Tape Delay Kickboxing 28: SHOOT BOXING 2023 act. 2 - 2023-04-30
Return to the strange world of Shoot Boxing, where you can do Muay Thai but you can also toss your opponent and choke them. Open-finger glove fights and a title on the line, all to watch for free!
Volume 28
This series shall, where possible, allow you to watch the shows in order as if you were watching live, without spoilers.
Beyond Kickboxing event calendar: https://beyondkick.com/schedule
SHOOT BOXING 2023 act. 2 - 2023-04-30
Korakuen Hall, Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan
In the main event, 138 lb champion Hiroki Kasahara steps up a weight class to take on Rambo in an Open-Finger Glove match. This is a follow-up to Hiroki’s victory over Lamnamoonlek at the prior Shoot Boxing show, also at 143 lb but with regular gloves. Rambo was last seen getting KOed by Tyson Harrison at ONE Friday Fights 11.
Shoot Boxing also features open-finger gloves in a heavyweight co-main fight between #4 Yuki Sakamoto and Yuya.
Strangely, the fight third from the top is a 5-round title match between champion Kyo Kawakami and challenger Kotaro Yamada. Kotaro’s twin brother Koyata won the 121 lb title at the first show of the year, and now Kotaro has a chance to take the title at 127 lbs. Kawakami is on a five fight winning streak over the last two years, including a split decision victory over Kotaro in the Young Caesar Cup in December 2021. Kotaro is also coming off of a loss to RISE’s Keisuke Monguchi at the big Christmas Day show at the end of 2022.
Shoot Boxing
Rules: Fights are 3 or 5 3-minute rounds. Punches, kicks, elbows, and knees are legal. Additionally, fighters are allowed to execute throws, chokes, and joint submissions provided the only part of their body touching the canvas is their feet. This means that fights can end via submission (rarely) and that there is a scoring component for throws (Shoot Point) and near-submissions (Catch Point).
Scoring: Round scores can go from 10-10 even as far as 10-6 in either direction. The score is translated to 10-point-must after scoring with the following events:
1 point: Forward throw with a referee “Shoot” call (Shoot Point)
1 point: Near-submission with a referee “Catch” call (Catch Point)
2 points: Backward throw with a referee “Shoot” call (i.e. a German suplex)
2 points: Knockdown due to a strike
3 points: Forward throw that leads to a knockdown (opponent can’t get up immediately and must take an 8-count)
4 points: Backward throw that leads to a knockdown
1 point: General advantage in the round (i.e. the way you’d score a boxing or kickboxing fight a 10-9, gets superseded by strike knockdown)
Standard point deductions for fouls can be included
After the round they tally up all the points if there are multiple events and convert that to 10-point-must and record it.
Examples:
Fighter A scores a backward throw (2), Fighter B scores a catch (1), round is scored 10-9 for Fighter A
Fighter A gets a knockdown (2) and a forward throw (1), round is scored 10-7 for Fighter A
There are no scoring events and neither fighter has a significant advantage in striking, round is scored 10-10
Fights highlighted in bold were ones that I found particularly entertaining.
Heizo Hasegawa (Debut) vs. Shota Yanagisawa (2M3R 138)
Naoki Kasahara (2-2, 1 KO) vs. Kazuhide Sano (117)
Daiki Kazama (5-2, 2 KO) vs. Reiji Arima (4-3, 0 KO) (154)
Kanta Motoyama (11-4, 1 KO) vs. Heung Tsz Hel, Heyden (139)
(C) Yuki Kasahara (24-3, 10 KO) vs. Pomlop Looksuan (132 Non-Title)
(C) Kyo Kawakami (12-5, 5 KO) vs. Kotaro Yamada (11-3, 3 KO) (5R 127 Title)
Open-Finger Glove Match: #4 Yuki Sakamoto (38-19, 8 KO) vs. Yuya (Heavy)
Open-Finger Glove Match: (C-138) Hiroki Kasahara (30-5, 12 KO) vs. Rambo Mor.Rattanabandit (70-19) (143)