The Rafu Shimpo - L.A. Japanese Daily News

One and Done
By ALEX ISAO HERBACH
RAFU STAFF WRITER
Sunday, June 17, 2007

Sakuraba loses awaited rematch with Gracie after Johnnie Morton is knocked out 38 seconds into his first Mixed Martial Arts fight.

Photos provided by Bob Riha, Jr./Fight Entertainment Group/Dynamite II USA/AP
Bernard Ackah from Ivory Coast stands over a fallen Johnnie Morton during fight action Saturday at the Los Angeles Coliseum. Ackah delivered a stunning knockout 38 seconds into the first round which sent the former USC and pro football star to the mat. It was Morton’s first foray into the world of Mixed Martial Arts.

Brazilian fighter Royce Gracie battles Kazushi Sakuraba from Japan before an estimated paid attendance of 54,000. Gracie won the fight in a unanimous decision.

L.A. COLISEUM.–Mixed Martial Arts legends Kazushi Sakuraba and Royce
Gracie—along with the entire MMA world—had been itching for their long awaited rematch Saturday at the L.A. Coliseum.

Judging from the mumblings that followed the fight, it seemed those seven years of chafing and chomping at the bit went in vain.

Sakuraba, the crafty MMA veteran and reputed “Gracie Hunter,” failed to live up to his name, losing by decision for the first time to a member of the Gracie clan in a quiet fight that inspired more boos than awes from the high-paying crowd.

The 15-minute fight paled in comparison to their epic 90-minute spectacle in Tokyo back in 2000. Saturday’s match was marked with frequent periods of inaction. Early in round one, Sakuraba caught Gracie with a right hand that sent Royce to the mat. He fought off Sakuraba’s ground attack and forced him to his feet, engaging him for the remainder of the round from his rear.

Sakuraba had to come back against Gracie in 2000. Unable to land solid strikes, and without the aid of an unlimited time limit like their previous match, Sakuraba simply ran out of rounds.

After securing a lead on points, Gracie locked up Sakuraba against the ropes for most of the final round, inciting discontent from both him and the masses. Once the bell rang to end the rematch, the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu contingent embraced in their corner having finally triumphed over the Japanese submission wrestler.

Though the match was disappointing for him, Sakuraba remains in good athletic condition and the 38-year-old has said that he plans to continue fighting.

Some of the evening’s other matchups also failed to play out as advertised. Former USC receiver Johnny Morton’s anticipated return to the Coliseum lasted only 38 seconds after he was knocked out by Ivory Coast native and Japanese television personality Bernard Ackah. The bad news continued for Morton after the fight, as he was suspended indefinitely for refusing to provide a post-match urine sample. Morton had no comment regarding the suspension, according to The Los Angeles Times.

Former WWE star Brock Lesnar made quick work of Min Soo Kim in his MMA debut. The NCAA champion wrestler quickly speared Kim to the ground and pummeled him with hammer fists. The South Korean was forced to tap out due to strikes.

The evening’s most exciting fight came at the hands of Melvin Manhoef and Dong Sik Yoon. The aggressive Danish kickboxer spent the majority of the match manhandling the South Korean judo champion. He landed a vicious leg kick and several power punches to Yoon’s face early in the first round. By the second round, Yoon’s right eye was already black and closed, swollen to several times its normal size.

But about as quickly as Yoon’s eye had shut, he forced Manhoef to the ground and secured an arm bar that forced the Dane to submit. The shocking comeback invigorated the heavily pro-Korean crowd and left Manhoef to shake his head in disbelief in the middle of the mat.

Japan’s Hideo Tokoro also subdued his opponent, English striker Brad “One Punch” Pickett, by arm bar midway through the first round. Tokoro improved his record to 18-11-1 with the victory. Pickett failed to land one punch.

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