UFC 126 Results: Chad Mendes Outworks Michihiro Omigawa, Wins by Decision

by Leland Roling on Feb 5, 2011 9:25 PM EST in UFC Event

Photo by Tracy Lee for Yahoo! Sports.

While Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto is considered to be one of Japan's most popular figures from the past, Japanese judo player Michihiro Omigawa may be the man to carry the torch for Japan in the modern era. He hoped to prove that he could handle the bullish American style of wrestling on Saturday night as he battled Chad Mendes in featherweight action on the UFC 126 undercard live on Spike TV.

Mendes not only proved that his wrestling was enough to control Omigawa on the ground, but his speedy footwork and powerful overhand combinations absolutely crushed Omigawa at every opportunity. Omigawa's lone threat in the fight occurred in the first round as Omigawa nearly latched on a straight armbar from guard, but Mendes escaped. The rest of the fight featured Mendes' quicker footwork and crushing combinations as Omigawa desperately looked for an opening.

Mendes grew tired as the fight entered the later part of the third round, but he secured a late takedown to take the fight to the scorecards. Mendes won on all three scorecards, 30-27.

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Nice win for Mendes

MO with a good effort in defeat.

by Revolver on Feb 5, 2011 9:27 PM EST reply actions

Self reply

Michi was a little too tentative with the hands, and was not as offense-oriented as Mendes.

by Revolver on Feb 5, 2011 9:31 PM EST up reply actions

Nearly perfect fight for Mendes.

His stand up has greatly improved.

"The world would truly be a better place if you didn’t exsist. You should just lean over the plate and take one for the team, run into oncoming traffic or something." -S l c Ranger HE MAD! The internet is serious business.

by TooLegitToQuit on Feb 5, 2011 9:27 PM EST reply actions

michi was going after it

So i gotta respect him for that but he just doesn’t have the skills, hes too slow and his striking defense has too many holes, I don’t see how he can beat any of the guys at the top of the division without a major revision in strategy.

by C.A.M. on Feb 5, 2011 9:35 PM EST reply actions

Japanese MMA fighters are fizzling

(I mentioned this on a post under a different article) but you look at the Japanese fighters who have come into the UFC riding a hype wave – Akiyama, Gomi, Omigawa, Yamamoto, Yoshida – haven’t had much success. Either the fight camps are dramatically better in the US or HS and college wrestling programs provide too good of a base for other MA styles to overcome.

"If I wanted to spend a half hour between two hairy legs I'd go to your mother's house." -Don Frye

by mburtoni on Feb 5, 2011 10:01 PM EST reply actions