Gracie Proving Ground
○コア・ラモスvsハーラン・グレイシー●(１ＲＫＯ)
ハワイのホノルルでGracie Proving Groundという大会が開催。地元ハワイ出身の選手が出場する中、メインに登場したのはへウソン・グレイシーの息子であるハーラン・グレイシー。ハーランとは現在ＵＦＣに参戦中の軟体男へイズレット相手に総合デビュー戦をやって判定で負けたグレイシーです。確か三角絞めを極められそうになってたような。
対戦相手のラモスはこれが総合２戦目であり、ハーランの総合初勝利に用意された噛ませかと思われましたが、なんと試合開始から３分足らずでラモスの放った左フックがヒットしてハーランがＫＯ負け。
メインの結果も驚きですが、この大会なにやらルール面等で色々と問題があったそうで。英語苦手なもんで詳しいところまで理解できないので誰か詳しい人解説お願いします。
This card started off as a show of up-and-coming fighters, but after a number of changes due to fighters pulling out or getting hurt; there was a good mix of new blood and wiley veterans competing on the card. This MMA event was much different than your standard MMA events in regards to the stand up ruling, rounds, and judging criteria.
Relson Gracie wanted to allow the fighters more time on the ground to wear down their opponent so that the fighters could use more ground technique. This is great for the ground fighters, but many of the fans are used to many stand ups and a lot of action. The lack of stand ups caused some boos from the audience, but if there was no action, the referees were instructed to stand the fighters up.
The other item of difference was the judging and rounds. All the fights with the exception of one match, had 10 minute first rounds, 2 minutes of rest, and a 5 minute second round. At the rules meeting, the judges were to score the first round as a 10-8 round so that the fighter that won the first round would lock in a win unless the other fighter knocked him out, knocked him down, or submitted him in round 2. This is where some controversial decisions were rendered. The big question was that since the fight was allowed to remain on the ground longer, would the dominant ground fighter have an edge for the duration of the entire fight, and how that aspect of the fight would be judged against power punches and kicks during stand up exchanges.
The biggest controversy was with the Sugar Shane Nelson and Harris Sarmiento fight. Sarmiento was winning the stand up by tagging Nelson with numerous kicks and punches. Nelson on the other hand, took down Sarmiento a number of times and was consistently trying to pass Sarmiento's guard. Sarmiento was able to stop many take downs and also scrambled back to his feet on a few occasions. Nelson was able to control the top position, but did not land too many damaging blows. Nelson ended up winning the decision, but this decision caused a backlash of boos from the crowd who thought Sarmiento through his prevention of many take downs and power shots standing clearly won the fight.
Not many fights ended in a decision so the fights were not really impacted too much from the 10 minute first round. The fights that did go to a decision involved fighters in great shape that fought hard for the entire 15 minutes.
Other than the Nelson/Sarmiento fight, the fight to watch was Relson's son Rhalan Gracie who had his second fight in MMA and his first fight in Hawaii against rising star Koa Ramos of the Eastsidaz. This was a great match up, where on paper, excellent ground met excellent stand up. As we all know fights are not won on paper, especially in MMA as we have seen lately in the UFC with its many upsets. Ramos implemented a superb strategy of striking and moving and constantly tagged Gracie with some hard shots. To his credit, the young Gracie took all of Ramo's punches and kicks very well and did not look rocked. Ramos was utilizing different angles and circling, making him a hard target for a take down. Rhalan landed a couple of leg kicks, but Ramos remained aggressive in his stand up attack. Eventually Ramos threw a left hook and landed a right upper cut that ended the night for Rhalan with a knock out. This was a huge victory for the young Koa Ramos who is a fighter to be watched at 170 lbs.
