Japanese MMA superstar Yoshihiro Akiyama was defeated via triangle choke by Chris Leben at UFC 116, who stepped in with only a few weeks notice for Wanderlei Silva. Akiyama came out strong and caught a kick from Leben to take him to the ground but used his counter punching to stop the early storm. Both fighters went to the ground later in the first round with both fighters attempting arm bars and submissions. Akiyama’s Judo throws gave him the advantage in the first round as he used his superior ground game to take Leben down at will.
Both fighters came out strong in the second with quick combos that landed on the chins of both fighters, but Akiyama again took down Leben with very little resistance. Leben eventually got Akiyama in a front choke but Akiyama quickly pulls out of it. The tanks of both men seemed to be out of gas by the end of the second round as both men tested out each others granite chins with shot after shot to each others heads. Into the third both men seemed exhausted but they both continued to go toe-to-toe. Akiyama caught another kick attempt from Leben and took him to the ground yet again, but Leben came back with a strong arm bar attempt that Akiyama almost submits to.
At this point both men are running on empty as Akiyama mounts Leben with both men firing hammer fist and elbows. They go back and forth non-stop, but Leben catches Akiyama in a triangle forcing Akiyama to tap. It’s a big victory for Chris Leben, he even calls out Wanderlei Silva during his post fight interview with Joe Rogan.
July 3rd, 2010 by Ray
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