Sherdog.com Preview: SHOOTO “Victory of the truth”

Mizuto Hirota (Pictures)
Submission wrestling/kickboxing
Team: Gutsman SHOOTO Dojo
Height: 5' 7” (170 cm)
Weight: 154lbs (70 kg)
Record: 4-0-0
SHOOTO record: 4-0-0

Danilo Cherman
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Team: Nova Uniao
Weight 154lbs (70kg)
Record: 4-1-0
SHOOTO record: 2-0-0

Hirota is the 2005 SHOOTO welterweight rookie of the year. He started his career in the same tournament with three straight wins to face Kabuto Kokage (Pictures) in the December final when he won the tournament by decision.

Hirota displayed a good “sprawl and brawl” game in the tournament, avoiding takedowns while showing preference to keep the fight standing or pound from the top.

Danilo Cherman is a Nova Uniao black belt who trains with the likes of Vitor Ribeiro (Pictures), Joao Roque (Pictures), Leo Santos and Robson Moura (Pictures) under the tutelage of Andre Pederneiras out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Cherman is making his second fight in Japan, the first being a close decision against Takeshi Yamazaki (Pictures) back in 2004. Since then the Nova Uniao black belt has focused on submission tournaments and local events like Storm Samurai in Brazil.

Prediction:

Hirota by decision. Nova Uniao fighters had very good record inside SHOOTO Japan but this is probably something to do with their exceptional ground control rather than anything else. The key here for Hirota is to avoid the takedown at all cost and work over Cherman standing. Also another important aspect to consider is Cherman’s lack of international exposure next to Hirota’s 4-0 record in 2005 fighting at home.