Rumina Sato protege Taiki Tsuchiya successfully defended his 143-pound Shooto Pacific Rim Title with a tough unanimous decision win over Australia's Gustavo Falciroli at The Way of Shooto 6 at Korakuen Hall, Japan. The Perth-based grappler took the first round with his aggressive top control but faded in the second and third as he resorted to pulling guard when unable to secure the takedown. With his opponent clearly gassed in the last round, Tsuchiya stormed home and dominated with strikes and positionally to retain his strap.King of the Cage world junior flyweight champion and former Shooto bantamweight and featherweight Champion Mamoru Yamaguchi devastated former Shooto rookie champ Fumihiro Kitahara with a firs- round head kick that left Kitahara unconscious and stiff on the mat. Kitahara's smothering top game could have been seen as a legitimate threat to Mamoru but the kick which came halfway through round one immediately ended any speculation and will likely return Mamoru to the No. 1 contender spot in the Shooto rankings.
In a non-title bout Shooto World 123 lbs Champion Yasuhiro Urishitani took only a moment to get his range against eighth-ranked shooter Takuya Mori. After dropping his opponent straight left early in the first, Uriishitani never let up on the overmatched Mori and assaulted him with strikes on the ground until the referee was forced to call the fight late in the first.
Bae Yong Kwon brought a hard-hitting reputation into the ring against Tenkei "Fujimiya" Oda but it was the Korean who tasted leather only a minute into the first round. Kwon looked to shake Oda early with the first exchange of the fight but Fujimiya's answer in the very next exchange rocked the Kwon badly and he was struggling to survive until finally curling up into the turtle position until the referee was saved him.
Pittsburgh's Adam Lynn squeaked past Yoshihiro Koyama with a very close unanimous decision. Both fighters were tentative in the first round as Koyama looked to shoot and Lynn looked to keep the bout on the feet and utilize his boxing. As the fight progressed though, Lynn gained confidence in his hands and head movement and picked at Koyama to win the judge's favor.
Shooto - The Way of Shooto 6: Like a Tiger, Like a Dragon - Nov. 19 at Korakuen Hall, Japan
Shooto Pacific Rim 143 lbs Title Match
Taiki Tsuchiya def. Gustavo Falciroli by Unanimous Decision
Mamoru Yamaguchi def. Fumihiro Kitahara by KO (Head Kick) - Round 1,
Yasuhiro Urushitani def. Takuya Mori by TKO (Punches) - Round 1
Tenkei "Fujimiya" Oda def. Bae Yong Kwon by TKO (Punches) - Round 1, 1:03
Adam Lynn def. Yoshihiro Koyama by Unanimous Decision
Mikihito Yamagami def. Shinya Murofushi by Majority Decision
Haruo Ochi def. Hiroaki Ijima by Unaimous Decision
Yuta Nezu def. Kota Onojima Majority Decision
Kenji Yamamoto def. Toshiaki Hayasaka by TKO (Doctor Stoppage) - Round 1 1:28
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