Big Sakuraba/Akiyama Controversy

robbyp · 12-31-2006, 11:19 AM

I'm posting this here because it's K-1 and we'll never get to see the event in North America anyway, so prepare to be spoiled.

The Sakuraba/Akiyama main event from K-1 dynamite was embroiled in controversy. It is Sakuraba's claim that Akiyama deliberately(and illegally) greased up his body. On top of this, the stoppage in the fight was extremely strange. Watching the fight, Sak seems to definitely have a case.

Akiyama did not remove his gi until after the fighter introductions when both men were already in the ring ready to go. During the fight, there were plenty of instances where Sakuraba went for a shot or secured one of Akiyama's legs. Mysteriously, Akiyama easily slipped away each time with no problems. Sakuraba was constantly complaining to the ref during the fight yet the ref did nothing about it.

The end of the fight came with Akiyama administering some GnP to Sakuraba on the ground. Sakuraba grabbed a leg and went for a knee bar but of course could not secure it due to the grease. Akiyama just kept throwing punches. Sak, while getting hit with punches and still going for the kneebar, was still constantly complaning to the ref. Now comes the strange part: the bell rings before the ref stops the fight. After the bell rang the ref jumped in to separate the fighters. Both Sakuraba and Akiyama were clearly confused and didn't have a clue what the hell was going on. After the official decision was announced, Sakuraba continued to complain, refused to shake hands with Akiyama and stormed out of the arena. This is obviously not typical of Sakuraba's personality.

It was plainly obvious to me that K-1 was doing everything in its power to ensure that Sakuraba would lose this fight. Akiyama is their poster boy, Sakuraba is old and basically done, and they knew that a win would skyrocket Akiyama's popularity even further.

In closing, this was complete bullshit. Hopefully Sakuraba tells K-1 to fuck off and severs all ties to the company. I'm sure he's now regretting his move to jump ship from PRIDE.

**SuperSuperRambo** · 12-31-2006, 11:21 AM

I gotta see this fight. If your reporting is accurrate (and I trust you that it is) then that's a load of crap and it should be ruled a NC.

Fuzati · 12-31-2006, 11:22 AM

Yeah Akiyama's leg definitly looked greased... It's not the first time he does that (in judo a lot of people complain about Akiyama greasing)

robbyp · 12-31-2006, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuperSuperRambo

I gotta see this fight. If your reporting is accurrate (and I trust you that it is) then that's a load of crap and it should be ruled a NC.

Not going to happen since the entire thing was obviously perpetrated by K-1. I mean I've never seen a screwjob so plainly obvious like what happened tonight. It was worse than Bret/Vince from Montreal in 1997!

**HellaCopter** · 12-31-2006, 11:28 AM

Oddly enough i'm not shocked at hearing this

K la · 12-31-2006, 11:29 AM

Its sad but true. I went from watching Pride, the caught the last of Dynamite, and it was so dissapointing to see Sak have to deal with that shit. It seemed so rigged in how he took his Gi off AFTER the ref did his blurb. Its also true about the bell, pure bs...

On a bright side, the Choi Hang-Man fight was great. I dont care what ppl say, he would do well in Pride, he has some serious ground and pound. His arms are massive and were giving pin-point blows that knocked the day lights out of Ologun. Id love to see Choi in Pride one day

Of course it would also be great seeing him against big tim, who wouldnt be so big anymore and would be a lamb at the slaughter!

**SuperSuperRambo** · 12-31-2006, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robbyp

Not going to happen since the entire thing was obviously perpetrated by K-1. I mean I've never seen a screwjob so plainly obvious like what happened tonight. It was worse than Bret/Vince from Montreal in 1997!

No, I know they're not gonna overturn it. K-1 is notorious for their ridiculous unjustified decisions. Just pisses me off because Sakuraba is my all time favorite (as he is yours too if I remember correctly) and I think a legend at this stage in his career, one who has always fought with dignity and class, deserves a little more than K-1 is giving him. Sak is not one to complain, so from all the reported controversy I've heard, I'm led to believe there's some substance to the claims.