DREAM 13 3/22/10 Re-Cap

DREAM 13
Yokohama Arena
Japan
March 22, 2010

What a busy two weeks for MMA. XFC on HDNet last Friday, UFC on Versus on Sunday night, DREAM on HDNet Monday morning, next Friday HDNet has another King of the Cage show and Showtime counters with a Strikeforce Challengers show and UFC has another PPV next weekend. Wow. That's a huge line-up. This DREAM line-up has Joachim Hansen dropping in weight to challenge Bibiano Fernandes for the Featherweight title in what should be a great fight. We also have the return of KJ Noons and the controversial Josh Barnett on this show. Michael Schiavello and Frank Trigg are the announcers. This is the first DREAM show of 2010.

Open Weight Fight- Minowaman vs. Jimmy Ambriz

Schiavello's man love for Minowaman knows no bounds. I love how enthusiastic Schiavello is when he calls MMA. I had never heard him call anything until last year but he's quickly become my favorite play by play guy. Ambriz comes in at 275 pounds and Minowa is only 196 pounds.

R1- Ambriz controls the first part of the match by smothering Minowa. Ambriz grabs an arm triangle but can't keep it. Ambriz is just controlling Minowa so far. Ambriz gassed and Minowa employed the stick and move for the rest of the round. Not a very compelling fight so far.

R2- Ambriz starts off this round like the last one as he attempts to smother Minowa. Ambriz mounted but Minowa reversed him and then tapped him with a heel hook.

Winner: Minowman by Submission (Heel Hook) R2

We are one hour into the telecast and we are now on Fight #2.

Lightweight Fight- Kuniyoshi Hironaka (16-6) vs. Katsunori Kikuno (12-2-2)

Kikuno comes out to "We Are the World". Only in Japan. Hironaka is a former UFC fighter who went 1-3 while in the UFC. Kikuno holds a win over Nick Diaz. Both fighters are 4-1 in their last 5 fights. This is being promoted as who is the 3rd strongest Japanese lightweight fighter behind Shinya Aoki and Tatsuya Kawajiri.

R1- Kikuno lands some good strikes at the beginning of the round. Kikuno landed a liver kick and then a big time right hand and Hironaka just folded to the mat and this one is all over. Really impressive victory for Katsunori Kikuno. He hit a kick, missed with a strike, hit a good solid left and a big right. Really good combination. This one lasted only a minute and a half.

Winner: Katsunori Kikuno by TKO (Strikes) R1

Featherweight Fight- Cole Escovedo (15-4) vs. Yoshiro Maeda (26-7-2)

Escovedo is a former WEC Featherweight Champion. He has lost fights to Urijah Faber and Jens Pulver in the past. He had to take 3 and a half years off after a really bad staph infection. He is known for his triangle choke. He comes out to some Metallica. 14 of Maeda's wins have come by TKO/KO. Escovedo is 4-1 in his last 5 fights, Maeda is 3-2 in his last 5.

R1- Maeda is the agressor early and is throwing a lot of strikes. Out of nowhere Escovedo landed a left head kick and this one is over. Two great finishes back to back. Maeda was looking really good until he ate that head kick. Big time KO by Escovedo.

Winner: Cole Escovedo by KO (Head Kick) R1

Welterweight Fight- Andrews Nakahara (2-1) vs. Ryo Chonan (16-10)

Nakahara comes out to Eminem. This is his one shot to seize everything. His palms are sweaty..... Chonan is a former Pride and UFC fighter and this is his debut in DREAM. He is only 1-3 in the UFC. Schiavello tells us that Chonan is the betting underdog in this fight.

R1- They exchanged two minutes into the round and Nakahara went down but I don't think he got hit solidly with anything. Chonan took top position but Nakahara did a good job of locking him up from the bottom. Chonan spends the majority of the round in top position. The referee hands out a yellow card to Nakahara for not working enough from the bottom and stands the fight back up. Chonan is definitely the aggressor on their feet after the stand up. Nakahara hit Chonan with a big kick to the balls which puts a stop to Chonan's control of the round. Chonan is well in control of this fight going into the final five minutes.

R2- Nakahara lands some good shots half way through the round and then both guys throw with Nakahara getting the better of the exchange. Chonan was able to stop Nakahara's onslaught with a take down. Chonan ends the fight on top of Nakahara as they go the distance. I think Chonan is going to win this one. Nakahara had a good onslaught in the 2nd round but it wasn't enough as Chonan controlled the majority of the fight.

