UFC 23
Encyclopedia
UFC 23: Ultimate Japan 2 was a mixed martial arts
event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship
on November 19, 1999 at Tokyo Bay NK Hall
in Tokyo
, Japan
.
and Pete Williams, held to determine the champion after Bas Rutten
's retirement.
The event also featured a four man "Japanese" tournament, held to crown the first ever UFC Japan Champion. The tournament was the first in the UFC since UFC 17
, and the last ever tournament held by the UFC. SEG originally intended UFC Japan to be a separate company, run by local promoters, but due to mounting financial problems, a lack of cooperation from Japanese promoters, and the rise of the popular PRIDE and K-1
organizations, the idea was scrapped following UFC 25: Ultimate Japan 3
.
UFC 23 was the first UFC event to not see a home video release, as SEG was nearing bankruptcy and struggling to keep the UFC alive through extremely limited pay per view in the US, as well as minor coverage in Brazil and Japan. UFC 23 has now been released as part of a DVD collection (UFC 21–30). It was also the first to feature James Werme who handled backstage interviews.
Bas Rutten announced on UFC 23 that he dropped his heavyweight championship title so he could drop down to middleweight to bring Frank Shamrock out of retirement to fight for the middleweight championship.
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship
Ultimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world that hosts most of the top-ranked fighters in the sport...
on November 19, 1999 at Tokyo Bay NK Hall
Tokyo Bay NK Hall
Tokyo Bay NK Hall was an indoor sporting arena located at the Tokyo Disney Resort in Urayasu, Chiba, in Japan. The capacity of the arena is 7,000 people. It hosts local sporting events and concerts that require a smaller facility than Ariake Coliseum....
in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
History
UFC 23 was the second UFC event to take place in Tokyo, Japan, where the newly formed PRIDE Fighting Championships were enjoying massive success. UFC 23 was headlined by a Heavyweight Championship Title bout between Kevin RandlemanKevin Randleman
Kevin Christopher Randleman is a retired American mixed martial arts fighter and a former UFC heavyweight champion. Randleman's background is in Collegiate wrestling. Wrestling at 177 pounds, Randleman was a two time Division I NCAA Champion for The Ohio State University...
and Pete Williams, held to determine the champion after Bas Rutten
Bas Rutten
Sebastiaan "Bas" Rutten is a retired Dutch mixed martial artist, Karate and Taekwondo blackbelt, and kickboxer. He was a UFC Heavyweight Champion, a three time King of Pancrase world champion, and finished his career on a 22 fight unbeaten streak...
's retirement.
The event also featured a four man "Japanese" tournament, held to crown the first ever UFC Japan Champion. The tournament was the first in the UFC since UFC 17
UFC 17
-External links:**...
, and the last ever tournament held by the UFC. SEG originally intended UFC Japan to be a separate company, run by local promoters, but due to mounting financial problems, a lack of cooperation from Japanese promoters, and the rise of the popular PRIDE and K-1
K-1
K-1 is a defunct world-wide kickboxing promotion based in Tokyo, Japan founded by Kazuyoshi Ishii, a formerKyokushin karate practitioner. K-1 combines stand up techniques from Muay Thai, Karate, Taekwondo, Savate, San Shou, kickboxing, western-style boxing, and other martial arts...
organizations, the idea was scrapped following UFC 25: Ultimate Japan 3
UFC 25
UFC 25: Ultimate Japan 3 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on April 14, 2000 at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan.-History:The event was the third UFC event to be held in Japan...
.
UFC 23 was the first UFC event to not see a home video release, as SEG was nearing bankruptcy and struggling to keep the UFC alive through extremely limited pay per view in the US, as well as minor coverage in Brazil and Japan. UFC 23 has now been released as part of a DVD collection (UFC 21–30). It was also the first to feature James Werme who handled backstage interviews.
Bas Rutten announced on UFC 23 that he dropped his heavyweight championship title so he could drop down to middleweight to bring Frank Shamrock out of retirement to fight for the middleweight championship.
