10 Legendary MMA Fighters You've Probably Never Heard Of

Gomi Looks to Recover His Fire in Shooto


(Satoru Kitaoka finishes Takanori Gomi at "Sengoku no Ran 2009" in January. I’m not sure feet are supposed to bend that way.)

Before he rose to international fame as PRIDE’s most dominant lightweight, Takanori Gomi was a local hero in Japan’s Shooto league, where he reigned as the 154-pound champ from December 2001 to August 2003. Now, after two upset losses to Sergey Golyaev and Satoru Kitaoka in Sengoku, the Fireball Kid is heading back to his roots. Writes Japan MMA:

Shooto will hold the final event in their Tradition series (celebrating 20 years of Shooto) in May. The event will take place in JCB Hall, where also the first "Tradition" event took place…Former champion Takanori Gomi will return to Shooto and will take on the current [154-pound] champion Takashi Nakakura in what should be an awesome fight. Nakakura is on a 5 fight winning streak and has not lost since August 2005 when he fought Mitsuhiro Ishida.

As we learned recently, Gomi’s head hasn’t been in the game for a while, so maybe a stint on a smaller, familiar stage will help him find his confidence  and regain his competitive spark. Of course, the fight with Nakakura is a must-win for Gomi’s career, and the current Shooto champ is no pushover. Can Gomi get his balls back, or will he join the ever-growing club of former PRIDE legends whose skills have mysteriously evaporated? (President: Wanderlei Silva / Treasurer: Mirko Cro Cop) Nakakura’s last fight, a rear-naked choke victory over Bendy Casimir, is after the jump.



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Anonymous- March 24, 2009 at 4:21 pm
*Edit* Not neccessarrily legal, but not tested for.
0 0 Reply
Anonymous- March 24, 2009 at 4:20 pm
Bootylam is right about the roids. All of the pride fighters weren't on them, but it is highly likely that Vandy and Shogun were. With it being legal over there why would they not do it? It's not just the physical effects of roids that help either because they put you in the mindset to train like a beast.
0 0 Reply
Black Death Durruti- March 23, 2009 at 8:56 pm
assclown-owned?
0 0 Reply
Bootylam!- March 23, 2009 at 7:25 pm
I AM an assclown and freely admit it, but I only speak the truth. Has nothing to do with anything but the truth. Who cares about Zuffa and fuck Lyoto's piss drinking superstitions. And change your stupid handle. You pick the worst character on a lousy fourth rate comedy and have the audacity to constantly toss the term "assclown" around? Please. Consider yourself assclowned.
0 0 Reply
Officer Farva- March 23, 2009 at 4:37 pm
@Bootylam

your an assclown!!!

how does that ZuffaJuice taste? ask Lyoto for a sip...
0 0 Reply
Bootylam!- March 23, 2009 at 3:28 pm
HAHAHA!! Remember a couple of months ago when those guys were arguing with me about the Pride fighters after I said exactly what you guys just did? I still say the reason is that you can't fight "on juice" here. It's a mental hurdle as well as physical and some guys can't do it.
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Wandering Wade- March 23, 2009 at 3:13 pm
Wanderlei is a threat? You mean he was a threat. He's past his prime. Just like Gomi, Ninja Rua, and most of the other PRIDE Vets. Silva vs. Silva would be a one sided ass kicking. Anderson is still in his prime and Wanderlei's jaw has been turned into Sugar Glass.
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just another fan- March 23, 2009 at 3:07 pm
"Sengoku no Ran 2009" ... that picture looks more like ...
"Gomi run no more 2009-eva"
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AngryD- March 23, 2009 at 2:56 pm
wanderlei is definitely a legitimate threat at 185 but there's a fair share of sharks in the water, marquardt, bisping, henderson, etc. but silva v. silva would be pretty interesting....
0 0 Reply
Anonymous- March 23, 2009 at 2:51 pm
agreed, Wanderlie (stop saying wandy...you all sound like dip shits) would ruin people at 185 though Nate Marquardt, Demian Maia, and Anderson Silva would all be hand fulls.
0 0 Reply
Officer Farva- March 23, 2009 at 2:50 pm
i'll show your mom the "FULL Nelson" and his nutty neighboors!!!

respect my author-ity!!!
0 0 Reply
MAD MIKE- March 23, 2009 at 2:40 pm
AT 185 WANDY WILL WRECK PEOPLE
0 0 Reply
L- March 23, 2009 at 2:23 pm
I put your mom in a full nelson every night... naked.
0 0 Reply
norremo- March 23, 2009 at 2:16 pm
Who cares about Gomi? He's not even top 50. My mom could but him in a full nelson
0 0 Reply
Goog- March 23, 2009 at 2:11 pm
@Just Saying

That might be the most astute observation of the year. Totally agree.
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Officer Farva- March 23, 2009 at 2:04 pm
President: Wanderlei Silva

WTF???? you guys are complete dilweeds!!!!

Wandy went toe to toe with Mirko and got CroCpo'd to the head while NOT being able to see out of his left eye. tell me who else in 2006 didnt feel the rath of that power kick (outside of Fedor).

then he faced hendo and was caught with some clean shots. again, hendo was the man then.

next up was a huge brawl that was a complete slugfest and FOTN against Chuck. and a devestating 36 second KO of Jardean.

last he just took a clean MONSTER shot from Rampage....

last i checked, he hasnt lost thunder, just been a victum of eliete fighters capitalizing on exposed holes or in Chuck's his willingness to "give the people what they want" and stand right there in front and bang!!!

NO LOVE for Wandy anymore? shame....
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Just Saying- March 23, 2009 at 2:04 pm
@ slapjaw ackrite

This is exactly what I'm trying to say. If Henderson got the decision over Rampage, some people would say that Rampage's career is done. But instead, Rampage is the shit because he pulled off the decision. But than he lost to Griffin, so he's washed up. But then he KO'd Wandy so he's the shit again. So now Wandy is washed up. But if Wandy KO's Franklin, than Franklin needs to retire.

As soon as a veteran loses a fight, everyone wants to throw him under the bus.
0 0 Reply
@DetroitMMAfan11- March 23, 2009 at 1:58 pm
your mom is overrated.
0 0 Reply
DetroitMMAfan11- March 23, 2009 at 1:49 pm
gomi is overrated.
0 0 Reply
slapjaw ackrite- March 23, 2009 at 1:35 pm
So dan drops a close dec to rampage, loses to Anderson in 2nd after dominating first round, and beats ace. You're right, hope he can find those skills he lost. Dumbass
0 0 Reply
GetUpAndKill- March 23, 2009 at 1:34 pm
To add insult to injury, Gomi took a yellow card for the illegal ass pry.
0 0 Reply
Anonymous- March 23, 2009 at 1:22 pm
don't you mean "allegedly" beat Franklin?
0 0 Reply
Just Saying- March 23, 2009 at 1:17 pm
@ mayhem420

Henderson just beat Franklin. Ace ain't no cake walk.
0 0 Reply
mayhem420- March 23, 2009 at 1:11 pm
"President: Wanderlei Silva / Treasurer: Mirko Cro Cop"

Dont forget
Secretary: Dan Henderson
0 0 Reply
PRIDE Fan- March 23, 2009 at 1:10 pm
I'll believe in Gomi, as long as he believes in himself.
0 0 Reply

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