Saulo Riberio/Yuki Kondo fight

[Anaconda]

I had heard that Kondo knocked Riberio out with a high kick to the head, much like that which recently "Big Daddy" Goodridge was knocked out by in Pride.

That's not what happened.

What happened was Riberio ducked down as Kondo was kicking. Like Riberio was going for a takedown. And Kondo happened to kick at that time. It looks like Kondo's knee hit Riberio in the head; perhaps it was Kondo's shin. In any event, that blow made Riberio slow to regain his standup position; looks like he was stunned. Then Kondo quickly capitalize by kneeing Riberio in the face. Riberio falls, with Kondo in quick pursuit with punches. End of fight.

Bad luck for Riberio, luck or skill for Kondo.

But a very different image than Riberio standing and suddenly getting KO'ed by Kondo's high kick.

FYI.

[HOWARD KIMONOS]

I dunno. i've seen this fight several times over and it sure looked like Saulo telegraphed his shoot and poorly executed it. Not sure if this was a lucky shot by Kondo. Seemed more like horrible technique on the part of Saulo to me. FYI

[E1am]

Actually Howard ...

It was a "lucky" shot in that Kondo wasn't trying to crack Riberio's head open with his knee. He threw a kick right as Riberio was shooting and head and knee collided.

[Mickey Finn]

My impression was the kick didn’t do the damage. If I remember correctly, he was pretty far inside that kick when contact was made, plus as he shot, his head was moving to the side opposite from which the kick came, in effect rolling with it. What came afterward is what mattered.

[Anaconda]

Mickey,

I thought it was a weird kick, and couldn't quite see exactly what part of Kondo's leg hit Riberio. It looked like the knee, maybe the shin somewhat. In fact, to me it didn't really look like much, except for the fact that Riberio was kind of stunned and slow to move again. That's what made me consider the kick.

And you're right, that's when Kondo put the pressure on and finished him.

[Mickey Finn]

Anaconda


I ran into a clip of that fight on the web and was trying to find it again, but I can’t come up with it. I remember hearing about this head kick KO, but when I saw the video that was not my impression at all. I don’t think the kick was targeting the head. Coincidence. I don’t think Saulo was even hurt by it. It looked to me like he was thrown off, didn’t know where the shot came from and hesitated. Kondo made him pay for that hesitation. I whish I could find the damn clip.

[Anaconda]

Yeah, if Saulo was thrown off by that kick, not hurt by it, and was just plain was confused and hesitated, then IMO he has a lot more to worry about in NHB than I thought.

That's why I assumed the kick did hit him somehow, and that's why he hesitated. I wish we had multiple angles on a shot like that.

[Cooter]

The clip is at the "Free Fight Freaks" page ( http://members.tripod.co.jp/yokatoko/index2.htm ), and the URL of the clip itself is:

http://members.tripod.co.jp/yokatoko/kondo.rm

"Yeah, if Saulo was thrown off by that kick, not hurt by it, and was just plain was confused and hesitated, then IMO he has a lot more to worry about in NHB than I thought."

Actually, I think he was hurt by it, but I think this bodes even worse for his NHB career. It was not a clean shot, and it looks to me like Saulo just doesn't have a good chin. Bad fighting instincts, like being easily confused when things don't go your way, can be overcome by training, but a bad chin is with you for life.

[Anaconda]

that's true

[Mr. Miyagi]

In all fairness, Saulo Ribeiro deserves another chance to prove himself in NHB. I hope that the fans do not dismiss him prematurely. It's possible that he will return to the MMA ring and have drastically different results.

[Jaguar Wong]

From what I saw, the kick totally missed, but the knee/leg kind of got caught on his head and his sloppy shot caused him to take a little header, and then Kondo capitalized quickly on that. Saulo looked slow to get up, but that was probably confusion more than anything. Kondo landed two very quick and clean knees to the face, though.

Kondo was going for the head kick, but Saulo got under the kick and then got caught. Kondo's left leg kicks are very fast, but his right leg kicks are a little more sloppy/slow, though. That was probably another reason all that happened, too. I know Kondo has some of the fastest knee strikes (to the head) that I've ever seen. I don't know how much power he can put into them that fast, but I do know if he can land two or three quick knees, his opponent is in trouble.

So is Kondo gonna fight Tito Ortiz in the next UFC? If so, how do you guys see that one ending? I think Tito may put the hurt on.

[Mickey Finn]

Originally posted by Jaguar Wong
From what I saw, the kick totally missed, but the knee/leg kind of got caught on his head and his sloppy shot caused him to take a little header, and then Kondo capitalized quickly on that. Saulo looked slow to get up, but that was probably confusion more than anything. Kondo landed two very quick and clean knees to the face, though.

I'll go with most of that. As far as Kondo anticipating the shoot and going for the head, I’m not sure. Its definitely possible, but it kind of looked like he was going for a low level kick and Saulo was kind enough to stick his head down there. I would like to se a reverse angle on that kick.

Tito by G&P. I think he is just too strong for Kondo. I will be rooting for Kondo, but betting on Tito if it ever happens.

[Ronin]

Saulo: "Please, decapitate me Mr. Kondo. Here is my head for you to kick."

Yuki: "Why, thank you, Ribeiro-san! That is very gracious of you!"

WHACK! WHACK, WHACK!!! THUMP.

Saulo: "Not at all! Happy to be of service!"

Yuki: "Enjoy your trip home to Brazil!"

[Anaconda]

Tito vs. Kondo.

I go with Tito.

[EJ]

Tito vs. Kondo will be a war.

Kondo is a dynamic striker... Tito is a "control artist" (kinda like some women I have known).

I believe Saulo was stunned by that inadvertant knee, and most anyone will be dizzyed by a hard blow to the side of the dome with a large blunt object (knee???). Saulo is a phenom on the ground, and I believe he could submit Kondo on a different day.

Saulo is a dude that has been nagged by injuries in recent years, so I hope he is close to 100% next time he gets it on... then we will see his best, and we will be able to perform our keyboard/lazy boy warrior duties more fully.