Don Frye (USA) vs Taro Akebono (USA) | MMA fight, HD

[@d0peshow]

Imagine being so enormous that your strategy is "lean on your opponent".

[@deedle6073]

That's actually a real strategy. You lean on them while you recover, while making the opponent carry your weight and draining his energy.

[@runkorko]

you dont need to be enourmous, just tall. See klitcko brothers. They turn box to huging

[@thetruthhurts3939]

Literally word for word my thoughts as I watched this.

[@benjaminmolnar3881]

Fighting snorlax

[@CharlesKey52]

Tyson Fury uses that a lot

[@WhiskeyToro]

Don just gives me the vibes that immediately after a long, grueling fight he goes home, lights up a cigar and mows his lawn shirtless.

[@thomasmorse5175]

Why do people like you glorify him so much? Do you know anything about his personality?

[@spechnoch]

Dont for get the weed

[@teabaggervance8]

@@thomasmorse5175 did don take your imaginary girlfriend

[@thomasmorse5175]

@@teabaggervance8 you’re a grown man saying this to a minor? Fucking bum

[@scottilewis3753]

Stolen comment....

[@viperrottweiler5311]

Akebono died April 2024 of heart failure. He had been suffering severe memory loss and could not walk since 2019. RIP

[@bola5671]

RIP 🎉

[@emperortrevornorton3119]

This news fucking sucks rest in peace big man I respected you deeply you were tough in life even though life was tougher on you

[@very5ick112]

he didnae remember dying

[@migaudiblenofourdigitbullshit]

@@very5ick112 HA HA! we have a comedian here!

[@tomw8734]

​@@very5ick112Aye

[@outbackeddie]

Don Frye - the embodiment of badassery.

[@especialistamelhor9795]

Он больше на дровосека похож, такого, типично американского.

[@leighjordine4031]

The man was in his 40's here and still got it.

[@bearmunger787]

​@@especialistamelhor9795😅😅

[@joshualambert5977]

​@@especialistamelhor9795typical!??? I'm what we would call a redneck here in the states n can tell u....there no such thing as a typical American....but there are those of us that'll put an ass whoopin on anyone...n it tends to be people from the country here....we make up 80% of the u.s. military n have been whoopin ass for years now....just ask your government lol😂

[@tylerbrown8386]

Absolutely!!! True badass!

[@USLethal]

Its unfortunate how many current day MMA fans have no idea how badly Don would beat the literal piss out of their favorite fighter.

[@garrettdonald7368]

Its so crazy how tough he is. Ken Shamrock got Don into a submission during their fight and Don just waits a couple minutes for the round to end instead of tapping out and then goes on to win the fight.

[@jakeslamakowski6990]

​@@garrettdonald7368one of my favorite fights. Two legends went at it in an all out battle of willpower and strength.

[@katharinahiebel1488]

​@@garrettdonald7368walerphilipp

[@Papagiorgio153]

As much as i love Don, this is absolute non-sense. The sport has evolved 10 fold since this and Don wouldn't stand a chance lol

[@MrOgyny]

​@@Papagiorgio153he would adapt, give a young Don the tools available today, he'd be a beast.

[@pneumike1]

Akebono has perfected the "put my weight upon you" technique.

[@oldcountryboy]

He is a highly decorated sumo wrestler.

[@4emcarthur]

I don't care how big you are, this is what happens every damn time you mess with Burt Reynolds. "Why don't you clean this crap up off the beach? Keep the change."

[@Duck_Dodgers]

Tom Selleck lol

[@4emcarthur]

@@Duck_DodgersI said Burt Reynolds because I wanted to use the quote. It all works as long as it's a dude with a killer stache. lol

[@DavidMccallister65]

Don never circled. He just kept letting him walk him straight back into the ropes or the corner.

[@KotoGrey]

Because don didn’t give a fuck!!!!

[@mattmarzula]

​@@InFernoKnight95See above reply.

[@TwinMcQuerns]

​@InFernoKnight95 Don Frye doesn't stick and move. He sticks and wrestles. That is his style.

