By Forrest Lynn

(NOTE: Just to end some widespread confusion, World Victory Road is not the name of this event or any event in the future. WVR is the parent company of Sengoku, much like Zuffa is the parent company of the UFC. Sengoku is the actual title for the events.)

1. Nick Thompson vs. Fabricio Monteiro. Monteiro controlled the positioning throughout the fight, but Thompson was able to inflict much more damage with ground and pound and strikes. Thompson took a unanimous decision.

2. Ryo Kawamura vs. Antonio Braga Neto. Kawamura was thought to be a major prospect at middleweight, but recent losses have shown he is very dependant on his striking and is far from well-developed on the ground. Neto is exactly the opposite, being dependant on his ground game and having nothing in the striking department. When on the ground, Neto basically crushed Kawamura's soul, but Kawamura had an enormous advantage on the feet and inflicted far more damage, taking the decision.

3. Makoto Takimoto vs. Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos. Cyborg is from Chute Boxe, so that means he is a poor man's Wanderlei Silva in ability and in looks. Takimoto is considered THE GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT, but has somewhat turned his career around with decent wins over former highly regarded prospect Zelg Galesic and a split decision win over Murilo Bustamante at Yarennoka. Cyborg comes out relatively controlled for a Chute Boxe guy and lands a couple of very nice leg kicks that Takimoto didn't even attempt to check. They exchange, with Cyborg not landing flush, and he again goes back to leg kicks. Cyborg tries a high kick which leads to Takimoto grabbing a clinch, but Cyborg frees himself. He lands another kick and it's evident that Takimoto is really hurting from them. Another leg kick. This is like Mirko vs. Yoshida. Takimoto better get this to the mat or he won't be able to stand. Cyborg AGAIN with a leg kick, and Takimoto virtually lays down. Cyborg goes into Takimoto's guard, who locks Cyborg's wrists Yoshida style and nothing happens until the ref resets them on the feet. Cyborg goes for another leg kick, and Takimoto checks it. Takimoto tries for a high kick but it's easily blocked, then he grabs a clinch and Cyborg takes him down. Cyborg throws some shots in the guard, but then falls back into a heel hook. It takes him awhile to get it in, but he pulls back on Takimoto's ankle in a gross manner and gets the tap out at 4:51 of the first round. TAKIMOTO, THE GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT.

4. Kazuyuki Fujita vs. Peter Graham. These two dudes were supposed to fight at K-1 Dynamite!! 2007, but Fujita allegedly put the ixnay on that just days before the event which is just so Antonio Inoki of him. Graham called Fujita out, and Fujita being the pro-wrestler that he is, WAS NOT HAVING IT. They got into a shoving match at the press conference, which humorously contained 153 pound Takanori Gomi trying to restrain Fujita. As far as the actual fight, Graham is a pretty nice K-1 fighter, but of course has no training on the ground of any kind. Three guesses as to what Fujita will do. Graham looks to be in shape, at least. Fujita has Kendo Kashin in his corner. WINNER: KAZUYUKI FUJITA. Pretty nice staredown with no glove touching, of course. Graham's trainer tells him Fujita will shoot right away. No shit, Sherlock. Fujita tries his first take down, and Graham sprawls. Another attempt, and Graham sprawls. Fujita tries a third time and gets it, passing to side control in about 3 seconds. Graham is fucked hard. Fujita passes again into the mount and Graham has no idea what is happening. Fujita then transitions to north-south, while holding Graham's neck for the choke. Graham quickly taps out and Kazuyuki Fujita is your winner at 1:23 of the first round and STILL IWGP HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION! Well, not really, but you know what I mean.

5. Kazuo Misaki vs. Siyar Bahadurzada. This one should be interesting. Misaki, as all know, is the PRIDE Welterweight GP winner from '06, and Siyar is a highly regarded prospect out of AFGHANISTAN of all places that is the current Shooto Light Heavyweight (183 lbs.) champion. Siyar has some deadly standup, as he's been training with Golden Glory for several years, but Misaki is far more experienced and well-rounded. Misaki still has his Ric Flair tan from Yarennoka, and has his right ankle taped, so that might be a target for Siyar. Misaki is circling around, but Siyar is staying right in the center of the ring. Siyar lands a BIG overhand right that stuns Misaki, so Misaki immediatley grabs a clinch and takes him down, falling into half guard. Misaki tries to pass, then isolates Siyar's left arm for a kimura. Siyar defends rather well as Misaki tries to straighten the arm out. They're practically falling out of the ring, so Misaki turns him and keeps working on the kimura. Misaki appears to give up on the kimura, but goes right back to it, and then elects to throw elbows to the knees and body. Siyar scrambles, escapes, and winds up in the guard. Siyar looks like he wants to pass but Misaki is a little too experienced on the ground, so he elects to throw some weak ground and pound to the body before exploding upward for some nice Fedor-ish shots to the head that land, but not flush. Round ends. Pretty even, but if I had to give it to anyone, it'd be Siyar since he did the most damage by far. Ref is looking at Misaki's eye from that overhand right he was caught with, and it's swollen pretty bad.

Misaki is cleared by the official to go on, and round 2 starts. Misaki tries a leg leg kick that misses, and they exchange punches that don't connect. More circling and Siyar is throwing that big right again, landing one, then a nice body kick. Another overhand right. Siyar is no joke on the feet. They exchange and Siyar lands AGAIN, and he's really taking it to Misaki...not hurting him but surely scoring. Another body kick by Siyar. Siyar shoots for a takedown, but Misaki counters with a judo throw. Siyar tries to scramble but Misaki sinks in a guillotine that eventually deepens and Siyar taps out at 2:02 of the second round. Nice showing for Siyar even in the loss. Misaki will probably elect to sign with DREAM and compete in their Middleweight Grand Prix, as his contract with Sengoku is for one fight only and most of Japan's talent at 183 lbs. will be in that field. Siyar Bahadurzada is for sure a name to keep an eye on, as he just went toe to toe with a top 10 middleweight. AKIHIRO GONO~! is on commentary in support of his teammate Misaki.

