Sakuraba vs. Andrews Nakahara is up next. As I’m sure you’re aware, Sakuraba is a legit legend in Japanese MMA. He’s kind of got a Evander Holyfield thing going on as he’s a legend that’s hung on *way* too long. Frank Trigg had some comments this week about how he had no business fighting due to the many beatings he’s taken. He also suggested that he was a chain smoker, which may or may not be true. Kind of funny thing to accuse someone of.

Nakahara comes in first to Eminem’s “Lose Yourself”. Nakahara looks really intense and focused. Crowd will go nuts for Sakuraba, who’s properly give a lot of the credit for the popularity of PRIDE and MMA in Japan. They’re showing a video of Sakuraba driving around town in a convertable and looking sort of goofy. This might be something of an obscure reference, but if you know anything about old school skateboarders he’s got a strange resemblance to Steve Caballero now. Three dudes on stage with black wrestling masks–Giant Machine’s mask? I’m embarrassed that I don’t know. He’d worn the Tiger Mask for a long time. So the deal now is that there are three Sakuraba’s in the ring in what looks amazingly like a wrestling angle. Nakahara appears nonplussed by the three headed Sakuraba on the other side of the ring. The intro is given and all three guys whip their masks off to reveal Sakuraba and a couple of seconds. Sakuraba looks a little doughy–no hacking cough or other signs of a cigarette addiction yet though.

ROUND ONE:

Bell rings Nakahara tries a high kick. Both fighters very tentative at the start. Nakahara tries a low kick and a one two but the Japanese vet steps out of range. Sakuraba with a single leg takedown attempt can’t get it. For a moment he looks like he’s going to try a judo throw but then remembers that he doesn’t know judo. Nakahara now has Sakuraba against the ropes but can’t do anything until the ref calls for the break. Sakuraba holding his left hand very high, apparently to guard against a high kick. Sakuraba goes for a kick at the same time that Nakahara does and catches a wicked MuayThai kick right in the nutsack. It was an inadvertent low blow and Sakuraba is trying to “walk it off”. Some things know no cultural boundaries. Saku still looks like he’s in pain as he consults with his cornermen. I bet they’re arguing over who gets to rub the injured area. Sakuraba’s read to go now as he fakes a takedown. For the time being it appears that his scrotum is still attached to his body which is good news for the family lineage. Nakahara partially connects with a high kick, Sakuraba responds by diving in for a takedown. I don’t know how the hell Sakuraba thinks he can win standing. For a guy known as the “IQ Wrestler” he’s not fighting a very smart fight. Nakahara is defending well but Sakuraba just too tentative with his takedown attempts. Nakahara has his opponent against the ropes and is trying to work in some kneestrikes. Not really sure what Nakahara is trying to do here as the first round hits the five minute mark. Ref moves the proceedings back out to the middle and Sakuraba continues to stand and try to strike with Nakahara. Sakuraba gets a double leg takedown, but Nakahara gets up. He grabs a leg and looks like he wants to do a body slam. Somehow Sakuraba gets Nakahara on the ground and is trying to pass guard to no avail. Saku in Nakahara’s garound wriggles around for a kneebar attempt but can’t complete it. Sakuraba in side control now with 2:40 left in the first round. A couple of hammer fists, with Sakuraba looking for a kimura, now he takes Nakahara’s back and tries for a rear naked choke. He latches it in good and Nakahara is forced to tap to the delight of the partisan Tokyo crowd.

WINNER KAZUSHI SAKURABA BY SUBMISSION (REAR NAKED CHOKE)

They’re doing one of those uniquely Japanese post event “awards ceremonies” where they’re passing the microphone among the remaining middleweight GP contestants and they’re telling the audience how they’ll try hard to win.

In any case, thanks for joining us for tonight’s live coverage of DREAM.2. We were the only major English language MMA site to have live play by play coverage of this event and we’ll be back on May 18th for DREAM.3 with the second round of the lightweight GP.