Royce Gracie vs. Akebono New Year's Eve

[WEREWOLF]

From Insidefighting.com:

Royce Gracie will face Akebono at K-1's New Year's Eve Show. Akebono, the former sumo wrestling superstar, will enjoy just over a 310-pound weight advantage over Gracie.

[Tony Montana]

THIS IS WHY I HATE K-1!!!!!! They make a mockery of our sport. Akebono has DONE NOTHING in MMA. He's a freak show that gets big ratings from the casual idiot fan.

Royce is fighting only for the money. Akebono is all about ratings. Royce vs. Akebono = useless.

When the hell are the Japanese going to get tired of this big guy vs. skilled guy matchup??? Is it the Godzilla fascination?

Awful news.

[Tony Montana]

THIS IS WHY I HATE K-1!

Akebono = freak show who draws big ratings from idiot fans
Royce = legend lured into this fight for $$$

Akebono vs Royce = useless matchup that proves nothing no matter what the outcome

Are the Japanese ever going to tire of this big guy vs. skilled small guy matchup? Is it the Godzilla obsession? WTF?

Awful news.

[WEREWOLF]

Yeah, it really is a pointless 'been there done that' match-up. I would much rather see Royce compete as an ordinary fighter under Pride rules maybe against Horn or Henderson or any of Prides Middleweights. But I know this will never happen.

[Cbear]

The way it is supposed to go is Royce back pedals to tire out Akebono before jumping in for the rear naked choke or maybe an arm bar while Ake is gasping for breath. However, crazy things do happen, so be on the look out for Royce to slip, Akebono to fall on him and smother (temporarily) him for the win. :p Royce would never live that down.....though a million bucks would sure soothe the ego; and thats the number I keep hearing thrown around.

K-1 is desperate for something big to draw since they killed any interest in Sapp, Akebono and nobody else can draw the big numbers they need based on last year. Royce v Akebono is the only way they can draw any interest in Ake now. I expect Inoki to continue aligning with K-1 with whatever bizarre matchups they can make. Pride should easily win the NY Eve war this year.

[themunchies]

you know, I would comment on this as if it were true, but the thing is, it's from Inside Fighting and that website has lost all my respect when it comes to reporting news.

[NewEnglandMMAFan]

you know, I would comment on this as if it were true, but the thing is, it's from Inside Fighting and that website has lost all my respect when it comes to reporting news.


This fight has been rumored for awhile. Plus Royce said on MMA Evolution radio he was offered this fight by K-1.

[shagul]

Does anyone remember Yarborough/Takase from Pride 3...? I didn't see all of it but I have to admit that it was at least somewhat funny. Not very interesting in terms of fighting, but wasn't Ogawa/Giant Silva the mma match with the best ratings so far? I think the fans will have to accept/ignore the freak matches, because the paychecks of the real fighters depend on them.

[kimura]

Yeah it's the Hulk Hogan effect. Atleast the undercard fighters will get payed. I hope we'll see all the good fighters in the rings come Dec 31. This fight is all about money like everyone said.

[Tony Montana]

...I think the fans will have to accept/ignore the freak matches, because the paychecks of the real fighters depend on them.
very, very sad but true

[Tony Montana]

you know, I would comment on this as if it were true, but the thing is, it's from Inside Fighting and that website has lost all my respect when it comes to reporting news.
That's so harsh and unfair.

Name one website that hasn't reported something incorrectly. This is the problem with trying to be the first to break a story. It's a dangerous game with little reward and a lot of flamming if you're wrong.

[jrock21]

to be honest this fight is pretty pointless,and i expect royce to win pretty easily.

[DaBigHurt]

Knowing that if you get Royce Gracie to fight for you its a miracle al in itself(the guys is harder to get in contact with than the President), why waste a Royce Gracie night on this???? I dont get it...

[dhk1980]

Why, why, why????? What is Royce doing, in accepting this fight??? I question his integrity as a fighter. IT's not like he's some can that's in desperate need of money. what will this fight prove???

[Solaris Flare]

Why, why, why????? What is Royce doing, in accepting this fight??? I question his integrity as a fighter. IT's not like he's some can that's in desperate need of money. what will this fight prove???

Would you turn down a large sum of cash to fight someone that has little MMA experience? Plus if he subs out Akebono it'll be something noteworthy to add to his fighting resume.

[sars]

Plus if he subs out Akebono it'll be something noteworthy to add to his fighting resume.

no, it wouldn't be. Everybody and their mother thinks Royce will easily submit Akebono.

Royce only has everything to lose here. If he somehow cannot submit Akebono in the 1st round, then his reputation as a fighter will descrease. There is no possible way that this fight could make him a higher regarded fighter than he is right now.

