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Misaki vs. Akiyama fight ruled a no-contest
By Zach Arnold | January 22, 2008 | Print This
According to God Bless the Ring (hat tip: Hiroshi), the finish of the Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Kazuo Misaki fight has been overturned.
Misaki was declared the winner by brutal KO in the fight. However, the decision has been officially changed.
Speaking of Misaki, check out the next fight he is booked for.
Topics: Media, HERO's, Zach Arnold, Japan, K-1, MMA, PRIDE | | Permalink | Trackback | Share This
It looked to me as if it was a legal kick, albeit just barely. Yamamoto on the other hand…
The problem is, is the kick illegal if when the kick was thrown the opponent was downed? Or is it just a question of when the kick lands.
Also, downed fighters need to know that if they are going to get up, they need to protect themselves as they do, otherwise they are open to kicks as they get up.
I think you have to stick with the latter because the possibilities with the “what may have been” had the opponent not been moving and/or getting up at the time the kick was thrown then landed are infinite.
Judging intent is a lot more difficult and questionable to do than judging what actually happened.
In this case, it looked like the kick landed when no knees or hands were down.
Who made the ruling that the kick was illegal and that the fight would be a no contest?
And the next pertinent question after that would be: Do those people have promotional rights to Akiyama, or to Misaki, or to both of them? If one of them is a “K-1 Hero’s fighter” and the other is a “DSE or whatever the hell they’re calling themselves” fighter, making this ruling could certainly be a conflict of interest.
Ed. — I saw Yuji Shimada’s name attached on the release.
Well, he’s got credibility! That’s the same ref responsible for one of the most dangerously late stoppages in MMA history (James Thompson vs. Don Frye).
After seeing a couple fights on that card, I thought kicking a downed opponent was legal? I didn’t know until a couple days later that they were reviewing a potentially ‘illegal strike’.
PRIDE rules = excitement
UFC rules = boring poo
Overturning the ruling: good.
Overturning by a referee: bad.
Japan really needs an independent commission. But the fact that the decision was overturned is a good sign.
Ultimo Santa is right. UFC rules are boring. Pride 33 was basically the most boring show of my life because of the NSAC rules. Diaz/Gomi blew.
As I relayed on my posting about the fight’s kick at the end, I think this was as BORDERLINE as you could possibly get. Akiyama’s hand was so close to the ground.
Either way, they’ll make money out of this promoting a rematch.
MIAAZAKI WULD OF WONE IFF THAIS IS PRIDE!!!!111111111one LOL
Seriously, reversing the call is bullshit.
Akiyama deserved that kick in the face and a lot more coming to him.
Yeah, UFC rules are boring. It’s prevented them from giving us an exciting event for what feels like days.
This is a sad, sad day when the “New Pride” is overturning decisions because a soccer kick is illegal…….just awful….
Yes, it’s very sad that zombie Pride is now enforcing the rules of their events. So sad. Next thing you know, zombie Pride might actually start judging fights by the actual criteria that they claim to use. How unfortunate.
I am amazed that Yuji Shamada hasn’t gotten anyone killed in MMA. Thompson vs Frye is only one of the MANY late stoppages he has had.
In fact I wouldn’t even call them his late stoppages since usually he waits so long that somebody ringside rings the bell to stop the fight, and only *then* does he swing into action, wildly waving his arms as if he just realized its time to stop the fight.
His stoppage judgment is criminal imho.