Warning Spoilers...Pride GP Open Weight tournament results and recap Recap by F. Machado Some interesting happenings in the first round of the Open Weight tournament that pitted some of the best Heavyweight and Lightheavyweight fighters in the world together...

Pride GP Openweight
Friday, May 5, 2006
Osaka Dome, Osaka Japan

Photo Courtesy of "(C) DREAM STAGE ENTERTAINMENT INC"

Roman Zentsov (Red Devil Sport Club) defeated Gilbert Yvel (Golden Glory) by KO (crossed punch) at 4:55 R1
 
The first champion of the competition was Pride heavyweight champion Emelianenko Fedor’s pupil Roman Zentsov, who defeated Muay Thai fighter Gilbert Yvel by KO in early round 1, in the alternate fight of the night. Zentsov started more aggressively and Yvel responded with flying knees, but was neutralized with a takedown falling underneath. Gilbert stood up, but then suffered the final cross punch, which put him down to the mat unconscious. Before the match, Mr. Takada announced that the Russian Emelianenko Fedor would be in action in the second phase of the GP.
 
Fabricio Werdum (Cro Cop Squad Gym) submitted Alistair Overeem (Golden Glory) with a kimura at 3:43 of R2
 
In the second bout, Jiu-Jitsu black belt Fabrício Werdum won once again in the Pride ring after submitting Dutch fighter Alistair Overeem with a kimura from the guard. Overeem started well in the first round and took Werdum down twice. Kind oflooking lost in the bout, Werdum pulled his opponent to his guard three times, but Overeem stood up and scored valuable points. In the second round, Werdum pulled to the guard once again and took a knee for his efforts but after exchanging punches on the feet, he got what he planned! From the guard, he fixed a kimura submission position and obliged the Dutch fighter to tap out in early round 2.
 
 
Mark Hunt (Oceania Super Fighters’ Club) defeated Tsuyoshi Kohsaka (A-SQUARE) by TKO (referee’ stoppage) at 4:15 of R2
 
In spite of the 30kg of difference between Tsuyoshi Kohsaka (A-SQUARE) and Mark Hunt (Oceania Super Fighters’ Club), the Japanese fighter wasn’t intimidated and gave his best against the fighter from New Zealand. Kohsaka, who defeated BTT leader José Mário Sperry got a knocked down but recovered and surprised Hunt when he took his back and almost submitted him with a Kimura. The grappler accepted exchanging punches with Hunt, who ended the first round mounted. In the second one, Kohsaka seemed very tired due to the weight difference and his leg attacks didn’t work. Hunt’s blows started to annul the Japanese until a strong cross, which forced the referee to stop the fight.
 
Josh Barnett (AMC Pankration) submitted Aleksander Emelianenko (Red Devil Sport Club) by key-lock at 1:57 of R2
 
With the absence of Mark Coleman, Josh Barnett took another step on his way to the Pride GP Openweight title. Barnett had a hard time against Pride heavyweight champion Emmelianenko Fedor’s brother Aleksander, who rocked him in the first eight minutes of fight. Aleksander had the better movement and didn’t allow Barnett to do anything, but the Russian got tired allowed Barnett to believe he could win in the end of the first round. In the second, Barnett did not waste his chance and took the fight to the ground and after punishing Aleksander with some knees, applied the final key-lock.
 
Kazuyuki Fujita (Freelance) defeated James Thompson (Team Trojan) by TKO (referee’ stoppage) at 8:25 of R1
 
Japanese Fujita won his bout at the Pride Openweight GP, at Osaka Dome. Kazuyuki Fujita was having a hard time against English James Thompson (Team Trojan), who rocked the Japanese fighter and avoided his attempts to take the fight to the ground. Thompson was able to put Fujita down, but the Japanese stood up and lauched a punch sequence with more than 20 blows. Thompson went to the canvas and referee stopped the fight.
 
 
Mirko Filipovic (Cro Cop Squad Gym) defeated Ikuhisa Minowa (Freelance) by TKO at 1:10 of R1
 
As expected, the fight between Mirko Filipovic (Cro Cop Squad Gym) and Ikuhisa Minowa (Freelance) ended quickly. After trying to confuse Filipovic with some weird moves, Minowa was not able to avoid Mirko’s knees. The Japanese man pulled the guard and from there, received six perfect blows, which forced the referee to stop the fight, early round 1
 
 
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (Brazilian Top Team) submitted Wagner "Zuluzinho" Martins (B-TOUGH) by arm-lock at 2:17 or R1
 
As fast as Cro Cop’s bout, the fight between Rodrigo Minotauro and Zuluzinho lasted less then three minutes. Minotauro exchanged a few punches on the feet but avoided Zuluzinho’s game and clinched. To put the Brazilian giant down, Minotauro used the same movement he used against American Bob Sapp. On the ground, the Jiu-Jitsu black belt from BTT threw few punches from the 100kg position and obliged Zuluzinho to tap out with an arm-lock. "I do respect all the fighters who are fighting today, but I must warn you I’ll be the champion," said Minotauro at Osaka Dome’s ring.
 
Hidehiko Yoshida (Yoshida Dojo) submitted Yousuke Nishijima (Takada Dojo) by arm-lock in R1
 
Closing the Open weight Pride GP, Japanese Hidehiko Yoshida (Yoshida Dojo) didn’t give much of a chance to Japanese Yousuke Nishijima (Takada Dojo) and submitted him by arm-lock from the triangle position, early in the first round. The Judo Olympic champion didn’t even need any of the Muay Thai techniques acquired with his recent training sessions with Brazilian Sérgio Cunha and after the clinch, he took Nishijima down and quickly secured the mount. Then, from the triangle position fixed the arm-lock and obliged Nishijima to tap out.
 
In the end of the night, all seven champions got together in the middle of the ring and posed for the official picture with Emelianenko Fedor, who is confirmed to compete in the second round. Now we just need to wait for the second phase of action!