Can someone elaborate on UFC Japan, 97?

[OrigFan255]

I was just watching the UFC countdown and they came upon Sakuraba....They went on to explain his fight with Silveira.
I have NEVER witness a ref's decision being overturned on fight night. Who made the call to have them continue fighting that same day? That sh*t would never happen today. The ref's decision is the final word, right or wrong.
It also looked like Big John was the ref AND, Saku kneed Big John in the head at the end.

Can someone explain all they know about this rare situation?

I DO NOT remember this fight. Had to be during the dark era, VHS only?...How many events were VHS only?

 

[glennrod]

I was just watching the UFC countdown and they came upon Sakuraba....They went on to explain his fight with Silveira.
I have NEVER witness a ref's decision being overturned on fight night. Who made the call to have them continue fighting that same day? That sh*t would never happen today. The ref's decision is the final word, right or wrong.
It also looked like Big John was the ref AND, Saku kneed Big John in the head at the end.

Can someone explain all they know about this rare situation?

I DO NOT remember this fight. Had to be during the dark era, VHS only?...How many events were VHS only?

I used to collect the VHS tapes before they came out on DVD, at a guess i would say that the first 25 events were VHS only....that also includes UU 95, UU96, Ultimate Brazil and Ultimate Japan. The decision was overturned to please the Japanese audience, basically

 

[Don Hagliatelli]

Tank Abbot won the other semifinal but withdrew injured. They replaced him with Sak and called the first fight a No Contest.

If Tank hadn't pulled out, I don't know if they'd have overturned the decision.

 

[MeGaMaNx18]

It's because bjm stopped the fight too soon when sak was going for a single leg and bjm thought he was actually rocked..bjm even admitted he made a mistake..iirc they had them fight again later on that card?

 

[MeGaMaNx18]

I also think sak refused to leave the octagon for like 30 mins? Lol

 

[Reach4theSky]

Big John basically fked up. But your right that would never happen today..

 

[Big Tuppy Hole]

Saku and his team refused to leave the cage, the pretty much held the event hostage untill it was turned over

 

[legatoblues]

The Sakuraba fight was part of a 4-man tournament. Saku was pinned up against the cage and when he dropped down low to shoot for a takedown, John McCarthy thought he had been knocked out and waved off the fight. This was right around the time that the UFC was under intense pressure and this card and at least one other featured the fights being stopped at even the slightest hint of a fighter being in danger, presumably to repel the percieved "bloodsport" nature of the events.

On review, it was obvious that Sakuraba was not knocked out, hurt or even in any real danger. During the broadcast, it is mentioned that Big John viewed the footage himself, saw that his call was indeed incorrect and then overturned his original decision.

The other fight in the tournament saw Tank Abbott come away with the win, but injured himself in the process and withdrew from the final, which then saw Sakuraba re-instated.

I think it was a great move, especially from Big John, as it was a terrible stoppage and wouldn't have been a good look to let it stand, especially given the state of the UFC at the time. However, I do think there could have been potential shenanigans behind the decision, perhaps in the motivation and potentially in Abbotts withdrawal.

 

[flyingscissorsheelhook]

Wasn't regulated in '97. They could make up whatever rules they wanted.

Tank was hurt so they needed someone on the spot and gave Saku a do-over because Big John botched the stoppage in the original fight.

 

[JP557CU]

I remember going to Blockbuster to pick up the VHS tapes, those were the days. I'm surprised no one even mentions who sakuraba was fighting.... It was Conan Silveira, the head trainer at ATT.

 

[OrigFan255]

Thanks all... So Tank being hurt is what allowed for a redo. Got it!

 

[donfryeismyhero]

Frank shamrocks debut was at that event iirc

 

[flyingscissorsheelhook]

I remember going to Blockbuster to pick up the VHS tapes, those were the days. I'm surprised no one even mentions who sakuraba was fighting.... It was Conan Silveira, the head trainer at ATT.

I remember those days well. Being at the mercy of the video stores. You got to see whatever they felt like bringing in. There was a bunch of the early UFC's I never got to see until the early/mid 2000's.

 

[legatoblues]

It was actually a pretty good card overall.

As was said, it had Frank Shamrock win the middleweight title, Vitor Belfort go pure BJJ and fight with no (or very few) strikes, Randy Couture won his first title and the second Saku v Silveira fight was a pretty exciting contest.