Winner: Ryo Chonan by Decision (Unanimous)

Lightweight Fight- KJ Noons (7-2) vs. Andre Dida (6-3-1)

Andre Dida comes out wearing a Tiger Mask mask. Schiavello tells us that if Noons wins this fight that they will look to set him up against Tatsuya Kawajiri. Schiavello also tells us that Strikeforce big wig Scott Coker is in the house tonight. This is KJ's return to MMA after spending a lot of time boxing (he was 4-1 in his last 5 fights and won his last 3 fights). KJ has a 100% KO ratio in MMA. Dida is 2-3 in his last 5 fights. Noons is the favorite in this one.

R1- Dida starts this one out with a low blow. Noons is landing some decent body shots. Both guys landed quality punches at around the four minute mark but both guys absorbed them well. Methodical first round with Noons walking down Dida for the majority of the round and landing more jabs. Noons drew some blood from Dida's nose at the end of the round.

R2- Noons is starting to be more aggressive in this round and going for bigger shots. Dida's nose is really starting to bleed now and Noons looks like he may have a cut on his face as well. Noons is a little frustrated at Dida's continually backing away. Noons is going to take this by decision. Not a great fight by Noons but he was clearly the winner here tonight.

Winner: KJ Noons by Decision (Unanimous)

Heavyweight Fight- Josh Barnett (24-5) vs. Mighty Mo (3-1)

Barnett is a very controversial figure in the world of MMA. It's no shock that Josh is fighting in Japan after everything that happened to him prior to his Affliction fight with Fedor that never came to be. I would be shocked if Barnett fights in the US again for a major MMA company. Barnett should have an easy time in this fight. Mo took this fight on short notice about 10 days ago. Apparently DREAM had a tough time finding an opponent for Barnett for this fight.

R1- Mo hit a good strike and floored Barnett but he quickly got back to his feet before Mo could capitalize. Barnett landed a kick flush to Mo's "junk" and we are going to be taking a break for a while in this one. This one might be all over as they are taking a look at his package to see if he can continue. Mo is down and in agony and Schiavello and Twinkle Toes are thinking this one might be over. They have spent more than 5 minutes giving Mo time to rest as they really don't want to call this fight. They are giving Mo 3 more minutes. Josh told Mo he can hit him in the balls to even it out if they want. Mo is ready to continue and the ref gives Barnett a yellow card. Barnett got a take down about half way through the round and immediately got a kimura and this one is over.

Winner: Josh Barnett by Submission (Kimura) R1

Featherweight Title Fight- Bibiano Fernandes (c) (7-2) vs. Joachim Hansen (19-8-1)

Hansen was the first DREAM Lightweight Champion as he was a replacement for Eddie Alvarez and defeated Shinya Aoki in the tournament final. Hansen then lost the title to Aoki by submission. Hansen is a former Pride fighter and is the first fighter to defeat Takanori Gomi. Fernandes has only 2 losses in his career and they were to Urijah Faber (2006 by cut) and Kid Yamamoto (2007). This is the first defense of his title by Fernandes. Hansen has gone 3-2 in his last 5 and Fernandes is 5-0 in his last 5. Hansen is the favorite based on what the odds-makers say. Hansen normally fights at Lightweight and this is the first time I've seen him fight at this weight limit. If Hansen had a good cut I definitely can see him taking the title tonight. Even though this is a title fight it's still just a two round fight (the first round 10 minutes and the second round 5 minutes).

R1- Fernandes got a double leg take down 45 seconds into the fight but lets Hansen up. Fernandes hit a good counter right that briefly staggered Hansen but he absorbed it. Hansen really hasn't done much offensively so far after 3 and a half minutes. Fernandes got another take down with four minutes gone from the round but Hansen scrambled back to his feet without taking any damage. Fernandes landed another take down with two and a half minutes left in the first round but Hansen again got up with minimal damage inflicted. After the first round Fernandes is definitely winning the fight but he hasn't inflicted a lot of damage so Hansen could easily come back and win this in the second and final round.

R2- Fernandes got a quick double leg take down right at the beginning of the round and tried to get a leg lock but couldn't. Hansen is starting to find a home for his jab in this round but Fernandes caught a kick and took Hansen down again. Hansen landed some kicks while Fernandes stood above him. Fernandes got a take down in the last minute of the fight but Hansen got back to his feet with half a minute left. Close fight but Fernandes keeps the belt in my book. Two judges gave the fight to Fernandes and one gave it to Hansen so Fernandes keeps the belt. I think Hansen is better served in the Lightweight division as his speed seemed a bit off tonight and it took him a while to find his rhythm.

Winner: Bibiano Fernandes by Decision (Split)