[2001-10-14-BattlARTS-BattlARTS vs The World] Bas Rutten vs Carl Malenko

[superkix]

Decent match. The matwork felt restrained and there were some awkward hesitations most likely due to Rutten adjusting to the worked "shoot-style" environment. Rutten keeps staggering Malenko with high kicks but can't really cinch anything in on the ground except for a kimura, whereas Malenko keeps sending Rutten to the ropes by focusing on the arm but obviously can't outstrike Rutten. In the end, Rutten's kicks win out, when he connects with a shot to Malenko's ribs, downing him for the TKO victory.

[ohtani's jacket]

Man, I love Bas Rutten and I love Carl Malenko. What's not to love about this? This was as close to the old Pancrase/RINGS style that we've seen all year. PRIDE made that style of wrestling obsolete, but we could have done with a healthy dose of it as an alternative to the men's promotions. I kinda wish Rutten had done more works. Imagine Rutten vs. Ikeda, or Ishikawa, or Tamura, or Sakuraba.

[GSR]

Rutten is mixing up all sorts of kicks and after a high left kick to the head, Malenko just about manages to stay on his feet.  Not wanting to be caught again, he immediately looks for a takedown but Bas ends up on top, firing off some liver punches.  Malenko escapes the heel hook and then both battle over a foot lock before returning to their feet.  More kicks from ‘El Guapo’ and Malenko has got game I’ll give him that.  He initiates another takedown, however like last time Rutten ends up on top inside his guard.  It looks like he may have been warned over some headbutts to the chest so throws some elbows instead.  Malenko tries a submission which I don’t recognise, although it’s enough to force Rutten to go to the ropes for the break and the stand up.  A great belly to belly by Malenko who does finally end up on top and in the mount.  Cross armbar and an ‘El Guapo’ at full stretch just about reaches the ropes, it’s literally the tips of his toes touching them.  A head kick drops Malenko, who wants to fight on but is getting a mandatory count.  Bas with a double leg and he locks in a triangle, Malenko standing on his face to get him to release the hold.  Malenko gets dropped a second time.  Kimura submission attempt, Malenko rolling through in order to get to the ropes.  Rutten tees off standing, really opening up on his opponent.  Knees to the mid-section have Malenko rocked, he walks into a kick to the bread basked which takes his breath away and the ref steps in to call a halt to things.

A good, convincing, shoot style fight.  Bas is great, highly believable, with a quality array of strikes, both kicks and punches, while Malenko showed game throughout.  He almost pulled the upset after that gorgeous belly to belly but in the end didn’t have enough for the former UFC Heavyweight champion.