Live-blogging DREAM.8 Welterweight GP 1st Round

Live results of DREAM. 8 from the Nippon Gaishi Hall in Nagoya, Japan.

Welterweight GP: Hayato "Mach" Sakurai vs. Shinya Aoki

R1: Sakurai comes forward and ends up flipping over from an Aoki takedown. Sakurai sweeps Aoki and lands knees. Sakurai knocks out Aoki with punches.

Sakurai wins via KO - R1 (0:27)

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Welterweight GP:  Yuya Shirai vs. Jason High

R1: High comes in with flurry of punches and drops Shirai. High takes Shirai’s back and works for the rear naked choke. Shirai chooses to sleep.

High wins via rear-naked choke - R1 (0:59)

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Welterweight GP: Marius Zaromskis vs. Seichi Ikemoto

Ikemoto tops Fukuda for oddest entrance song. Ikemoto walks out to "Because of You" by Ne-Yo. 

R1: Zaromskis starts with a crazy spinning back kick but Ikemoto catches it and puts him down. Zaromskis regroups and presses Ikemoto against the corner. The referee separates them. Both kick at the same time. Ikemoto with two straight kicks and Z backs away. Ikemoto with a flying strike. Zaromskis with a flying knee and they clinch. Ikemoto takes Zaromskis down and works from side mount. Zaromskis gets to his feet. Ikemoto lands a leg kick and Zaromskis is down. Zaromskis quickly gets back to his feet. Zaromskis connects on a leg kick and is blocked on a high kick. Zaromskis with a high kick and throws two bombs. Ikemoto flies towards his opponent but slips. Zaromskis throws a high kick and slips. Zaromskis enters and takes Ikemoto down. They are stood up. Ikemoto throws a flying knee and attacks relentlessly with kicks. Zaromskis with leg kicks. Ikemoto is doing some Genki Sudo stance. Zaromskis with a flying knee. Ikemoto lands a right. Ikemoto throws a flying knee and a front kick.. Zaromskis drops Ikemoto with a punch but Ikemoto quickly gets up. Zaromskis turns it up. They clinch and separate. Zaromskis mounts a comeback. He lands a roundhouse kick. Zaromskis with knees from clinch. Round one ends with Zaromskis holding Ikemoto’s back. Very fun fight to watch.

R2: Zaromskis connects on a leg kick. They chop each other’s legs. Ikemoto shoots but Zaromskis stops it. Ikemoto rolls to his back. WHAT!? Zaromskis just did a backflip in an attempt to pass. I’ve never seen that one before. They’re back up and Ikemoto gets a takedown. Ikemoto attempts to ground and pound. Zaromskis gets out and they’re back on t heir feet. Ikemoto shoots and he’s stuffed. Ikemoto misses a flying knee. Ikemoto shoots and he’s stuffed again. Zaromskis drops knees. Back on the feet, they box. Zaromskis stumbles Ikmeoto with a punch. Zaromskis goes for the finish. He’s landing huge knees. Ikemoto is saved by the bell. He falls to his knees. These two went out to steal the show and they put on an entertaining fight.

Zaromskis wins via unanimous decision

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Welterweight GP: John Alessio vs. Andre Galvao

R1: They feel each other out. Mostly single strikes and neither fighter are landing. Galvao shoots and then sits down. He quickly gets up. Galvao shoots again but Alessio ends up on top. Galvao gets halfguard and looks for the sweep. Alessio stands up and Galvao has his back. Galvao lands knees to the thigh of Alessio. Galvao looks for the takedown but Alessio holds the rope. Galvao goes for it again and finishes it. Galvao immediately takes the back and gets his hooks in. Galvao throws rights to the head. He’s landing bunches because Alessio knows how dangerous Galvao is with submissions. Galvao switches to an armbar. Alessio defends with knees. Alessio is forced to tap. Huge win for Galvao.

Galvao via submission (armbar) - R1 (7:34)

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Featherweight GP: Hideo Tokoro vs. Daiki "DJ.Taiki" Hata

R1: Tokoro circles even though Hata is not doing much. Tokoro lands punches. Tokoro lands a jab and moves off. Hata throws a kick to the body. Hata misses a kick. Tokoro lands an inside leg kick. Hata begins to attack more with kicks. Hata throws a right and Tokoro pulls guard. Hata stands up and kicks Tokoro on the thigh. The referee stands them up. Hata pressures Tokoro while continuing to work kicks. Tokoro throws a flying knee but it doesn’t connect. Hata teases a spinning back fist and hits with a jab. Tokoro pulls guard again and Hata stands up. The referee stands them up. Tokoro catches a kick and trips up Hata. Tokoro rushes but ends up falling to his back. Tokoro connects with upkicks and the referee stands them up. Tokoro goes right at his opponent and they tie-up. The referee restarts them. Tokoro shoots and Hata sprawls. Tokoro continues to drive and Hata taps Tokoro with knees. Tokoro pulls guard, but he’s quickly stood up. Hata with a flurry of punches. Tokoro is down and holding onto a leg. The bell sounds.

