Yoichirio Sato’s first defense of his Shooto Middleweight Pacific Rim belt could not have gotten off to a worse start.
In the opening seconds, the challenger, Hatsu Hioki stablemate Takasuke Kume, landed a high kick followed by a right straight that sent the champion to the mat, almost robbing him of his consciousness. While Sato struggled to regain his composure, Kume rained in ground and pound getting close to getting a referee stoppage at several points over the next three minutes until Sato mustered some defense in the form of offense with heel hook and achilles lock attempts off his back.
In the final two rounds, though Sato well and truly regained control of the bout. The adrenaline dump of going for the early finish sapped Kume of his explosiveness and Sato threatened with a kimura and an omo-plata as well as out-striking and out-wrestling the challenger. After three rounds, all three judges agreed that Sato should retain his strap.
Full results from Shooto Gig Tokyo 5 after the break.