KOTC: TORYUMON RESULTS - Japanese King of the Cage Debut 1/30/10

KING OF THE CAGE: TORYUMON was held January 30, 2010 at the Okinawa Convention Center in Ginowan, Okinawa, Japan. This was the Japanese debut for the American fight promotion. The main event saw Japanese fighter Mamoru Yamaguchi win the promotion's vacant Junior Flyweight Championship over previously undefeated American Frank Baca. In the co-main event, visiting American fighter Tony "Lionheart" Hervey also lost, dropping a decision to Japan's Kotetsu Boku. 2009 Submission of the Year winner Toby Imada was the last American to have their hand raised on the right, knocking out late replacement Daisuke "13" Hanazawa in the second round. In the lone women's bout on the night, Americans Roxanne Modafferi and Molly Helsel squared off, with current Japanese resident Modafferi winning by submission in the second round. Since 2003, Modafferi has been living in Japan, training MMA and working teaching English.

The first 7 fights were held with 3-minute rounds and the last 5 fights were held with 5-minute rounds.

KING OF THE CAGE: TORYUMON

{Junior Flyweight Championship}

Mamoru Yamaguchi (23-5) won by SUB over Frank Baca (6-1) in R2. [6:54]

Kotetsu Boku (16-6) won by UD over Tony Hervey (11-7). [15:00]

Toby Imada (23-13) won by TKO over Daisuke Hanazawa (13-12) in R2. [5:29]

Roxanne Modafferi (14-5) won by SUB over Molly Helsel (8-9) in R2. [8:18]

Tatsuya Sou (5-3) won by TKO over Shigeki Matsuda (0-1) in R2. [8:48]

Shungo Oyama (8-12) won by SUB over Mark Wimmer (0-1) in R1. [1:07]

Koji Kanechika (5-2) won by UD over Jerry Vrbanovic (6-7). [9:00]

Jerry Nelson (5-1) won by SD over Shinsho Anzai (1-1). [9:00]

Zach Hayden (1-0) won by SUB over Black Dragon (0-1) in R1. [0:29]

Tomohiro Ataniya (5-4) won by UD over Toyoshi Miyagi (0-1). [9:00]

Shinya Kumawaza (4-6) won by SUB over Steve Hecht (4-2) in R1. [2:14]

Tsuyoshi Tamaki (3-0) won by SUB over Bryon Schnell (0-2) in R3. [8:28]

Donald Shaw (1-0) won by TKO over Riku Inafuku in R1. [2:26]

Updated MMA win-loss records with total fight time in brackets.

UD = Unanimous | SD = Split Decision | SUB = Submission | R = Round

VIDEO: WEC 47 Preview - Brian Bowles vs Dominick Cruz for Bantamweight Title

Jean-Claude Van Damme to Fight Olympic Gold Medalist Somluck Kamsing in K-1 Kickboxing Bout

What can I say, it's a slow news week. According to BoxingScene, Jean-Claude Van Damme, the man who brought us the precursor to MMA, the cult-classic BLOODSPORT, will be taking to the ring in actual kickboxing competition against Olympic featherweight boxing gold-medalist Somluck Kamsing. The match will be sanctioned by K-1 and fought under Muay Thai rules, minus the use of elbows, due to Van Damme not wanting his pretty movie star face damaged, and will likely take place in March 2010 in Las Vegas, although conflicting reports have the bout being delayed until October.

In the 1996 Summer Olympics, Somluck Kamsing (sometimes also spelled Somrak Khamsing) became the first athlete from Thailand to win an Olympic gold medal. He also competed in the 2000 and 2004 Olympics, but did not medal.

Jean-Claude Van Damme aka The Muscles from Brussels began studying martial arts at the age of 10, and rose to fame in Belgium as a martial artist and bodybuilder. Van Damme competed in karate and various full-contact martial arts bouts in Europe, starting his career in 1976 and ending in 1980 with an 18-1 record.

Van Damme's movie career started in 1984, with roles in BREAKIN' and MONACO FOREVER, respectively as "Guy dancing in the background" and "Gay Karate Man." Van Damme's breakout role would come in 1988, as Frank Dux in BLOODSPORT, a film supposedly based on real-life events, about an American who participates in the Kumite, an illegal underground full-contact martial arts tournament with occasionally deadly results. Van Damme's most financially successful film was TIMECOP in 1994. After several subsequent box office flops, Van Damme's last theatrical effort would be in 1998 with the film DOUBLE TEAM, co-starring Dennis Rodman. The next decade would see all of Van Damme's films released straight to video. 2008 saw a slight career resurgence for Van Damme, who starred as a fictional character based on himself in the crime-based comedy drama JCVD. His most-recent effort is THE EAGLE PATH, which will be released in 2010, a film he has produced, written, directed and stars.

KING OF THE CAGE: TORYUMON -- 1/30/10 Fight Card -- Japanese KOTC Debut

KING OF THE CAGE: TORYUMON -- January 30, 2010

Location: Okinawa Convention Center in Ginowan, Okinawa, Japan

{Junior Flyweight Championship}
Frank Baca (6-0) vs. Mamoru Yamaguchi (22-5)

Kotetsu Boku (15-6) vs. Tony Hervey (11-6)

Toby Imada (22-13) vs. Kiichi Kunimoto (8-3)

Molly Helsel (8-8) vs. Roxanne Modafferi (13-5)

Shigeki Matsuda (0-0) vs. Tatsuya Sou (4-3)

Koji Kanechika (4-2) vs. Jerry Vrbanovic (6-6)

Leandro Cussano (3-1) vs. Christian Vargas (4-3)

Steve Hecht (4-1) vs. Shinya Kumazawa (3-6)

Bryon Schnell (0-1) vs. Tsuyoshi Tamaki (2-0)

TACHI PALACE FIGHTS 3: CHAMPIONS COLLIDE -- 2/4/10 Fight Card

TACHI PALACE FIGHTS 3: CHAMPIONS COLLIDE -- February 4, 2010

Location: Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino in Lemoore, California

{Bantamweight Championship}
Jeff Bedard (12-2) vs. Cole Escovedo (14-4)

Hector Ramirez (8-3) vs. Anthony Ruiz (23-13)

{Featherweight Championship}
Isaac De Jesus (8-1) vs. Nam Phan (15-6)

Michael McDonald (8-1) vs. Manny Tapia (10-3)

Dominique Robinson (4-3) vs. Gabe Ruediger (15-5)

Sergio Quinones (4-5) vs. Gabby Solorio (3-2)

Mike Arellano (5-2) vs. Phil Collins (7-5)

Anthony Figueroa (4-4) vs. Phil Perez (7-5)

Zoila Frausto (4-0) vs. Jessica Rakoczy (0-1)

David Bollea (1-0) vs. Tim Denham (0-1)

Colt Toombs (0-0) vs. Art Becerra (0-1)

Rafael Del Real (6-14) vs. Mike Guidry (1-0)

Nader Maghribi (0-0) vs. Joshua Miranda (0-0)

TACHI PALACE FIGHTS 3 RESULTS