R2: Hata attempts a spinning backfist and grabs a hold of Tokoro’s back. Tokoro looks for a kimura but he’s dropped on the mat. Tokoro gets to his feet while holding onto the kimura. Hata puts his weight down on Tokoro. Hata effectively ground and pounds. The referee stands them up. Tokoro fires away with punches. He knows he’s down on the scorecards. Tokoro shoots but Hata stuffs the takedown. The referee pauses the fight to check on Hata’s cut under his right eye. The fight is restarted with Tokoro working for a takedown. Hata gets double underhooks and either he gets the takedown or Tokoro voluntarily goes down to guard. Hata rains down punches. Tokoro gives up his back and scrambles out into clinch. Tokoro pulls guard. Hata with punches. Tokoro couldn’t get a single submission attempt in this fight and he’ll lose this one.

Hata wins via unanimous decision

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Sergey Kharitonov vs. Jeff Monson

R1: This one is quick. Monson shoots and Kharitonov gets knee on belly. Monson escapes fast and drives Kharitonov down. Monson applies the north-south choke and Kharitonov taps out.

Monson wins via  submission (north-south choke) - R1 (1:42)

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Riki Fukuda vs. Murlio "Ninja" Rua

Interesting selection of music by Fukuda, who enters to “So What” by Pink. There’s a line that says “I wanna start a fight,” so I guess it makes sense.

R1: They’re feeling each other out with Fukuda doing more of the stalking. They both connect with a punch at the same time. Fukuda lands a loud kick. Fukuda chases Rua with jabs and lands another leg kick. They clinch and Rua lands a knee. Rua throws a punch and back to clinch. Rua tries to put Fukuda down but Fukuda reverses it and falls on top of Rua. They get up and both guys are trading. Fukuda is getting the better of the exchange and Rua clinches. Fukuda appears to have dropped Rua. Rua attempts a triangle but Fukuda easily escapes and follows with ground and pound punches. Rua attempts a leglock but doesn’t get it. They stand up in clinch. Rua goes for the double-leg and Fukuda drops down on his own. Rua controls Fukuda’s back as Fukuda stands up. Rua goes for another takedown. The fight is paused to check on Fukuda’s cut, which he received from an accidental headbutt. Rua scores a clean single-leg and advances to side control. Fukuda gives up his back. Rua works punches, but when he stands up he falls over, allowing Fukuda to go on the offensive. They’re back up and Fukuda’s cut is checked on again. Rua comes out swinging but he’s hit. They clinch and Rua lands a combo. Rua attacking with kicks. Fukuda shoots and Rua stuffs it. Rua lands knees from clinch. Fukuda answers with kicks. Rua chases Fukuda down with punches. Rua is trying to put this one away but they’re both a little fatigued.

R2: Rua lands leg kicks over and over. Fukuda blocks one and comes forward with a punch combo. Rua continues to land leg kicks. Fukuda comes out with another combo but Rua backs away. They clinch and separate. Rua lands a straight right. Fukuda comes out with a wild flurry and Rua is stunned from a left hook. Fukuda continues the flurry until Rua grabs a clinch to stop the onslaught. Fukuda did very little for the majority of the second round but came out firing in the final seconds.

Fukuda wins via unanimous decision

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Vitor "Shaolin" Ribeiro vs. Katsuhiko Nagata

R1: Nagata works leg kicks and Ribeiro isn’t checking them. Ribeiro shoots and pulls butterfly guard. Nagata advances to Ribeiro’s halfguard, but he’s swept. Ribeiro passes to side control but soon loses it going for mount. The fight is restarted in the middle of the ring with Ribeiro looking to pass, and he gets side briefly, and then goes in Nagata’s halfguard. Nagata tries to get up but Ribeiro mounts him. They are restarted again, this time with Ribeiro in full mount. Nagata tries to escape but Ribeiro just keeps transferring between side and full mount. Ribeiro lands some punches, but it’s really to set up a submission. But then he starts throwing knees to Nagata’s head, and he’s landing them. The referee calls for time. Nagata is bleeding heavily and the fight is called off. Ribiero is victorious in his return. 

Ribeiro wins via TKO (cut) - R1 (7:58)

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RESULTS:

1. Katsuyori Shibata def. Ikuhisa Minowa via unanimous decision
2. Andrews Nakahara def. Shungo Oyama via TKO (punches) - R1 (2:00)
3. Vitor "Shaolin" Ribeiro def. Katsuhiko Nagata via TKO (cut) - R1 (7:58)
4. Riki Fukuda def. Murlio "Ninja" Rua via unanimous decision
5. Jeff Monson def. Sergey Kharitonov via sub (north-south choke) - R1 (1:42)
6. FW GP: Daiki "DJ.Taiki" Hata def. Hideo Tokoro via unanimous decision
7. WW GP: Andre Galvao def. John Alessio via submission (armbar) - R1 (7:34)
8. WW GP: Marius Zaromskis def. Seichi Ikemoto via unanimous decision
9. WW GP: Jason High def. Yuya Shirai via rear-naked choke - R1 (0:59)
10. WW GP: Hayato "Mach" Sakurai def. Shinya Aoki via KO - R1 (0:27)