Results
- UFC Japan Middleweight Tournament Semifinals:
Katsuhisa FujiiKatsuhisa Fujii, is a Japanese mixed martial artist who competes in the heavyweight division.-Championships and Accomplishments:*Pancrase Hybrid Wrestling**2000 Pancrase Heavyweight Championship Tournament Runner-up*Ultimate Fighting Championship...
vs. Masutatsu Yano
- Fuji wins by TKO (referee stoppage due to strikes) at 3:14 of the second round.
- UFC Japan Middleweight Tournament Semifinals: Kenichi Yamamoto vs. Daiju TakaseDaiju TakaseDaiju Takase is a Japanese mixed martial artist. He has fought as a middleweight and welterweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship and PRIDE Fighting Championship...
- Yamamoto wins by unanimous decision at 15:00.
- Middleweight bout:
Eugene JacksonEugene Jackson (fighter)Eugene "The Wolf" Jackson is a retired American mixed martial artist. He fought at Middleweight, and is a former Strikeforce U.S. middleweight champion...
vs. Keiichiro YamamiyaKeiichiro YamamiyaKeiichiro Yamamiya is a Japanese mixed martial artists. After regularly competing in the light heavyweight and middleweight divisions, Yamamiya now competes in the welterweight division...
- Jackson wins by KO at 3:12 of the third round.
- Middleweight bout: Joe SlickJoe SlickJoe Slick is a retired American mixed martial arts fighter. He competed in the Light Heavyweight division. He lost his last fight at Rings Australia - Free Fight Battle against Chris Haseman on November 12, 2000....
vs. Jason DeluciaJason DeLuciaJason DeLucia is a retired American mixed martial artist. . He holds victories over Masakatsu Funaki, Matt Hume, Minoru Suzuki, Yuki Kondo, Ikuhisa Minowa, Kiuma Kunioku, Chris Lytle, and Manabu Yamada...
- Slick wins by TKO (verbal submission due to knee injury) at 1:28 of the first round.
- UFC Japan Middleweight Tournament Finals: Kenichi Yamamoto vs. Katsuhisa FujiiKatsuhisa Fujii, is a Japanese mixed martial artist who competes in the heavyweight division.-Championships and Accomplishments:*Pancrase Hybrid Wrestling**2000 Pancrase Heavyweight Championship Tournament Runner-up*Ultimate Fighting Championship...
- Yamamoto wins the UFC Japan Middleweight Tournament by submission (kneebar) at 4:15 of the second round.
- Heavyweight bout:
Pedro RizzoPedro RizzoPedro Augusto Rizzo is an Brazilian mixed martial artist and Muay Thai fighter. He has a professional MMA record of 19–9–0 as of July 17, 2010. He holds notable victories over former UFC Champions Mark Coleman, Dan Severn, Josh Barnett, Andrei Arlovski, Ricco Rodriguez and Ken Shamrock.-Mixed...
vs. Tsuyoshi KosakaTsuyoshi Kosakais a Japanese retired mixed martial artist. He has competed in notable mixed martial arts promotions like the Ultimate Fighting Championship, RINGS, and Pancrase. He holds notable wins over Kimo Leopoldo, Mario Sperry, Volk Han, Gilbert Yvel and Egan Inoue. He is one of only four fighters to defeat...
- Rizzo wins by TKO (referee stoppage due to strikes) at 1:17 of the third round.
- Heavyweight Championship bout: Kevin RandlemanKevin RandlemanKevin Christopher Randleman is a retired American mixed martial arts fighter and a former UFC heavyweight champion. Randleman's background is in Collegiate wrestling. Wrestling at 177 pounds, Randleman was a two time Division I NCAA Champion for The Ohio State University...
vs. Pete Williams
- Randleman wins by unanimous decision at 5:00 of the fifth round to claim the vacant UFC Heavyweight title.