Katsunori Kikuno Preparing for UFC 173 (Sexyama Cameo)

[Big Al's Texas BBQ]

Talks about his fight against Tony Ferguson and also how karate can be applied to MMA. Also does some katas. Akiyama shows up in the 3rd video. Turn on the cc if you want English subtitles:

 

[surgeyou1]

Not digging Sexy's new hairstyle

 

[stav]

nvm its diffrent

 

[DLX]

Tony Fergusons a stud. not sure he gets pass him.

 

[Richard Fannin]

Sweet, I'm a big fan of his.
He will sadly most likely never be the champion (like Kid, Gomi and Kawaijiri, he got into the UFC way too late), but I do believe that his unorthodox karate style could give a lot of problems to several guys in the top 10.

He just needs some favorable match-ups to show his stand-up game and become popular, and the UFC needs popular+exciting Japanese guys...

 

[MachidaNo1Fan]

This guys goofy chin up style is gonna get him brutally KO'd

 

[GSP_37]

Sexyama's sexy bangs are not conducive to being able to see while MMA fighting.

 

[Redhawks100]

Sweet, I'm a big fan of his.
He will sadly most likely never be the champion (like Kid, Gomi and Kawaijiri, he got into the UFC way too late), but I do believe that his unorthodox karate style could give a lot of problems to several guys in the top 10.

He just needs some favorable match-ups to show his stand-up game and become popular, and the UFC needs popular+exciting Japanese guys...

Why? What would that do for the UFC?

 

[Shoot Boxe Hero]

Was actually looking at Kikuno's record today and saw he had a KO via palm strike.



Very disappointed that is seems to be a fake/fixed fight. Anyone know any info about this? Why is it on his official record?

 

[Jocke]

This guys goofy chin up style is gonna get him brutally KO'd

Not really, he's never even been KO'd and he's done this (stance) his whole career. You'd figure a guy with that username would be interested in a guy who is primarily a Karate guy.

Anyway, Kikuno is a beast from the east, but he'll have a tough time making it in the states I think. His wrasslin isnt really up to par. I'll watch regardless.

Was actually looking at Kikuno's record today and saw he had a KO via palm strike.



Very disappointed that is seems to be a fake/fixed fight. Anyone know any info about this? Why is it on his official record?

Looks like some kind of Pancrase offshoot. I wouldn't be suprised if it was fake.

 

[Steve08]

This guys goofy chin up style is gonna get him brutally KO'd

Chin up, hands out works pretty well for another karateka you may have heard of.

 

[Richard Fannin]

Why? What would that do for the UFC?

If the UFC wants to be more appealing to Japanese fans and make more events there, they could use some local superstars.
And since there are no new Japanese prospects anymore, and Aoki won't fight for the UFC, they should build old-school-but-not-washed-up guys like Kikuno cautiously.

A striker with an unique style, solid ground game (he has only been submitted by Eddie Alvarez) and an iron chin, he could even be very popular among casual American fans.

 

[Jukai]

Chin up, hands out works pretty well for another karateka you may have heard of.

Not to be "that guy" but Machida's Shotokan Karate and Kikuno's Kyokushin Karate are about as different as Machida's Shotokan Karate and Dos Santos' boxing

 

[Heikki Mustola]

Hopefully he wins, he has interesting style for sure

Not digging Sexy's new hairstyle

 

[Richard Fannin]

This guys goofy chin up style is gonna get him brutally KO'd

:icon_neut

By the way, Kikuno is like a more exciting version of Machida. You should watch some fights of his (yeah yeah I know you've been a fan since UFC1, but still), you will be entertained.

 

[Kalmah]

Yeah that stance is going to be his downfall. You could see it in the Quinn Mulhern fight, and he ain't no striker.

 

[Vagitarian]

Not digging Sexy's new hairstyle

Its not a new hairstyle, he just doesn't have any gel on since he's sparring.

 

[Steve08]

Not to be "that guy" but Machida's Shotokan Karate and Kikuno's Kyokushin Karate are about as different as Machida's Shotokan Karate and Dos Santos' boxing

You're right, but I said that more to address the implication all fighters with poor boxing form are gonna get knocked out, which isn't true.

The fact that one can justifiably call themselves a karateka while exhibiting a totally different style from another karateka bears interesting discussion, but that's a whole other can of worms.

Regardless, even the lone KO loss on Machida's record stems not from poor head movement or his decidedly upright posture, but rather, a strategic mistake in lurking inside Shogun's punching range after nailing him with his infamous left knee strike, as opposed to angling out to re-establish range as he does after attacking about 90% of the time.

I feel as though, when it comes to hand position and knockouts, almost everyone doesn't see the forest for the trees. Like, Joe Rogan acting as if Silva got KO'd for low hands, when in reality he got KO'd for being drawn out and countered by Weidman (even if Anderson would most likely never underestimate Weidman that badly again, but still).

 

[Jukai]

You're right, but I said that more to address the implication all fighters with poor boxing form are gonna get knocked out, which isn't true.

The fact that one can justifiably call themselves a karateka while exhibiting a totally different style from another karateka bears interesting discussion, but that's a whole other can of worms.

Regardless, even the lone KO loss on Machida's record stems not from poor head movement or his decidedly upright posture, but rather, a strategic mistake in lurking inside Shogun's punching range after nailing him with his infamous left knee strike, as opposed to angling out to re-establish range as he does after attacking about 90% of the time.

I feel as though, when it comes to hand position and knockouts, almost everyone doesn't see the forest for the trees. Like, Joe Rogan acting as if Silva got KO'd for low hands, when in reality he got KO'd for being drawn out and countered by Weidman.

Well, the reason I mentioned that is because Shotokan is very predicated on bouncing footwork and lots of movement and feints, with your posture straight up so your head is farther away from your opponent. It helps make up for the whole 'hands low, chin in the air' thing.
Kyokushin is much different, their stance is squared like a Thai fighter and they get in close and beat people up. So 'hands low, chin up' is worse if you're a Kyokushinka because the range is so different.

 

[Big Al's Texas BBQ]

You're right, but I said that more to address the implication all fighters with poor boxing form are gonna get knocked out, which isn't true.

The fact that one can justifiably call themselves a karateka while exhibiting a totally different style from another karateka bears interesting discussion, but that's a whole other can of worms.

Regardless, even the lone KO loss on Machida's record stems not from poor head movement or his decidedly upright posture, but rather, a strategic mistake in lurking inside Shogun's punching range after nailing him with his infamous left knee strike, as opposed to angling out to re-establish range as he does after attacking about 90% of the time.

I feel as though, when it comes to hand position and knockouts, almost everyone doesn't see the forest for the trees. Like, Joe Rogan acting as if Silva got KO'd for low hands, when in reality he got KO'd for being drawn out and countered by Weidman (even if Anderson would most likely never underestimate Weidman that badly again, but still).

On this site, striking defense = hands up. And effective striking styles outside of boxing/kickboxing don't exist.