Two of the middleweights best went toe-to-toe as Alan Belcher took on Yushin Okami.
In an interview just days before the fight Belcher said he wasn’t expecting a spectacular finish in the fight and nor was any of the general public either. The first round was a grinding back and forth battle. Okami ended up in top position for the final two minutes of the first round.
Early in the second Okami attempted a takedown and eventually ended up on top. He grinded out two minutes in the top position until Belcher returned to his feet. With a minute and a half left, Okami once again took the fight to the ground. Belcher looked significantly frustrated as the second round concluded.
Belcher landed some great shots early in the third and when Okami attempted a takedown, he ended up in the top position. The very strong Okami ended up back on his feet and eventually took Belcher back to the ground to grind out the rest of the round.
A grinding battle ends after three round with Okami picking up the unanimous decision victory.
Following the fight Okami spoke about his victory.
“My game plan was to use all the tools that Team Quest taught me. The wrestling, striking and the clinch game were all successfully implemented in this fight to defeat Belcher. Belcher is a very tough opponent and I feel that a win over Belcher should allow me to keep challenging more of the top guys in the middleweight division.”
