Hatsu Hioki vs. Ricardo Lamas
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Round 1- Hioki lands a nice left. Hioki shoves Lamas against the cage. Hioki working knees. Gets a nice trip takedown, but Lamas reverses. Hioki wraps his legs around Lamas’ right arm and gets a shoulder lock in, but Lamas gets out of it. Hiioki clims on Lamas looking for an armbar, but Lamas slams him to the ground and gets out of danger. Fighters standing now. Lamas coming forward. Excellent round so far. Great grappling. Lamas coming forward and lands a nice left body kick. Lamas now working for the takedown with the body lock, but Hioki is always going for submissions. Hioki has his back on the cage, but turns Lamas around and works the knees against the cage again. Hioki with the same trip and has side control and is working elbows to Lamas’ grillpiece from the crucifix position. Hioki is going for a kimura with thirty seconds left. Hioki is punching the body. Lamas is too strong for Hioki to get the submission without more leverage and the round ends.
Round 2- Lamas throwing big kicks. Hioki is defending well for the most part. Hioki tries to work a double, but Lamas is able to stay on his feet and gives Hioki a knee to the head for his trouble as the fighters disengage. Lamas lands a left hook. Best punch of the fight. Lamas with a body shot. Hioki shoots and gets a takedown, but he has Hioki’s head. I doubt that shit is going to last. Hioki is almost out. Lamas is sitting up. Hioki is out and is on top in half guard, but Lamas is defending really well. Lamas gets a hold of the neck again and slaps on the body triangle with the leg. Lamas has a tight guilltine, but Hioki slides out. Hioki gets his head stuck again. Lamas’ arms must be gassed.
10-9 Lamas. He was on his back most of the round, but he had some subs that were close and also landed the better strikes in the standing portion of the round.
Round 3- Lamas is landing some leg kicks. Lamas with a left hook. Lamas landing two punches to the face and one to the body. Nice combination there. Hioki looks tired and is not pushing the action. This fight is close and he needs to start coming forward. Hioki lands a slow left jab, Lamas lands a leg kick. Lamas lands a left hook. Hioki goes for a takedown, but Lamas had another tight guillotine locked in before he hit the ground. Hioki looked like he was going to tap, but I think he might just be signalling frustration to the referee because the choke isn’t that tight and he looks fine. Hioki pops his head out yet again and is on the top. Lamas is throwing puches and elbows from the top. Hioki is just sort of sitting there taking a number of weak bodyshots. That’ll look good on compustrike.
10-9 Lamas for sure on that one.
I score it 29-28 Lamas. I think that was a pretty clear upset decision for Lamas.
Judges score it 29-28 Lamas x3
Hioki really faded in the final round. They say the Japanese fighters have trouble with the time difference, but Hioki might have just been worn out from getting choked for about 5 minutes of that fight. They’re saying Hioki was the consensus number one contender. My boy Korean Zombie would fucking kill Hioki. I can’t believe he was taken so seriously having had some really unimpressive recent showings including a split decision over George Roop in October of 2011.