Chinese MMA fighter Xu Xiaodong knocks out Japanese cosplayer; wants ‘fake Shaolin monk’ Yi Long
Xu gets second-round TKO against former kick-boxing champion Yuichiro Nagashima in Bangkok
‘Mad Dog’ now hopes to fight Yi Long, whom he accused of rigging fights against Nagashima
Nick Atkin
Published: 12:56pm, 23 Nov, 2019
Xu Xiaodong fighting Yuichiro Nagashima in Bangkok, Thailand. Photos: YouTube/Fight Commentary Breakdowns
Chinese MMA fighter Xu Xiaodong returned to the ring on Friday in Bangkok, Thailand, but this time it wasn’t a kung fu “fraud” he pulverised – it was a famous Japanese cosplayer instead.
Yuichiro Nagashima, a former kick-boxing champion who is also trained in karate, had fought several times against the “fake Shaolin Monk” Yi Long, and “Mad Dog” Xu had claimed the fights were rigged.
Xu wanted to prove he could easily beat Nagashima, so that Yi Long would have no excuses for evading a fight with him.
The first round was contested under kick-boxing rules, the second under MMA rules. Xu won by TKO in the second round, the referee stepping in as he delivered some heavy ground and pound.
It was a different story to Xu’s usual fights – the 41-year-old has made a name for himself by demolishing traditional martial artists in China on what he deems as his mission to expose “kung fu fakery”.
But Nagashima has fighting technique, unlike the hapless wing chun and tai chi practitioners Xu has knocked out in devastating fashion over the past three years. Nagashima was K1Max 70kg champion in 2010, although he has not won a fight since 2014.
Xu looked sharp in the first round, throwing some smart combinations, but Nagashima caught him on the chin with his jab a couple of times early on.
The fight was then briefly stopped after a low blow by Xu.
Xu’s power was clearly superior and his plan was evident as he looked to counter. It worked to perfection, Xu distracting his opponent with a low kick before going high and knocking down Nagashima with a hard right hook.
Xu Xiaodong walks off after the referee steps in.
Nagashima looked weary heading into the second round, and for good reason – he was entering Xu’s territory now.
Within seconds, Xu dropped Nagashima again and quickly proceeded to full mount, raining down blows before the referee stepped in.
Ironically, it is the first time Xu has actually been able to take things to the ground in one of his fights, and he showed off his skills in ruthless fashion.
Xu Xiaodong backstage after his win in Bangkok.
Over to you, Yi Long. The Shaolin Temple has made a statement that Yi is not a trained monk, but he models his appearance on traditional Shaolin monks in his fights, with a shaved head and traditional clothing.
“The fake Shaolin monk is not exactly a pushover. Xu may have a real fight on his hands,” one commenter said on a video of Xu’s fight, which was posted on YouTube channel Fight Commentary Breakdowns.
“Let it be said if Xu fights Yi Long in a kick-boxing match he’s getting knocked out,” another user wrote.
Reply With Quote