting a better grip for the fighter applying the kimura. Usually two things happen, fighter applying he kimura breaks the lock and finishes the move or lets the defending fighter turn to their stomach and take their back.

There is a defense to the kimura that I've known for years, which I've learned from some dude that visited a Renzo Gracie school and I can't take credit for it. So the attacking fighter is in sidemount on my right side and already has a kimura grip on my left hand while I have both of my hands locked. I will push toward the fighter applying the kimura, but only for a split second and immediately turn in the opposite direction (the direction the kimura was being applied), unlock my hands and yank my left hand toward my left side straight out of the kimura grip. Works like a charm majority of the time. Give it a try next time in practice and let me know how it goes. Kimura's will rarely pose a threat to you now. If the description isn't clear enough, let me know and I'll try posting some pics of the escape, or even quick video.