[@scottavenged7x]

And that is stupid. These are gimmick fights, nothing more. Frye could win easily, if that were the actual point. Instead it's just this stupid display of big tall fat guy vs smaller fit guy. Meaningless. No sport.

[@GodsChosen69]

@@InFernoKnight95 because don is stronger than the larger man, not the opposite. don was tiring HIM.

[@RichardWingate-c2q]

Tough doesn't even describe Don Frye pure badass

[@zephyrr108]

Indeed. I'm in awe

[@reedr7142]

For a 400-lb guy, he’s got some skinny legs.

[@earlturner9136]

Most fat peices of shit have no legs 😂

[@mattmarzula]

Regular chopsticks...

[@codyschnuriger6743]

When you skip leg day for belly day.

[@blind_warriorr]

The guy was way over 400 lbs.

[@JohanChristensen_]

like your fat mum

[@robL84]

Don frye, living legend!!

[@michaelmartin1298]

Frye was so dissapointing in this fight . Not enough head shots. Frye is still a hero.

[@michaelmartin1298]

He punched too much fat and not enough face.

[@michaelmartin1298]

When the Ref finnaly get him to Jabba the fight was over.

[@Tyrannosaurus_5000]

@@michaelmartin1298 Yea let's see you submit java the hut.

[@copperfish543]

It looked like Frye was fighting an Elephant Seal.

[@davesmith5646]

Imagine getting punched by Don fry. Holy crap.

[@Wesmancan]

Frye is the man. Always loved his fights.

[@dwightwilson3579]

Don was the man in his prime

[@michaelparks4147]

@markasread4349lol yea ok

[@JoshD-r9q]

@markasread4349 When people watch a video of Rocky Marciano, no one says "he would get destroyed today". But crappy mma fans do this all the time to legends of the sport.

[@Kbax3614]

@markasread4349okay. But lets give him the equipment of today’s fighter and make him fight only 2 fights a year.

[@johnm3907]

This was way past his prime

[@nofilteralltruth]

Don was actually near 40 in this fight

[@Tatsuya.Strength]

bro would throw two punches and fall on Don legendary fight

[@deltavee2]

Akebono only had one weak spot, his head and it took a while for Frye to get to it. Gotta be like wrestling a walrus.

[@franciscocontreras1148]

9

[@franciscocontreras1148]

9

[@franciscocontreras1148]

9

[@durhamfox5271]

Don Frye, with a stare that could melt the polar ice cap

[@robertomunoz2395]

Nobody compares to Cro Cop

[@schmaltzythegolem4828]

You really think he’s cute?

[@steverosenberger8452]

@@robertomunoz2395 ⁰⁰000

[@МуроджонМирзайв]

@@robertomunoz2395 Нёёеннённ5нннёёё5н5ннн130 Ю

[@nofilteralltruth]

If Don Fry is the kind of guy if he stared at me I'd walk across the street and go the other way.

[@kristaps2010]

brilliantly timed low kick and it worked as planned. amazing strategy.

[@HarmonRAB-hp4nk]

ya big tower, takes legs out from under it

[@johndreyer9730]

He really loves to hug him

[@TT-hi1qv]

You have to have big balls to fight a guy with a mustache like Dons!

[@oscaralegre3683]

the Hitler of mma

[@Spiritof_76]

I'd like to imagine if Akebono had fought MMA in his physical prime. His knees and body were shot to hell by the time he got into this.

[@Tyrannosaurus_5000]

So was Fry's.

[@Spiritof_76]

@@Tyrannosaurus_5000 True, but Don had fought lots of mma before this sad match up, so we got to see him at his best. It was like he was born to do it!

[@jeffguybersen]

Excuses

[@Spiritof_76]

@@jeffguybersen Who made excuses for what? Why is that reply even logical in your mind?

[@Dan-bp3bb]

​@@Spiritof_76It's the world we live in unfortunately

[@DrSqueezeTV]

Don Frye at 3:01 lmao he’s like wtf u want me to do bro

[@studebakerhoch]

I see he's using the "smother your opponent with sweaty flab" method of combat.

