PRIDE Bushido 2 Preview

YUSHIN OKAMI: Japanese wrestler, judo stylist, Pancrase veteran, M-1 veteran, GMC Demolition veteran, trains with Daijiro Matsui, Caol Uno, Sokun Koh and the rest of Wajyutsu Keisyukai Dojo, with a record of 9-1 in MMA, making his 6th appearance (5-0) in the ring of the PFC

Abbreviated Fight History: Okami is a Japanese wrestler who has fought on a number of Pre Pride and The Best events in preparation for his big test on Sunday. He won the Pre Pride 4 tournament beating 3 opponents and winning his final match over Yuuki Tsutsui by triangle choke. He has also competed in Pancrase twice and in a GMC Demolition show. His most recent bout was a TKO loss at an M-1 show to 2-time UFC veteran and Inoki Bom Be Ye participant Amar Suloev of the Red Devil Fight Club. Below is one of Okami's more significant contests:

Okami/Sen Nakadai: The fighters feel each other out and clinch in the corner. Okami scores a trip takedown and works from half mount. He quickly passes to mount but gets rolled and lands in guard. Yushin works for a triangle but Sen stands up and they trade on the feet. The round is back and forth but the majority of solid striking comes from Okami. In the second round, they continue to exchange standing but it looks like a sparring session. In the closing moments of the round the action increases. Nakadai missies a rolling kneebar and executes a pro wrestling style drop kick. Okami simply raises his arms and the two trade high roundhouse kicks. Okami takes the decision.

Also worthy of note: Okami battled Amar Suloev (loss/submission) and Kousei Kubota (win/KO)

Strengths And Weaknesses: Okami likes to settle it on the feet with strikes. At 6'2, he's very tall for this division and gives him a decided reach advantage on most opponents. Yushin also has good throwing skills from his Wajyutsu and judo training. He also has good stamina as he has gone the distance in 6 of his 9 bouts. A weakness may be his submission skills as he only has one legitimate submission win on his record.

How He Can Beat Sakurai: With strikes. His reach in the stand-up game will be superior and he's in there with someone who likes to slug it out. If he gets off first, he may be able to stun Sakurai early and make some noise about beating the brother of superstar "Mach".

RYUTA SAKURAI: Japanese wrestler, Shooto veteran, DEEP veteran, Lumax Cup veteran, trains with Mitsuhiro Ishida, Shigetoshi Iwase, Tatsuya Kawajiri and the rest of Tops Team, with a record of 9-6-4 in MMA, making his 1st appearance in the ring of the PFC

Abbreviated Fight History: Ryuta Sakurai is Hayato "Mach" Sakurai's brother and an accomplisghed Japanese wrestler. He has been competing in MMA since the late 1990's and took part in two of the Lumax Cup events ('96 and '97) before joining the Shooto organization. He fought there exclusively for 5 years and then last year he began competing in the DEEP shows. Below are some of Sakurai's more significant contests:

Sakurai/Katsuhisa Fuji: Sakurai pulls Fuji to guard from the clinch and the fighters do little more than readjust the grips on their Gi tops for the first few minutes. Fuji attempts a heel hook and Sakurai pops up to take the mount. He looks for a choke but is rolled and Fuji again works from inside Sakurai's guard. Fuji is able to pass guard, secure mount and attempt a keylock from side position but Sakurai keeps defending. Katsuhisa goes back and forth from mount to side control and punches Ryuta repeatedly. Punches to the head on the mat were not allowed but he was using elbows to the shoulders from the top very effectively. The second round opens with Sakurai catching knees and being brought to the ground by Fuji. They trade elbows on the mat, Sakurai "accidentally" landing to the chin, and Fuji looks dazed. After a brief check-up, they exchange knees in the center and Sakurai catches a retaliatory thumb in the eye on the break. They resume and Fuji gets the takedown and lands half mount. He is quickly rolled to guard and Sakurai stands for a leg lock attempt. Fuji looks unfazed and they grapple from this position until the end of the round

Sakurai/Hiroyuki Yoshioka: Yoshioka got the opening takedown but Sakurai got to his feet and performed a belly to back suplex. Although Sakurai had a leg trapped, Yoshioka quickly established side control. Hiroyuki moved from keylock to armbar attempts from the top while landing punches to the body. He rolled to an armbar but Sakurai moved with him and this allowed Ryuta to stand and get another takedown. Once he had Yoshioka's back, Sakurai sat in rear mount working for a naked choke and punishing Hiroyuki's midsection with punches. Sakurai went for a leg lock and Yoshioka turned into the lock and rolled to the top position in side control. From there, Yoshioka moved like surgeon with a scalpel, rolling to full mount, being reversed but keeping guard and rolling him for the finishing armbar.

Also worthy of note: Sakurai battled Yuki Sasaki (loss/submission), Masanori Suda (loss/submission) and John Renken (win/submission)

Strengths And Weaknesses: Sakurai has a wrestling background but seems to be more comfortable slugging it out standing up with knees and punches to the body. He has a number of wins by cut stoppage and will work to do damage in close. Ryuta has been susceptible to submissions in the past but seems to have improved his defense in that area. He has good stamina for long bouts and has gone the distance in 9 of his 19 bouts. Like many fighters arriving in the big show for the first time, one of Sakurai's major weaknesses is lack of competition against established opponents.

How He Can Beat Okami: With strikes. Prior to Okami's last victory, he was punished by Amar Suloev last October. He can be dropped by a smaller man with serious power. Sakurai should take a leeson from that bout and get all over Okami from the start.

MY PICK: Okami. This should be a stand-up war because both guys like to throw down, are coming off KO wins and have fought for rival organizations. With similar experience and no drastic differences in abilities, Okami has the height and reach advantage so I'd side with him. I feel it will be Okami by TKO in the 2nd Rd.

DOWN THE ROAD:
Okami/Ryo Chonan: Chonan was almost on this card and is burning up the DEEP event going 3-0 since 2003. Wins over Hayato Sakurai and Daijiro Matsui will put this guy in a big show soon.

Okami/Joe Doerksen: Joe has quietly (make that silently) become one of the best middleweights out there. He dominated the Superbrawl 30 tournament taking out all three opponents and is 7-0 since February of 2002.

Sakurai/Daiju Takase: It seems like a natural pairing, especially if Takase remains a regular on the Pride Bushido shows.

Sakurai/Phillip Miller: He's not banned from making money in Japan too is he? Miller is 16-0 (2-0 in the UFC and 2-0 in the KOTC) and it is a travesty this kid isn't in a big league show.