A good friend of mine is finally fighting on the big stage in Japan with a debut fight against the #1 ranked bantamweight in the WORLD!!!!! WAR JESS!!!!! Jess is in the white trunks btw!!! photos taken by Tamayo JR on FLICKR SHOOTO - 01/18/2009: 'Number One Ranked Flyweight Fighter in the World BJ Kojima Faces Taitano from Guam!' Submitted by:Shu Hirata Posted on : 1/12/2009 The current Shooto bantamweight - basically flyweight in the states - world champion Shinichi "BJ" Kojima will take on Jesse Taitano from Guam. Taitano is one of the top dogs that took Yasuhiro Urushitani, who was amongst the top three in last year's Cage Force tournament at this weight class, to a draw. He also fought Takeyasu Hirono twice. Once for his debut where he was edged out in the judges scorecard, and just last year he got his revenge with a KO win. Also Satoru Tazawa who was scheduled to face Katsuya Toida is out due to a hip injury sustained during training. He is out for a month and there will be no substitute so this fight is cancelled. Sustain Present Professional SHOOTO Sunday, January 18th, 2009 At Differ Ariake, Tokyo, Japan Doors Open - 15:30 Fight Starts - 16:00 Confirmed Cards (Subject to Change): Welterweight Bout 5 min / 3R Kotetsu Boku (Japan / KRAZY BEE) vs. Yusuke Endo (Japan / GOKITA GYM) Featherweight Bout 5 min / 3R KODO (Japan / Shooting Gym Kobe) vs. Takahiro Hosoi (Japan / Paraestra Matsudo) Lightweight Bout 5 min / 3R Hiroshi "Iron" Nakamura (Japan / Tokyo Yellowmans) vs. Hayate Usui (Japan / Wajiutsu Keishu-kai) Bantamweight Bout 5 min / 3R Shinichi "BJ" Kojima (Japan / Reversal Gym Yokohama GRUND SLAM) vs. Jesse Taitano (USA / Ground-Fu, Spike 22) Bantamweight Bout 5 min / 3R Jin Akimoto (Japan / Akimoto Dojo JUNGLE JUNCTION) vs. Ayumu "GOZO" Shioda (Japan / Paraestra Hachiouji) Featherweight Bout 5 min / 3R So Tazawa (Japan / GUTSMAN Shooto Dojo) vs. Katsuya Toida (Japan / Wajiutsu Keishukai Toikatsu Dojo) Lightweight Bout 5 min / 3R Shintaro Ishiwatari (Japan / GUTSMAN Shooto Dojo) vs. Michihiro Omigawa (Japan / Yoshida Dojo) Middleweight Bout 5 min / 2R Akihiro Yamazaki (Japan / SUBMIT Shizuoka) vs. Song Young-Se (Korea / Paraestra Cheongju) Lightweight Bout 5 min / 2R Sakae Kasuya (Japan / SHOOTO GYM K'z FACTORY) vs. Tomonori Taniguchi (Japan / Mach Dojo)
Good luck to him, but damn talk about being thrown into the deep-end. Going up against the top ranked fighter in your first pro fight is a lot to ask.
Against the #1 Bantam in the world? HELL YEAH!!! Nice JOB JESS!!! Fight was mainly kept standing in Round 1, BJ had 1 takedown but was unable to capitilize. The ref stood it up and Jess was contronlling on the feet. The 2nd round was close, I would give it to Jess, BJ got a takedown at the end. I would give it to Jess, still I have a feeling it will be a draw... The judges scored the fight 1 for Jess Taitano, 2 draws. This was close and I think Jess will be back in Japan.
Didn't realize he was the SHOOTO champ!!! Damn!!! Jess has went to a draw now with the #1 and #2 ranked Shooto Bantam weights in the world. As a newcomer to Japans MMA circuit, thats an accomplishment! WOW!
Hopefully I can get a hold of the fight online. Jess is really unbelievable. Im 195ibs and he used to throw me around like a rag doll back when I worked with him at Gameworks.
Kojima didn't want any of Jess's standup!!! WOW!!!! I thought Jess could have won this match. ROUND 1 <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/pIBxxjfOgYs&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/pIBxxjfOgYs&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> ROUND 2 <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/9V_Jo7rVdds&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9V_Jo7rVdds&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
