Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Judo: Karo To Get Yoshi Victory

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Judo: Karo To Get Yoshi Victory

    KARO TO GET YOSHI VICTORY
    By Jim Burman

    The Sun
    http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/ufc /article1649527.ece
    Sept 5 2008
    UK

    KARO PARISYAN is looking to get back on the welterweight championship
    trail against Yoshiyuki Yoshida at UFC 88.

    Armenian Judo star Parisyan could be described as the 'almost guy'
    of the welterweight division. The 26-year-old fighter has had an
    excellent career thus far with the exception that he has never made
    it as far as a title shot.

    In fact he is the longest-serving fighter in the UFC to never make
    it to No1 contender status. Soon to celebrate five years with the
    promotion, he has only lost three of his 12 bouts - against current
    champ Georges St Pierre, Diego Sanchez and his last bout against
    Thaigo Silva.

    Nicknamed 'The Heat' because of the intensity and fast pace he
    brings to the Octagon, Parisyan has looked a little luke warm in his
    last two fights. Revealing recently that he had been suffering with
    stress and from panic attacks, he is looking for a return to form
    come Saturday night.

    Japanese ace Yoshida is another Judo player who has successfully made
    the transition into mixed martial mrts. After losing his second and
    third bouts, Yoshida is now on a nine-fight winning streak beating
    Ultimate Fighter alumni Jon 'War Machine' Koppenhaver in his last bout.

    Yoshida also holds a disqualification victory over recent UK UFC
    signing Dan Hardy which is shrouded in controversy - many believe the
    outcome should have resulted in a no contest as the low blow which
    ended the fight was clearly accidental.

    Although Yoshida has spent the bulk of his career fighting in Japan,
    where rings are favoured over cages, the majority of these bouts
    have been with the G.C.M. promotion who use a cage similar to the
    Octagon. Parisyan would be a massive scalp for any fighter looking
    to make their mark in the UFC and a win here will validate Yoshida
    as a serious contender.

    You could dub this fight 'the Judoka MMA challenge' - both fighters
    are high ranking Judo players and we could be in for some high flying
    from both men as they jostle to get each other down.

    I would peg Parisyan as the favourite in this bout on experience
    and the greater variety of skills he brings to the Octagon but if he
    isn't there mentally then the upset is there for the taking.

    Realistically Parisyan will want to make the clinch as nasty a place
    as possible for Yoshida, stick a jab in his face all night long and
    stay off the bottom if the fight hits the mat.

    The Armenian will likely take a decision victory outscoring Yoshida
    over all three rounds. Yoshida loves to ground and pound and although
    he does have submission skills if he wins it'll be more likely to be
    via TKO.

    Jim Burman is an MMA expert and writer for Fighters Only Magazine.Issue
    42 of Fighters Only is on sale now and features exclusive interviews
    with Tito Ortiz, Paul Kelly and Thiago Alves.
Working...
X