#3 ‘Butterbean’ vs. Genki Sudo
Any discussion about JMMA and bizarre MMA fights is incomplete without the inimitable and irreplaceable, Eric ‘Butterbean’ Esch. Butterbean is best known for being a Super-Heavyweight KO artist and a good test for up-and-comers for many years, in the world of professional boxing.
Genki Sudo, on the other hand, is a legitimate MMA fighter, having fought in notable organisations such as the UFC, Pancrase and K-1. Sudo also dabbled in kickboxing and his fight against Esch is to this date considered one of the freakiest fights in the history of freak-show fights.
New MMA fans please note- You DO NOT want to miss the two fighters’ respective ring entrances for this fight! You’ll love it.
With Butterbean weighing over 425 pounds and Sudo, being a career Lightweight (LW), walking around the LW limit of 155 pounds; the size disparity between the two fighters was downright comical. Now for those of you unfamiliar with Eric Esch, for years, he was considered to be a legitimate pro-boxing gatekeeper and had also won the Super-heavyweight Championship in the lesser-heralded IBA boxing organisation.
Nevertheless, Butterbean and Sudo played to the Japanese crowd, taunting each other and showboating. Sudo relied on his speed and stayed at kicking range, tagging his giant opponent with leg kicks, front leg side- kicks, and at one point a spinning back kick that connected square on Butterbean’s...ahem...’gut’; making his stomach jiggle well over 30 seconds after the kick connected.
After literally running away from several exchanges, Sudo managed to land an ankle-pick takedown on the colossal Esch, landing in top position on the huge American boxer. After attempting a heel hook submission at the end of round 1, round 2 started with Sudo propelling himself off the ropes (no, seriously!) pro-wrestling style; resulting in a clash of their two contrasting bodies.
After an ugly ground scramble, Sudo managed to secure a heel-hook and tap his opponent out.
Butterbean vs. Sudo was an entertaining, funny as well as oddly intriguing matchup not only for JMMA fans but for MMA fans worldwide. That brings us to one of the scariest looking fighters in MMA history...
