Trevor Prangley VS. Yuki Kondo
Middleweight Title FightKondo in first and the crowd is applauding. He's still wearing his Pancrese robe. No belt though. Lighter applause as Prangley enters. Bodog Fight's girls enter and show off the title belt, the crowd is dead silent except for the section surrounded by empty Budweiser bottles. Crowd applauds the belt when it is announced.
Round 1
They feel out and circle. Low kick by Kondo, hook by Prangley hits but he doesn't follow up. Prangley moves forward as Kondo is shooting and they almost go out of the ring. Back up and Prangley has Kondo's back kneeing to the back of the legs. He picks up Kondo and suplexes him, he has the hooks but is having trouble getting the choke. Kondo rolls into Prangley's guard, they scramble and get back up. Prangley with another hook, didn't hit flush. Low kicks by Kondo. Trevor swings and stalks Kondo, keeping him at a distance. Another low kick by Kondo. Trevor rushes in and they trade on the ropes, knee by Prangley hits but Kondo moves it into the corner and hits knees of his own. They are off and a big knee by Trevor hits, knocks Kondo down and Trevor rushes in to finish. Kongo survives and works from guard. USA chants get huge and nobody realizes Prangley is from South Africa. Prangley tries to ground and pound but the ref restarts in the center. Prangley postures up and lands a solid elbow, swelling Kondo's left eye. Prangley lands vicious gnp as the bell sounds. Ouch.
Round 2
Kondo looks hurt and bleeding from the eye. Kondo tries a body kick but misses. Big body shot by Kondo hits but Trevor is hitting serious knees. Kondo pushes to the corner. Knees by Kondo in the corner and he stays busy while pummeling. On the ropes now, Kondo seems tied up, Prangley with some knees to the legs. Kondo pushing for the takedown but Prangley reverses into side mount. Ref restarts it in the center. Prangley looks to trap an arm, Kondo tries to get up but Prangley pushes into his guard. Big right by Prangley hits air. Kondo looking for the arm but Trevor postures up. KONDO WRAPS AN ARM...Prangley wrenches it free and goes back into guard. Kondo traps the arms but a big elbow lands. Prangley stands, Kondo goes for a leg but Prangley falls into a sort of half guard. He's still pounding viciously on Kondo. He has Kondo's back but they stand. Kondo tries for a takedown, bleeding severely but Prangley just pushes him away. Prangley still stalking Kondo. Both swing wild, BIG right hits Kondo and he's down but saved by the bell. It looked like he was out but he got up fine.
The doctors check Kondo's cut and wave off the fight. Trevor Prangley defeats Yuki Kondo via doctor stoppage at the end of round 2. The crowd was yelling so many racist comments I could barely think. We'll be lucky if Kondo ever fights on American soil again at this rate. Trevor receives the belt and gets applause from the crowd. Lindland comes in and congratulates Trevor, then challenges him. Trevor looks ready for the fight, says it feels unbelievable and reflects on how hard it was to get to this point. He thanks Bodog and says it won't be easy for Lindland.
http://www.pancrase.co.jp/oevent/bodog/20070714.html
内容的には終始押されていて、近藤にとってはなんとか凌いで３Ｒ以降に勝負を掛けたいという感じだったが、その前にカットがひどくなってレフェリーストップ負けしたようだ。文章と写真だけでは、どれくらいのパフォーマンスを近藤がしたのかわかりにくい所もあるので、映像でできるだけ見てみたい。コンディション的には、前日計量の写真、数字を見る限りうまくいったように思えたが、試合の写真を見ると、郷野戦、バローニ戦と大差無いようにも見える。体重調整はうまくなっていても、まだナチュラルのコンディションがベストからは落ちるのか。それとも計量からのリバウンドがあまり無い分ナチュラルの状態からコンディション、パフォーマンスが落ちてるのか。体つきと動き見る限り、バローニ戦以降では意外とレノグ戦が一番いいシェイプだったようにも思う。
文章だけみる限りじゃ立ち技でも主導権を握られてるような感じに見える。立ち技での距離感をうまく計れれば、打撃だけでなく、ボディコントロールやバランスのコントロール、テイクダウンの対応もうまくできるかと思うのだが、その辺はどうだったのか。あと近藤はローキックを多く出していたようだが、ショートのパンチや、前蹴りのほうはどうだったのか。先にローを出してカウンターでフックを貰う展開もあったのか。近藤の場合距離感を計って、プレッシャーを掛けるなり、相手の前進をさばくなりどっちにしても、自分かた手を出さすカウンターを狙う、あるいはフェイントで相手のカウンターを誘って、そこをカウンターを取るというのが、近藤の得意な形だと思うので、その辺はできていたのか。
ダメージ的にはそこまでのものは無いようにも思うが、しっかりダメージを抜いて、２，３ヶ月しっかりコンディションを作って次戦に備えてほしい。
