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Welcome to the PWInsiderXtra.com live coverage of the UFC Fight Night 52 Preliminary Card, live from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.
Fight #1 - UFC Featherweight Division Fight
Maximo Blanco (10-6-1-1NC) vs. Daniel Hooker (12-4-0)
Referee: Wolf Menninger
Round One
The round begins with Hooker nailing Blanco with a few knee strikes to the midsection, Blanco looks for a takedown and Hooker cracks him with a few elbow strikes. Blanco starts hitting an incoming Hooker with some striking combinations, Blanco scores a takedown on Hooker and Hooker gets right up to his feet. Hooker then hits Blanco with a few standing elbow strikes, Blanco backs Hooker up after nailing him with a few uppercuts. Blanco catches Hooker with a left hook before scoring another takedown, Hooker eats a few strikes before scrambling to his feet. Blanco looks for another takedown and Hooker cracks him with a knee strike, Blanco continues catching Hooker with punching combinations. Hooker cracks Blanco with a few knee strikes as the round ends.
Round Two
The round begins with Hooker backing up Blanco by landing a few strikes, Blanco rocks Hooker after nailing him with a few hooks. Hooker also hits Blanco with a few standing elbow strikes, Blanco eats a leg kick before hitting Hooker with a right hook and an uppercut. Blanco continuously nails a swinging Hooker with counter rights, Blanco backs up Hooker again after landing some lefts. Hooker continues to come forward on Blanco while throwing striking combinations, the fighters move around the cage while having striking exchanges until the round ends.
Round Three
The round begins with Blanco scoring a takedown on Hooker, Hooker quickly gets back up with Blanco holding onto him. Hooker breaks free before attacking Blanco with a head kick, Blanco decides to attack Hooker with a bunch of elbow strikes. Hooker grabs a hold of Blanco before attacking him with knee strikes, Hooker backs up Blanco after landing a two strike combination. Hooker eats a few more strikes before rocking Blanco with a counter right, Hooker moves forward and Blanco cracks him with a knee strike. Hooker responds by nailing Blanco with some more knee strikes of his own, Hooker swings away at Blanco as the round ends.
Fight Result: Maximo Blanco def. Daniel Hooker by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Fight #2 - UFC Lightweight Division Fight
Johnny Case (18-4-0) vs. Kazuki Tokudome (12-5-1)
Referee: Steve Perceval
Round One
The round begins with Tokudome attacking Case with a two punch combo, Tokudome grabs a hold of Case to force him against the cage wall. Tokudome scores a takedown on Case and he gets side control, Case attacks Tokudome with elbow strikes while on his back. Case eventually gets Tokudome back into the full guard position, Case uses a sweep attempt to get the fight standing. Case then cracks an incoming Tokudome with a straight right, Case attacks Tokudome with a few head kick attempts as the round ends.
Round Two
The round begins with Case nailing an incoming Tokudome with a left hook, Tokudome accidentally kicks Case low and the fight is halted. The fight resumes with Case hitting a kicking Tokudome with a counter right, Tokudome charges forward on Case while landing a few strikes. Case backs up Tokudome after clocking him with a straight right, Case drops Tokudome with a striking combination. Case locks Tokudome in a guillotine choke and Tokudome goes out cold.
Fight Result: Johnny Case def. Kazuki Tokudome by submission via guillotine choke (2:34, R2)
Fight #3 - UFC Bantamweight Division Fight
Kyung Ho Kang (12-7-0-1NC) vs. Michinori Tanaka (10-0-0)
Referee: Jerin Valel
Round One
The round begins with Kang rocking a swinging Tanaka with a counter right and knee strike, Kang scores a takedown on Tanaka and he gets back control. Kang starts huting for the submission on Tanaka, Tanaka scrambles to get the fight standing again. Tanaka looks for a takedown and Kang winds up getting it, Tanaka sweeps Kang and he gets top position. Kang wall walks to his feet before scoring a takedown on Tanaka, Kang transitions to the half guard position on Tanaka. Kang advances to gain back control on Tanaka as the round ends.
Round Two
The round begins with Kang quickly catching Tanaka with a right, Kang follows that up by kicking Tanaka in the midsection. Kang briefly drops a kicking Tanaka with a counter right, Tanaka scores atakedown on Kang and he gets the full guard. Kang uses a kimura attempt to sweep Tanaka and get the full mount, Kang transitions to back control on Tanaka. Tanaka scrambles at the right time to get top position on Kang, Tanaka starts nailing Kang with elbow strikes. Tanaka transitions to back control on a scrambling Kang, Tanaka starts nailing Kang with more elbow strikes as the round ends.
Round Three
The round begins with Kang attacking Tanaka with some leg kicks, Kang backs up Tanaka after landing a left. Tanaka trips up Kang before catching him with a head kick, Tanaka scores a takedown on Kang and he gets the half guard. Kang uses a wall walk to get the fight standing and Kang scores a takedown, Kang gets back control on Tanaka. Tanaka quickly scrambles to get the fight standing again, Tanaka scores another takedown and Kang quickly gets back up. Tanaka then rocks a swinging Kang with a counter left, Tanaka goes for a takedown and Kang almost catches him in a d'arce choke. Kang scores a takedown on Tanaka and he gets back control, Tanaka sweeps Kang to get top position. The fighters scramble to their feet and exchange blows as the round ends.
Fight Result: Kyung Ho Kang def. Michinori Tanaka by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Fight #4 - UFC Welterweight Division Fight
Hyun Gyu Lim (12-4-1) vs. Takenori Sato (17-9-7)
Referee: Leon Roberts
Round One
The round begins with Sato quickly attacking Lim with leg kicks, Sato goes for a takedown and Lim assaults him with a ton of elbow strikes until the referee jumps in.
Fight Result: Hyun Gyu Lim def. Takenori Sato by TKO via strikes (1:18, R1)
Fight #5 - UFC Featherweight Division Fight
Katsunori Kikuno (22-6-2) vs. Sam Sicilia (13-4-0)
Referee: Wolf Menninger
Round One
The round begins with Sicilia nailing an incoming Kikuno with a knee strike, Sicilia follows that up by hitting Kikuno with a high kick. Kikuno starts attacking Sicilia with a few front kicks, Kikuno then pops an incoming Sicilia with a counter left. Sicilia starts attacking Kikuno with a plethora of leg kicks, Sicilia grabs a hold of Kikuno to land a knee strike. Sicilia backs up Kikuno after clocking him with a left hook, Kikuno attacks Sicilia with someleg kicks of his own. Kikuno barely lands a spinning back fist on Sicilia, Sicilia hits Kikuno with a few counter strikes as the round ends.
Round Two
The round begins with Kikuno quickly attacking Sicilia with some leg kicks, Kikuno charges forward on Sicilia and he lands a pair of left hooks. Kikuno scores a takedown on Sicilia and he gets back control, Kikuno locks in a rear naked choke and a tap out follows.
Fight Result: Katsunori Kikuno def. Sam Sicilia by submission via rear naked choke (1:38, R2)