[Solaris Flare]

no, it wouldn't be. Everybody and their mother thinks Royce will easily submit Akebono.

Royce only has everything to lose here. If he somehow cannot submit Akebono in the 1st round, then his reputation as a fighter will descrease. There is no possible way that this fight could make him a higher regarded fighter than he is right now.

I don't think it'll be a easy fight for Royce because he going to have a heck of a time trying to get the fight to the ground. That and Royce has no stand up last time I checked. And isn't Royce getting something like 1 million dollars for this fight? I don't know about you but I would fight Akebono for 1 million.

[robbypark]

It's freakin' Akebono for pete's sake! Royce should not have a hard time beating him at all. Genki Sudo got Butterbean to the ground with ease, so I would expect Royce to be able to do the same against Akebono.

[nhbfan8080]

Akebono's only chance is try to fall on top on Royce in an awkward manner and break something.

Failing that he should complain of a shoulder injury like Barnett and ask for a rematch.

[Vampyre]

The way it is supposed to go is Royce back pedals to tire out Akebono before jumping in for the rear naked choke or maybe an arm bar while Ake is gasping for breath. However, crazy things do happen, so be on the look out for Royce to slip, Akebono to fall on him and smother (temporarily) him for the win. :p Royce would never live that down.....though a million bucks would sure soothe the ego; and thats the number I keep hearing thrown around.

K-1 is desperate for something big to draw since they killed any interest in Sapp, Akebono and nobody else can draw the big numbers they need based on last year. Royce v Akebono is the only way they can draw any interest in Ake now. I expect Inoki to continue aligning with K-1 with whatever bizarre matchups they can make. Pride should easily win the NY Eve war this year.

If only things were as simple as all that.

NYE is about ratings and ratings only. The target audience is mainly the older crowd who are sitting around at home watching tv. So, what both K1 and Pride need is recognisable names... not to MMA or fight fans, but to general fans.

This is why K1 with a main of Akebono v Royce and if they get Sapp on the card and also some other talent, such as bobby etc and I am sure they are working on some others.... they will still give Pride a very hard run for Pride's money.

At the moment, Pride will attract the hard core fight fan with Fed v Nog and also a lot of japanese general interest from Yoshida v Gardner; and if they can arrange someone good for Sak they shoudl get reasonable ratings... but I think that K1 will still beat them.

[ningai]

"Akebono's only chance is try to fall on top on Royce in an awkward manner and break something.

Failing that he should complain of a shoulder injury like Barnett and ask for a rematch."


ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!

[BruceLee]

I'm really looking forward to this fight.

First off let me say I have much respect for Hoyce Gracie and Gracie Jujitsu.

However, I couldn't stand Royce Gracie in the early UFC, and I was always rooting for him to get his ass handed to him.

Although this will probably be a boring fight, I think I have an inner hope that Akebono will fall on Royce while Royce is in the guard. I don't even think Royce can wrap his legs around the big boy. Nog had trouble with Sapp. Sub artists seem to have trouble with big powerful freak shows.

I have this image of a flattened Royce lying on the canvas from the Wiley Coyote cartoons as Akebono ambles around.

[sars]

all Royce would need to due is circle around and Akebono will naturally gas. Then he can go for the shoot, standing choke, whatever.....

If only this was Genki Sudo. Not only is Genki a better grappler than Royce, he could end the fight with Akebono with his flying triangle choke.

[shagul]

I have this image of a flattened Royce lying on the canvas from the Wiley Coyote cartoons as Akebono ambles around.


Have you seen Yarborough/Takase? Takase is perhaps the best martial arts jogger in the world, and he sure showed his skills against Yarborough. Takase was kind of oozing around in the ring and occasionally tried to tag Takase in the first round, but the rest was mostly Takase and his jogging. When Takase for some reason got a yellow card in the second round he did actually go for the takedown(!) and Yarborough responded by falling over his legs. Despite placing 600 pounds of flesh on the poor jogger's legs the match didn't end there, the jogger somehow got out and started punching Yarborough in the head. Since Yarborough didn't know how to defend from the "beached whale"-guard he tapped pretty quickly.

[BruceLee]

Have you seen Yarborough/Takase? Takase is perhaps the best martial arts jogger in the world, and he sure showed his skills against Yarborough.

I have seen Yarborgouh/Takase and Yarboroguh/Hackeney. The Takase fight I remember Bas and Quadros cracking up. The thing is both of those guys were quick agile guys who had some striking ability. I see Hoyce as more methodical and slow, and I don't think I've ever remember seeing Royce use striking abilities to get the win. Nice and slow, That just seems to be his style. It would be interesting to watch Royce trot around at a jog and fire his rapid fire heal kicks with the serious constipated expression he gets on his face when he's in fight mode.

