[FIGHT] Still the Greatest
Deep funk Monday. The image of Sakuraba's face was hard to ignore.
We were there live, row 17 on the ground level east side just a few meters from the post-fight exit lane for the blue corner. But Mrs. Ramen had to leave three minutes into Sakuraba v. Arona, so there went the good luck charm. The fight worked out pretty much as expected. Considering what Saku was giving up in size, strength, age, and maybe vitamins and minerals, I don't think he did half bad.
People will now complain again that he should hang up the gloves. Yes, he got totaled in there. Maybe he should quit, but he won't. His body is in worse shape than most of the cars Xzibit hauls into West Coast Customs for "Pimp My Ride," but he is still a capable fighter, and more than capable when fighting opponents near his natural weight.
Perhaps most importantly, the man won't let himself quit. Some of his fans may wish better for his wife and three kids, but his will is still there. If he wants to go out his way, even if it means, for example, a fourth match against an ever-enlarging Axe Murderer, then we probably owe him that, however insane. He is, after all, a legend and a pop cartoon. He is Eddy the Eagle, the Jamaican Bobsled Team, Johnny Unitas and Muhammad Ali at the same time.
In the premiere fightsport market that is Japan, if Takada Nobuhiko was the man who made mixed martial arts an event, Sakuraba Kazushi was the man who made it a viable industry. And to a further few thousand believers, Sakuraba made it a faith.
We were there live, row 17 on the ground level east side just a few meters from the post-fight exit lane for the blue corner. But Mrs. Ramen had to leave three minutes into Sakuraba v. Arona, so there went the good luck charm. The fight worked out pretty much as expected. Considering what Saku was giving up in size, strength, age, and maybe vitamins and minerals, I don't think he did half bad.
People will now complain again that he should hang up the gloves. Yes, he got totaled in there. Maybe he should quit, but he won't. His body is in worse shape than most of the cars Xzibit hauls into West Coast Customs for "Pimp My Ride," but he is still a capable fighter, and more than capable when fighting opponents near his natural weight.
Perhaps most importantly, the man won't let himself quit. Some of his fans may wish better for his wife and three kids, but his will is still there. If he wants to go out his way, even if it means, for example, a fourth match against an ever-enlarging Axe Murderer, then we probably owe him that, however insane. He is, after all, a legend and a pop cartoon. He is Eddy the Eagle, the Jamaican Bobsled Team, Johnny Unitas and Muhammad Ali at the same time.
In the premiere fightsport market that is Japan, if Takada Nobuhiko was the man who made mixed martial arts an event, Sakuraba Kazushi was the man who made it a viable industry. And to a further few thousand believers, Sakuraba made it a faith.
posted by hamu86 at 11:30 AM
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