6. Takanori Gomi vs. Duane "Bang" Ludwig. THE RETURN OF GOMI. Gomi is actually a much smaller man than we all thought, as he weighed in for this fight at 153, while Ludwig cut all the way from 184. GENKI SUDO is in the crowd to watch his boy Gomi. Gomi comes out looking to trade, which is a minor surprise. Lots of circling, then both men engage, with Ludwig getting the better of the first exchange. Ludwig tries a high kick which is blocked, and they circle more. Gomi lands a nice right jab. Ludwig lands a very nice right jab and a nice left, then tries another high kick that narrowly misses. Ludwig's nose is cut from the very first punch Gomi landed. Gomi throws a HUGE left counter that puts Ludwig right on his ass, but Ludwig recovers immediatley and they continue to exchange. Ref stops the action to check on Ludwig, who's bleeding badly...and goddamn his nose is BROKEN and the fight is called at 2:28 of the first round. Gomi has splatters of Ludwig's blood all over him and looks a little dissapointed he didn't actually end Ludwig's life and won by cut/injury. There have been rumors that Gomi was going to join the DREAM Lightweight GP in the second round, but with a win this quick and this easy, he might just be available for the first round. His contract, like Misaki's, is not exclusive to Sengoku. FYI, it was announced at the show that Kevin Randleman and Roger Gracie had signed contracts with the promotion.

7. Josh Barnett vs. Hidehiko Yoshida. This figures to be a bit of a mismatch, but since Barnett is such a pro-wrestler I think he'll let this one go awhile just to entertain the people. Like most judokas, Yoshida is a tough bastard, so he could actually make this interesting for a bit. Barnett is cornered by Matt Hume and Stitch Duran, proving that the man is EVERYWHERE all at once. Yoshida is cornered by Kazuhiro Nakamura and what appears to be Hirotaka Yokoi. Some Japanese celebrity is shown in the crowd, and Yoshida is wearing a full gi. Oh look it's Naoya Ogawa (Barnett's next opponent). They touch gloves and circle. Barnett looks to find his punching range with a left jab and Yoshida throws a hilarious leg kick. Yoshida lands a big windmill punch and clinches, looking for a throw, until Barnett lands a fucking TAKESHI MORISHIMA BACKDROP DRIVER on to Yoshida's head. Barnett lands in side control, but eventually winds up in the guard, where Yoshida locks his wrists up. Barnett picks Yoshida up and lightly slams him, enough to break the wrist lock, but is tied up again. Ref stops the action to fix Yoshida's glove and we resume. Barnett gets out and looks to transition into a guillotine, but Yoshida escapes and nearly lands a trip on Barnett. They clinch again and Yoshida nearly rolls into a kimura, which he keeps trying for. Yoshida gets REAL close with it until Barnett decides fuck this shit and escapes, going back into half guard. Ref stops the action again to fix Yoshida's glove. Fight resumes and the round is winding down, and Barnett scrambles to his feet and looks for a quick submission and Yoshida transitions nicely back into the guard, and Barnett falls back for a heel hook and the bell rings. Very close round, but I give it to Barnett for the backdrop and the fact he dished out more damage.

Barnett looks good going into the secound round and Yoshida appears slightly gassed, but nothing Thompson-esque. Barnett opens with a hard leg kick and fights his way out of a Yoshida clinch, lands a leg kick, and then is clinced into the red corner. Barnett switches, but the ref breaks them and we restart. Yoshida throws some more windmill punches and then Barnett lands an inside leg trip and attempts another heel hook. Barnett actually TALKS to his corner in the middle of this fight. He triangles Yoshida's leg and pulls on the ankle, looking for a tap out, but Yoshida escapes and Barnett is standing in the guard. Ref stops the action AGAIN to fix Yoshida's glove. They have to re-tape the glove, which creates quite a lengthy delay, which I'm sure Barnett is THRILLED about. Action starts again and Yoshida immediately rolls to his stomach and Barnett takes his back. Barnett looks for a massive German suplex but Yoshida gets out, and Barnett transitions into the mount. He tries that AWESOME GSP headslam from the mount to break Yoshida's grip, but to no avail. Yoshida's mount defense is oddly good as Barnett tries to lay in some shots. He eventually connects solid with several but is denied what would have been an armbar transition. He gets Yoshida in the four points position and delivers some solid knees to the body and mounts Yoshida again. Barnett is really laying in shots and tries the armbar transition but he's running out of time. Round ends, definitely Barnett's round. Yoshida is VERY tired. Nakamura has to practically drag his old judo ass to the corner.

Round 3 starts and Barnett continues with the low kicks. Yoshida grabs a clinch but is just too tired to do anything with it. Barnett gets a take down and Yoshida gives him his back, then Barnett rolls him over and is immediatley in the mount. Barnett lays in some good shots and Yoshida turns again, again giving up his back. Barnett looks for the German suplex again from the back, but can't get it. Barnett lands a couple of nice knees to the body and Yoshida rolls, but Barnett catches a leg and grapevines it, and it's heel hook time. Barnett looks for something to crank for awhile, then finds a free ankle and almost twists the damn thing off. Yoshida submits and Josh Barnett is your winner at 3:21 of the 3rd round. {plug}