Hidehiko Yoshida in Pride competition

f.Channell · Post by **f.Channell** » Thu Sep 04, 2003 2:00 am

The following is from pride website.
A bandaged Hidehiko Yoshida held a press conference for the first time at his dojo, Yoshida Dojo, on August 12th.

Although Yoshida defeated Kiyoshi Tamura in their August 10th PRIDE GP bout, Tamura left Yoshida with a seriously injured left knee that is expected to require 2 months to heal.

Yoshida's left knee was wrapped in ice bags when he appeared for the press conference. Yoshida's knee has been diagnosed with internal bleeding and will require 2 months to fully heal.

Tamura delivered several (5-15) roundhouses to the inside leg of Hidehiko.
He was in obvious pain after the match.
This was a classic grappler versus striker match which I haven't seen in a long time.
Good to see a guy in a gi again in an ultimate fighting event.
If anyone saw how he uses that gi to choke people you'll know why.

Joey P or Joe L what do you guys think?

Hidehiko is a previous gold medal winner in the olympics in Judo by the way,
something the U.S. has yet to accomplish.

Fred

Stryke · Post by **Stryke** » Fri Sep 05, 2003 6:26 am

I think its great to see , will be interesting to see how he progresses , makes sense for pride as the judo fanbase will sure love him , and not to mention he`s japanese

the guys in pride are just awesome these days , you cant just strike or grapple any more , these guys are complete fighters , I hope Yoshida makes the transfer to MMA and heals well and is competitive , It would be very enlightening to see him against someone like Wanderlei or Crocrop though , I suspect they`d really damage him if he doesnt learn how to deal with strikers without eating so much punishment .

but all in all great stuff

f.Channell · Post by **f.Channell** » Sat Sep 06, 2003 5:10 pm

He's got to deal with the strikers differently than he did in that fight.
It was pure guts and determination to win that got him that fight victory.
I wish they would wear a gi, I'd love to see him slam one of those guys with a shoulder throw. The floor is also a disadvantage to him, one nice toss on concrete and he'd get them also.
F.

Stryke · Post by **Stryke** » Sat Sep 06, 2003 11:48 pm

Yup if they were wearing gis it`d be fascinating , now that Id love to see

Im sure hell learn and adapt , a true fighting spirit , thats the key and hes shown that

JoeLauzon · Post by **JoeLauzon** » Sun Sep 07, 2003 2:51 am

This whole situation is the whole problem with Pride. That fight may have been a work. Tamura is a Pro Wrestler, moreso than a fighter. Weeks before that fight happenned, everyone was calling Yoshida taking Tamura down to the mat and winning with some phantom gi choke. Well, it happenned.

If you watch the tape, its nearly impossible to do the choke he used with gloves on. You just cant get the right pressure. VERY difficult. If you watch the tape, you will see.

There are also a number of strange occurence about that fight. First thing is how much damage Yoshidas knee took. Now I will be the first to admit, those kicks looked PAINFUL. However, Yoshida was strong on the leg throughout the entire fight. Then he wins, stands up raises his arms, walks around the ring a few times, and THEN collapses in such horrible pain. I think its a faked injury, which Pride is known of to pull.

Thats what I think about that particular fight. Now as far as a striker versus pure grappler, its a little different.

For starters, Tamura was destroying Yoshida before Yoshida took him down. Those leg kicks were vicious, and are a real problem. But Tamura is not your typical striker, I would say he is more of a ground fighter than anything....he is a pro wrestler afterall. So this fight was really ground versus ground, its just that one guy knew how to fight on his feet.

f.Channell · Post by **f.Channell** » Mon Sep 08, 2003 2:57 am

Joe,
That knee looked purple to me at the end when they rolled up the pant leg.
I was at a dan test once that a guy took 3-5 roundhouses to the lower leg during the sparring portion, bowed got his new rank and came in to class a day later with a cast on, seemed fine when he left.
My friend and I were talking and he is real familiar with the choke Yoshida used, same one he used on Gracie. I've never had it taught to me.
I think the only reason Yoshida wore that gi is to do that choke.
I'm unfamiliar with the glove and unsure if it would work. But he could have figured out a way of making it work.
If you come to the regional October 18th I'm putting together, I'll have them demonstrate and teach that choke, along with the other stuff.
Might be a new secret weapon for you

.
F.

JoeLauzon · Post by **JoeLauzon** » Mon Sep 08, 2003 10:12 pm

I think the knee was DEFINATELY bruised and purple, I dont deny that a bit. I just question how bad his knee really is, and I highly question the choke. For someone to be fighting at that level, they do not lose a gi choke that fast. He wasnt even trying to defend it, and everyone knew Yoshida was wearing the gi to use it to choke. Tamura knew it as much as everyone else, there is no way he got caught like that.

And getting to the fight with Royce, that was a phantom choke as well. You watch the tape, and can see that Royce is still manuevrring around, and is okay. NEVERMIND the fact there was clause in the contract saying the Referee could not stop the fight. The only way for Royce to lose was to himself submit or for his corner to throw in the towel. So I wouldnt even go into any more detail on that.

I dont really wear the gi, so I doubt its gonna be a secret weapon for me, but Im not against seeing and learning it. If Im there, Ill bring the vale Tudo gloves, and can try like that, see how it works.

f.Channell · Post by **f.Channell** » Tue Sep 09, 2003 2:32 am

I actually went to the main judo website to link a picture to it and it's not listed. So it is an obscure choke.
If you could grab the end of a gi sleeve with the glove on and turn your wrist taking up the slack I think you could do it with the glove on.
But like I said I'm just trying to learn it.
Hope to meet you soon Joe, maybe in October.
Fred

f.Channell · Post by **f.Channell** » Mon Nov 24, 2003 2:20 am

Yoshida lost to Silva at the Pride competition in November.
Silva wanted no part of the ground with him.
Yoshida took some heavy punishment, good fight.
Anyone seen it??
Prefight interview

Wanderlei Silva: I admit that Yoshida is really a good fighter. There are 2 types of fighters, though. One is really stronger in the fight than when they train. The other is weaker in the fight than when they train. I don't know which he is. He is a really good fighter so I'll just have to see what happens.

Try to catch it.
F.