Latest news with #Kazama
USA Today
4 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Daniel Cormier isn't opposed to banning slams in MMA after brutal UFC on ESPN 72 knockout
UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier believes slams have too much of a negative impact in MMA. Elijah Smith (9-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) scored a scary slam knockout of Toshiomi Kazama on Saturday's UFC on ESPN 72 prelims at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Kazama (11-4 MMA, 1-3 UFC) was rendered unconscious after Smith drove him through the mat and needed medical attention before taking a while to stand up. In the wake of the violent finish, Cormier explained why he'd be OK with slams being banned. "There are very few rules that you have to follow, right? One is you can't hit him behind the head," Cormier said on "Good Guy/Bad Guy" with Chael Sonnen. "You hit him behind the head, that's the biggest no-no. But if you slam him, what hits first, Chael? The back of the head. So there's a reason we don't get to punch behind the back of the head. So if I'm being honest, like, I don't know that I would be opposed to that being done away with, especially in that fashion. "It was like the Undertaker, Kevin Nash, Big Daddy Cool, Diesel, The Razor's Edge. It was every finishing move you've ever seen (in pro wrestling) all in one. So, while slamming the person right down on their head is legal, I would probably say I would not be too mad if they did away with that. Just the impact on the back of the head is crazy. In most cases, that becomes the story of the night." Thankfully, all of Kazama's CT scans came back negative, and the Japanese fighter posted a positive update on social media the day after the fight.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Elijah Smith once got slam advice from dad, and at UFC on ESPN 72, the time finally came
LAS VEGAS – Elijah Smith met the media Saturday after his knockout win over Toshiomi Kazama at UFC on ESPN 72. Smith (9-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) delivered one of the most devastating knockouts in UFC history on the prelims at the UFC Apex when he slammed Kazama (11-5 MMA, 1-3 UFC) to the canvas in the first round and knocked him out cold. Kazama was out for several minutes and ultimately was transported to a trauma center for evaluation before after the loss. He eventually got the all clear, but now will have to move on with his career knowing that highlight with him on the wrong end will live on in MMA highlight reels probably forever. Smith said he once got advice from his dad in a jiu-jitsu tournament – when he wasn't able to slam his way out of a choke. "My dad always told me, 'If this was a fight, you definitely could have slammed (him) and shook a honey iced tea out of him," Smith said at his post-fight news conference. "This time, I finally had the opportunity to do it. I can't do it against training partners – I love my guys. But when it's somebody random you don't know and everything is on the line – on yeah: You about to get slammed. You about to get slammed on your dome piece." And that's precisely what Smith did to Kazama. Not surprisingly, he took home a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus – and though there are plenty of fights left, it's hard to imagine he won't be at the top of the list when Knockout of the Year honors are doled out. The slam drew instant comparison's to Quinton "Rampage" Jackson's 2004 slam in Pride, and Jackson saw it and gave Smith his flowers. Smith, the son of former UFC fighter Gilbert Smith, was the biggest betting favorite on the card at more than 8-1. Now that he's got such a showcase win on his record with an eternal highlight, Smith said he hopes he can fight somewhere other than the Apex next time. He had his DWCS fight there, and both his UFC wins. He thinks if his slam would've come in an arena, his star would be rising even faster. "I'm trying to get on the T-Mobile (Arena in Las Vegas), (Madison Square Garden), something (bigger)," Smith said. "I'm trying to get out in the fans. If we were in front of 20,000 people, the whole arena would be going crazy (from my knockout), probably still. "Hopefully this will be the one that gets me out of the Apex. If not, I'm all fine – just as long as my pay goes up." Check out Smith's post-fight news conference in the video above.
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC on ESPN 72 video: Every Vegas finish – including the slam to end all slams
The UFC saw four first-round finishes in the span of five fights Saturday, but one of them stood out in a big way. At UFC on ESPN 72 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Elijah Smith was dealing with pesky arm and leg submission attempts from Toshiomi Kazama in the first round of their fight on the prelims. Then he turned the tables – possibly in an all-time way. Historically, when fighters try to slam their way out of chokes or other submission holds, they tend to wind up making their dilemma even more perilous. So Smith (9-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) might have been taking a chance when he elevated Kazama (11-5 MMA, 1-3 UFC) to set up for a slam. But the force of Smith's slam, which included pressure from his hand on Kazama's face on the way down, put the Japanese fighter out cold – and motionless on the canvas for a few minutes. There was genuine concern for the fighter given how his head and neck hit the canvas, and he was transported to a trauma center for evaluation – and an eventual all-clear, fortunately – after the loss. Check out Smith's bonus-winning finish above, plus the other stoppages from UFC on ESPN 72. UFC on ESPN 72 finishes
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC on ESPN 72 video: Elijah Smith shouts out 'Rampage' after insane slam knockout
Elijah Smith gave a shout out to Quinton "Rampage" Jackson just seconds after delivering perhaps the most vicious slam knockout in octagon history at UFC on ESPN 72. Smith (9-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) got the first massive highlight of his young promotional career on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. He picked up Kazama (11-4 MMA, 1-3 UFC) from bottom position and slammed him in an eerily similar way to Jackson's famous finish of Ricardo Arona under the PRIDE FC banner and slammed him to the mat, putting him out cold. The finish came at the 4:10 mark of Round 1, and after a number of scary moments with Kazama down on the ground, he regained consciousness and was taken out of the octagon while Smith was declared the winner. Check out the replay of the finish below (via X): Once the dust settled on the spectacular win, Smith, who is just the second second-generation fighter in company history after his father Gilbert Smith fought for the UFC, said he knew the slam KO was a path to the win. "Unfortunately, I had to slam him on his dome piece," Smith said in his post-fight interview with Daniel Cormier. "I knew I was going to be strong and powerful. I hope that slam gets in that conversation (for a bonus)." Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN 72 results:
