Jason Miller submits Kazushi Sakuraba at DREAM 16
Jason "Mayhem" Miller made quick work of Kazushi "Gracie Hunter" Sakuraba at DREAM 16.
During pre-fight interviews Miller stated, "I want to show everyone that I am stronger. I hope to be the first man to submit Sakuraba here in DREAM."
Sakuraba answered Mayhem with, "I have tapped out lots of times during training. It's just that nobody has submitted me in a fight. There are lots of fighters who have the ability to submit
me. I always try to be one step ahead of my opponent though so I'm not concerned about his comment."
Perhaps Sakuraba should have shown some concern, as he was tapped out just 2:09 into the first round of their fight.
Miller entered the ring as the heavy favourite over Sakuraba, a man he described as being his MMA idol.
The bout began with with both fighters looking to land some strikes. Sakuraba caught Miller with a quick left, which Miller answered with a knee to the head of the Japanese MMA legend.
Sakuraba was looking for a single leg and missed the shot and ended up on his back. Miller, avoiding the kicks of Sakuraba then landed some hard punches to the head of Sakuraba.
Sakuraba then caught Miller and looked to set up a leg lock, but Mayhem's defence was too strong and he broke the hold.
Sakuraba then turtled below the blows of Miller. Sakuraba covered and Miller waited patiently for an opening. Miller did not waste any energy on throwing punches that he knew would be
blocked.
Sakuraba then worked to his back and Miller took full advantage, laying down heavy rights that caused the head of his opponent to bounce off the canvas. Sakuraba attempted to escape the
punches and Miller saw an opening and sank in a deep arm-triangle choke.
Mayhem makes good on his promise as Sakuraba tapped out. This is only the second time that Sakuraba has ever tapped out in his long MMA career. The first tap out occurred in 1996 in his
debut fight against Kimo Leopoldo. Leopoldo also used the arm-triangle choke in securing the submission.
With the victory Miller's MMA record stands at 24-7 with a DREAM record of 2-1. Sakuraba falls to 26-14-1 in his MMA career and 3-3 while fighting for DREAM. Widely considered
one of the best mixed martial artists of all time, the 41-year-old Sakuraba has looked slower, weaker and behind the game in many of his last fights, suggesting it may be time to call it a career.
Miller has been victorious in three of his last four bouts.
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