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Sep
24
Gegard Mousasi Crowned as 2008 Dream Middleweight Champion, Crocrop/Overeem Fight Ends in Controversy, Fedor rumored to be fighting on Dream’s NYE card.
September 24, 2008 |
By Steve Cha
Gegard Mousasi (24-2-1) has made his statement to the MMA world. Mousasi made short work of striking phenom Melvin Manhoef (22-5), submitting him via armbar at the 1:28 mark of the first round. Manhoef commented, “I was surprised I thought he was going to stand and trade with me. It was my own fault for not being prepared and not taking him seriously.”
Brazilian submission specialist, Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza (10-2) had an impressive semifinal showing, submitting Zelg Galesic (9-4) via armbar at 1:27 mark of the first round.
In the finals, Ronaldo Souza started the round with an explosive takedown. Mousasi seemed very calm off his back and Souza stands up in Mousasi’s guard. Souza attempts a superman punch and is caught with an up kick from Mousasi. Souza is knocked out and the 2008 Dream Middleweight Champion is crowned.
In the past two weeks, many words have been exchanged between these two fighters. The normally stoic Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovicc (23-6-2) replied to Alistair Overeem (28-11) “I don’t like commenting other fighters; it’s not my thing. But Alistair, you should save your strength for a real fight, because it’s coming. When I see you in the opposite corner, then I’ll talk.”
This highly anticipated heavyweight bout ended in a controversial No Contest decision. Alistair Overeem seemed to be dominating the smaller Filipovicc. Overeem clearly had the advantage in the clinch, throwing Crocrop down and raining down hammer fists in the Croatians guard. Overeem continued to dominate the fight on the ground and in the clinch, however two illegal low blows too Crocrop, forced the referee to rule the fight a No Contest.
Fedor Emelianenko made an appearance at the event and rumors were circulating he would fight the winner of the Crocrop/Overeem fight on the Dream’s New Years Eve card. Without a winner, Fedor’s future opponent on the Dream NYE card is uncertain.
WEC veteran Todd Moore (9-2) had the unenviable task of facing submission specialist Shinya Aoki (17-3). Aoki took Moore’s back immediately and sat down Moore in the corner and sunk in an unorthodox neck crank for the tap at 1:10 mark of round one.
In the reserve bout, Andrews Nakahara (1-1) defeated Dong Sik Yoon (4-6) with a TKO finish 30 seconds in the second frame after surviving a first round mount and several choke attempts by the Korean judo fighter.
Sergei Kharitonov (16-3), former teammate of Fedor Emelianenko, forced American fighter Jimmy Ambriz (13-10-1) to tap due to strikes at the 2:15 mark of the first round.
Hayato Sakurai (33-8-2) picked apart Kuniyoshi Hironaka (12-6) with vicious leg kicks on route to a unanimous decision victory.
Pancrase veteran Masakatsu Funaki (39-13-1) made short work of Pride veteran Ikuhisa Minowa (40-29-8) submitting Minowa at just the :52 seconds of the first round.
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