Hiroshi Tanahashi and Shinsuke Nakamura are currently hyping there new projects in NJPW and MMA, Nakamura is gearing up for a K-1 rematch and Tanahashi is looking to be the new home grown challenger to Bob Sapp in Osaka… full details below.
Tanahashi is ready to go “Wild Beast” hunting! The U-30 Openweight Champion declared his challenge to Bob Sapp anew at Daily Sports’ offices in Kobe, promising to regain the IWGP Heavyweight Title if his match with Sapp is set. Tanahashi watched Sapp’s first defense against Nakamura, and saw the same weakness that Nakamura did: lack of stamina. Shinsuke wasn’t quite able to exploit that by taking Sapp longer, but Tanahashi believes he can. Although Tanahashi and Nakamura have been kept separate in so many instances (they have virtually never been photographed together, have opposed each other once in last October’s Tokyo Dome main event, and have teamed once in a six man tag), Tanahashi hinted at the great rivalry likely to explode between them, saying if he beats Sapp after Nakamura couldn’t, he’d be happier than ever. With a smile, Tanahashi asked if he could write a column for Daily Sports, because Nakamura is currently doing one. Tanahashi plans to take no time off to train for Sapp, saying he’d work the next tour from start to finish, and told fans, “If you want to cry together with me, come to Osaka!”.
Nakamura’s latest plan to beat Ignashov is by eating fermented soybeans. This comes 28 years after Inoki did similar before his historic Different Style Fight opposite judo king, Willem Ruska, saying he’d beat Ruska because he had been eating cheese before the match. Nakamura thinks they have relaxation qualities, and will help him focus mentally on the fight. He has pretty much “completed” his body and conditioning for the Ignashov fight, but is going to spend the next week before the fight making sure. Fans don’t seem to have much hope of Shinsuke winning though. FEG, a popular Japanese MMA site, cast a vote on the outcome of Nakamura vs. Ignashov. The result, last I checked, was,
1. Ignashov wins by KO – 3,798 votes (74.2%)
2. Nakamura wins by armbarring or other submission – 980 votes (19.1%)
3. A draw – 145 votes (2.8%)
4. Ignashov wins by armbarring or other submission – 114 votes (2.2%)
5. Nakamura wins by KO – 85 votes (1.7%)