[ningai]

"Not only is Genki a better grappler than Royce..."



ROFLMAO! That statement is even funnier than NHBfan's!

[keita]

If only things were as simple as all that.

NYE is about ratings and ratings only. The target audience is mainly the older crowd who are sitting around at home watching tv. So, what both K1 and Pride need is recognisable names... not to MMA or fight fans, but to general fans.

This is why K1 with a main of Akebono v Royce and if they get Sapp on the card and also some other talent, such as bobby etc and I am sure they are working on some others.... they will still give Pride a very hard run for Pride's money.

At the moment, Pride will attract the hard core fight fan with Fed v Nog and also a lot of japanese general interest from Yoshida v Gardner; and if they can arrange someone good for Sak they shoudl get reasonable ratings... but I think that K1 will still beat them.

I agree.

NYE show is very special. As Vampyre-san say, the target audience is not a hard core MMA fan but older people like my father or mother.

Royce has been having a tight replationship with both K-1 Dynamite and TBS TV station since he face Yoshida at K-1/PRIDE Dynamite I 2 years ago. This is why Royce chooses K-1 not PRIDE, and Rickson will fight at K-1 (MMA rules) someday.

Ake vs Royce will be done over MMA rules because Ake loses 5 K-1 fight straight.



Keita

[dhk1980]

I agree.

NYE show is very special. As Vampyre-san say, the target audience is not a hard core MMA fan but older people like my father or mother.

Royce has been having a tight replationship with both K-1 Dynamite and TBS TV station since he face Yoshida at K-1/PRIDE Dynamite I 2 years ago. This is why Royce chooses K-1 not PRIDE, and Rickson will fight at K-1 (MMA rules) someday.
Ake vs Royce will be done over MMA rules because Ake loses 5 K-1 fight straight.



Keita
i sure as hell would love to see that.

[forescore]

"Not only is Genki a better grappler than Royce..."



ROFLMAO! That statement is even funnier than NHBfan's!

I don't know what's so funny about it since it's true. Royce Gracie has a 2-9 record in competitive submission grappling and has never won a submission tournament. Hell, he got choked unconscious by Wallid Ismail for god's sake!

Genki Sudo has won the Westside Submission championship and dominated everybody in the process.

[kimura]

Good points.

[misawa99]

I don't know what's so funny about it since it's true. Royce Gracie has a 2-9 record in competitive submission grappling and has never won a submission tournament. Hell, he got choked unconscious by Wallid Ismail for god's sake!

I've lost track - who are the other losses? Not doubting, just curious...

[Serialkilla]

It's freakin' Akebono for pete's sake! Royce should not have a hard time beating him at all. Genki Sudo got Butterbean to the ground with ease, so I would expect Royce to be able to do the same against Akebono.

At the end of the fight Genki went for a pro wrestling drop kick, and Butterbean ended up landing on him.

[ningai]

Royce would school Genki. Genki has been grappling for about 8 or so years, whereas Royce has been grappling a little over 30 years. Note that Genki did not want to grapple with Royler in their bout, he opted for the stand up with him. Smart move.

And competition titles do not mean anything, you are using faulty logic.

Example: Glass Joe's record in Rings is 9-2 and won the lightweight title twice. Mr. Sandman's record in the UFC is 3-4. Therefore, Glass Joe must be a better fighter than Mr. Sandman, right?? LOL

By the way, if you guys are going off of records, then Randy Couture is a mediocre fighter at best!

[keita]

Akebono vs Royce:

http://sportsnavi.yahoo.co.jp/fight/photo/200411/im00004374.html

[Cbear]

Dave Meltzer reports that Royce signed a multi-fight deal with K-1 so don't look for him back with Pride or UFC for the next year or more.

[GnT]

This is a pathetic freak show, the money could've been well spent elsewhere.
Worst of all, it makes MMA looks just plain silly to the people not familiar with the sport. With all the legitimate fighters willing to fight Royce, he went with the money.

[kai]

Royce would school Genki.

lol, sure he would.........

[kimura]

There was talk of a possible Genki/Royce match after Genki schooled Royler. ****, I just want to see Genki fight.

[just Brian]

This is a pathetic freak show, the money could've been well spent elsewhere.
Worst of all, it makes MMA looks just plain silly to the people not familiar with the sport. With all the legitimate fighters willing to fight Royce, he went with the money.

True words. ^^^

[themunchies]

I hope Akebono wins and embarrasses Royce. I will laugh long into the night if that happens.