Minowa taps out Frye with a kneebar at 'Gladiator'

The eccentric Ikuhisa Minowa submitted UFC 8 champion Don Frye with a kneebar Saturday at "Gladiator" in Okayama, Japan. The two PRIDE veterans were the headliners of the special DEEP and CMA co-promoted event from the Momotaro Arena.

Minowa took down Frye with a double-leg and began to work for a heel hook before finishing with a kneebar at 3 minutes and 56 seconds of the first round.

Frye's last appearance in Japan was in April 2007 at the final PRIDE event, where the 42-year-old from Arizona suffered a devastating loss to James Thompson. Frye took a fight earlier this year at a local event in Dallas and knocked out Bryan Pardoe in 47 seconds.

Minowa split his recent appearances for DREAM, submitting Bum Chan Kang with a kneebar at DREAM 1 and then losing a unanimous decision to Taiei Kin at DREAM 2.

In team action, the South Korea defeated Japan 4 to 1. Shooto, UFC and DEEP veteran Jutaro Nakao notched the Japanese team's only win with a second-round TKO over Yong Fun Lee. Michihiro Omigawa, in his first fight back in Japan after two losses in the UFC, lost to Chul Hyun Jung by unanimous decision.