Finally, it was time for the “main event” – Sapp vs. Fujita. By now, you know how this columnist feels about the Bob Sapp “machine.”
Basically, he’s been K-1’s meal ticket and one-man international marketing tool for the past two years. He’s endorsed thousands of products in Japan, in print, TV and radio. Fair enough – nothing wrong with making a buck. He’s also a good guy – very gracious to the press and public and completely without airs.
The problem is, he’s not much of a fighter, and both he and K-1 know that. With the exception of Hoost, he has lost to every credible opponent, from Cro Cop to Noguiera. His conditioning is suspect at best – generally he’s out of breath halfway into round one – and he’s been dropped repeatedly by guys half his size. To keep the gravy train rolling, K-1 has proceeded to set him up with tomato can opponents ranging from Akebono to a sumo-wrestler wannabe.
Tonight would be different, however, very different. We had the chance to watch Sapp warm up before his match against Kazuyuki Fujita. One guy held his orange lamee robe. Another fetched him water and told him “It’s your night,” while his orange jump-suited Japanese trainer barked orders through a translator.
“Bob!” he yelled. “HUH!”
“HUH!” Bob responded, in a Stallone-like bark.
“HUH!” said the trainer.
“HUH” said Bob, and on and on.
About five minutes later, Fujita was playing “Bend it like Beckham” on his cranium. Curled in the fetal position, Bob covered up as Fujita fired away with repeated kicks to the head. The referee finally stopped it about two minutes??? into the round.
“Terminer!” said Nicolas the photographer (that’s French for “Over!”).
“Sapp is weak!” said a Japanese translator.
There could be little doubt that the loss marked the end of the Bob Sapp era. He skipped the postfight press conference, and within minutes rumors started flying that Bob’s commercial sponsors were canceling their deals.
Sure enough, on Monday the news was out in Japan that Bob would be undergoing – we’re not making this up – a “restructuring plan”, pulling back on the commercials and focusing on nothing but training for the next month, leading up to his next K-1 appearance on June 26th.
We’re guessing it’s a little late for that.
