They Praying For Jail but Togo Mastered the Pen

Dick Togo/Takuya Wada vs. Koji Iwamoto/Nobuhiro Tsurumaki Hard Hit 9/24/17 - GREAT

PAS: This was on an all grappling Hard Hit show, and was worked with no strikes as a jujitsu exhibition. I enjoy watching great mat work, and was really impressed how credible Togo looked against a Shooto guy like Tsurumaki. The Iwamoto v. Wada sections were really great too, I loved the great Iwamoto judo throw, which Wada was able to turn into a shoot powerbomb. Finish was what really took this over the top and made it a nomination. Tsurumaki has a tight standing guillotine choke which Togo is able to escape and turn into a crossface for the tap. Looked totally legit and showed great skill. Fun diversion.

ER: I've never been too acquainted with "mat Togo" so this was a real treat. It would have been very easy for this to look like an exhibition and I don't think it ever did. We get a lot of really cool competitive grappling, some nice rolling legbars, cool work around headlocks, all the stuff you would want. Again, super impressed with Togo here as it's always awesome to see someone absolutely go on the mat who you usually love for completely different reasons. I really liked when Tsurumaki was weighing him down with a chest press working for a limb, and Togo kept bucking him and bouncing hips until he wriggled free. I also liked some of the playfulness, like Togo spinning free and standing during an exchange with Iwamoto, but Iwamoto grapevining his leg and almost tripping him to the mat while he stood. We build to a big ending with Wada hitting the lone highspot of the match, rolling through and hitting a shootstyle doctor bomb on Iwamoto that was as awesome as it was unexpected. The Togo gets in and maneuvers swiftly into a snug crossface for the quick tap. A nice treat.

COMPLETE AND ACCURATE DICK TOGO