M-1 Japan Selection took place April 16, 2010 at Shijuku Face Arena in Tokyo, Japan.  The event featured some of Japan’s most promising up and coming fighters.

Jun ‘i am legend’ Nakamura vs Syogo Ohashi -70

They start standing up, looks like a kickboxing match until Ohashi gets the take down. Ohashi is in a tight guard but is able to get side mount. Ohashi knees to the body and lock one arm of Nakamura. Ohashi is in full control and starts a GNP offensive and the referee comes between. Winner by TKO in the first round Ohashi.

Kataru Shinzitsu vs Masaki Hiramaru -70

Hiramuru immediately takes the initiative with big punches but Shinzitsu defensive skills are good. Shinzitsu get the take down but Hiramuru clinches back up. Nice kick to the head by Hiramuru. Now Hiramaru starts a furious offensive and the ref comes between. Winner by TKO in the first round Hiramura.

Toshikatsu ‘Toshi’ Harada vs Nobuo Kosaka -76

Round 1.

Harada goes for the takedown but Kosaka ends on top. Harada ends up in Kosaka’s guard. He can’t get passed it.They are stood up again. Nice uppercut by Toshikatsu followed by a brawl on the floor. Harada gets mount but they clinched back up. Another takedown by Harada, again he ends up in Kosaka’s guard. Good defensive skills from Kosaka, not much action from Harada.

Round 2.

Round 2 starts with a takedown by Kosaka but Harada gets sidemount, goes to mount. Kosaka gives up his back and Harada attemps a rear naked choke. But doesn’t get it. They reverse and now Kosaka attemps a guillotine choke but Harada escapes. A very busy groundfight, and Harada goes for a rear naked choke again and he gets it! Winner by Rear naked choke in the second round Harada.

Yusuke Kasuya vs Kenjito Takahashi -76

Round 1

Kasuya goes a great kick to the body but Takahashi takes him down. Takahashi ends up in Kasuya’s guard and starts pounding. Takahashi stands up and dives right back in while making a punch which connects. Kasua clinches out and they stand up again. Now they both are punching, it’s turning out in a great brawl. Takahashi decides he had enough and goes for the take down, but the referee stands them back up again. A clinch follows and the bell rings for the first round.

Round 2

The second round starts and Kasuya comes out with a big overhand right which hits Takahashi right on the eye. The ref comes in to have the doctor check the eye of Takahashi and he stops the fight. Winner by Doctors stoppage in the second round Kasuya.

Blue Kazuki Nakataka vs Yoshimu Nagada -84

Nakataka attemps a takedown but Nagada sprawls and almost got the guillotine choke in. A long clinchs follows and Nakataka gets sidemount. He attemps a reversed triangle and he gets it! Great move by Nagada. Winner by reversed triangle in the first round Nagada.

Kazuki Nakajima vs Fernando Walleiwen -84

Round1

Walleiwen comes up in a gi and rolls into the ring, this promises a lot! Wallewein comes out with a flying knee but misses. Walliwen now attemps a takedown and they end up in a clinch, both throwing some good knees to the body. Now Wallewein jumps guard, not much action so the referee breaks them up again. Again a takedown attempt from Wallewein but Nakajima ends up top. Wallewein attempsd a leglock from the bottom but Nakajima escapes. Both men are catching their breath and Walleiwen comes out with a big right followed by a takedown They nearly fly out of the ring and then the bell for the first round sounds.

Round 2.

Again Wallewein attemps a takedown but Nakajima escapes, they are stood up again. Both fighters look a bit gassed, the hands are dropping and they both get a yellow card for lack of action. Wallewein takes Nakajima down but while he does that he kicks Nakajima while he’s on the ground which is an illegal move in the M-1 selection so Wallewein gets a yellow card again. This results in Nakajima having a big cut just under his right eye but he can continue. The action starts again and Nakajima comes out with a punch, it looks like he pokes Wallewein in the eye and he gets a yellow card for it. Now both fighters have two yellow cards. Finally they start again, both are still eager to win. They end up in a clinch again and again Wallewein jumps guard. Nice jab by Nakajima, Wallewein returns with a overhead right but misses. The bell rings for the second round

Round 3

We come right back where we left, Nakajima throwing nice jabs and Wallewein attempting the takedown. A lot of clinching again and the ref breaks them up. Now Wallewein comes out punching but Nakajima defends well, again a lot of clinching. Now Wallewein throws a big knee which ends up in Nakajima’s family jewels. After a short break they are able to continue and Nakajima takes Wallewein down with a great hipthrow. Nakajima takes sidemount but Wallewein escapes and they are back on their feet again. The bell for the end of the final round sounds so for the first time tonight the judges will declare the winner. Winner by unanimous decision Wallewein.

Edison dos Santos vs Nobuo Odakura -93

Odakura is clearly a crowd favourite but it’s dos Santos is the one coming out swinging lefts and rights. Both man are now throwing punches but Odakura gets the take down and chokes dos Santos within 2 minutes, and the Shinjuku Face arena goed crazy. Winner by sidechoke in the first round Odakura.

Motohiro Tachihara vs Yoshiyuki Nagase +93

The fight starts with a takedown by Tachihara, after a short wrestling session he attemps an armbar but Nagase escapes. Now Nagase attemps a anckle lock. They are both trying heelhooks and Tachihara gets it! Winner by heelhook in the first round Tachihara.