Takada's Mma Bouts

[FrenchConnect]

Can anyone tell me how many of Takada's matches were works? I always had a suspicion about his Coleman win, but I hear it wasn't a one-off. I really enjoyed all Takada's matches, beside Vs Royce Gracie, and this sorta puts a damper on things.

[Dr Feelgood]

I don't exactly go out of my way to watch his matches, but IMO...
The Coleman match was DEFINITELY a work
The Rickson matches and the Cro cop one weren't though

[Mars Hottentot]

From what I've *heard*, the majority of Takada's PRIDE wins have been works. I think it's safe to say that the Coleman match is a work, I mean, look at that heel hook, it's barely there. Then there's his match against Alexander Otsuka which was DEFINITLY 100% work (although highly entertaining). Have you ever seen either of those guys look that good against anyone else? From what my teachers over at puroresupower say, these were done mostly because Takada, as a celebrity worked-shoot wrestler, was their main draw early on. To make him look bad before the concept of MMA caught on would be like shooting themselves in the foot. It's weird, here's a guy who was a very talented shoot-style wrestler, a terrible MMA fighter, and he chooses to publish a book (reportedly) slamming the wrestling biz. That makes *0* sense to me.

But, of course, I'd still love to read it. I wonder if it's in Katakana? (a joke, there)