#FreeFightFriday – Don Frye vs Yoshihiro Takayama
#FreeFightFriday – Don Frye vs Yoshihiro Takayama
Don Frye will be inducted into the Pioneer wing of the UFC Hall of Fame on Sunday, July 10 in Las Vegas. Let’s take a look at his legendary fight with Yoshihiro Takayama.
Four months after defeating Ken Shamrock, Frye returned to mixed martial arts to face Japanese professional wrestler Yoshihiro Takayama at Pride 21 on June 23, 2002 in Saitama, Japan. In a fight that many consider to be one of Pride’s most exciting matches, Frye and Takayama clinched in a hockey fight pose, each holding the head and hitting, with Takayama finally going to the body after more than a full minute of unrelenting, undefended shots. This would happen three times in the fight, until the referee stopped the bout after Frye mounted Takayama, who was visibly much worse for the wear.
Don Frye vs Yoshihiro Takayama (Pride) by Scopitone2011
In October 2008, Frye wrestled at the Pro Wrestling Expo shows, teaming with Yoshihiro Takayama in a losing effort to Masahiro Chono and Scott Norton on the first day, then losing a six-man tag on the third day.