[@tradtke101]

@5:00 Don Frye trying to remember if Titty-Twisters are legal under Pride rules.

[@twanb6041]

Don Frye was an exciting fighter I miss those days!!!😞

[@JEANBRUCEnocturbulous]

The hug with Gary Goodridge is a perfect moment. 12:08

[@titorjr1898]

and Gary Goodridge knocked him out in a Pride FC fight...that was pure sportmanship

[@CT-nb5lm]

I dunno what to say except props for getting in the ring with of the most dangerous legends ever. But my god those hits & knees to that dudes stomach did mega damage for sure.. Don Frye & Dan Sev are my favs !!!

[@Funny_HaHa123]

Damn, the way Don tears up at the end shows that he is a real man.

[@What.99]

According to Google, Don Frye is 6’1”. Taro Akebono is 6’8”. Close enough.

[@oscaralegre3683]

Akebono made him looks 5'8 😂😢😢

[@jayrob5270]

I'm just impressed that guy could stand up without having a heart attack let alone anything else.

[@Whatever414]

It's easy for him

[@mirianbogado9964]

@@Whatever414 llllllllllllllllllllllllll

[@AJlord1]

Not hard to stand when all you do is lean

[@michaelbumgardner8526]

222²22¹½

[@osantamoyan9803]

​@@mirianbogado9964 loi

[@jaimhaas5170]

I have only seen a few fights in my life but this sure reminds me of Rocky training in the meat processing plant.

[@Can-Am1989]

If I were as big as Akebono, I would not have taken this fight, Don Frye is terrifying. Props to both, the japanese showed courage and being stand-up man, for japanese people only honour counts.

[@1inchPunchBowl]

They clearly had him at the word Fry. Respect for leaning on his opponent the whole fight.

[@Spiritof_76]

Akebono was from Hawaii.

[@VeteranGOD]

the title literally showed that both are from usa...

[@chicken4090]

Hes not japanese dumbass

[@everythingisokmjmklfrth]

@@Spiritof_76 That dude eats hawaiians 😆

[@-John-Doe-]

To be fair, the frequent separations did help with the exhaustion that comes with having a guy like Akebono on you in the clinch.

[@marshallsweatherhiking1820]

I don’t know if it was doing much. Looked like a stalemate. Akebono couldn’t take him to the ground and was too afraid to chance getting hit hard if he backed off enough to do something more offensive. He could win if he managed to lay on him, but was otherwise just too slow.

[@j.s.9981]

Good thing Don did not attempt to take him down to the mat, it would have been over real quick with Don not being able to breath.

[@4Naturalgreen]

Just imagine Andre The Giant in his prime in this sport. He would have been undefeated. One serious punch from Andre might have actually killed someone. No kidding. If he kicked you as hard as he could, again, the result would be seriously life threatening. One kick, one punch. Neither of these two men would be able to get up from that and fight back.

[@Duck_Dodgers]

Andre wouldn't be able to move he wasn't exactly a fleet footed person even in the 70s someone that could move would have ate him alive. They had people like Andre in mma

[@4Naturalgreen]

@@Duck_Dodgers I disagree. There’s footage of Andre in his early career. He wasn’t as slow as you might think. Even someone Frye’s size, if Andre got hold of him, it’s over. One head butt, even a serious slap would knock him senseless. I’m not a huge Andre fan or anything. I know he wasn’t a martial artist, but his size and strength were unmatched. Like I said, if he was coming at you full force, trying to hurt you, he could have easily killed someone. He could snap your limbs or neck like a twig between his fingers. Imagine him doing a real choke on someone. Not only that, but if he ever lost his temper for real, how many men would it take to get him under control? Not pro,wrestling, but real MMA. It would have been interesting to see.

[@zephyrr108]

​@@4Naturalgreenmaybe if he hit straight on. People aren't immovable objects, there's drag..people as strong as him exist in the circles

[@nabilanaim5173]

Wow, there's so many people disrespectful to Akebono. That man might be sucks at MMA but he is a great Sumo wrestler. He is the first non Japanese to achieve the tittle of Yokozuna (Grand Champion). He also ranked top 10 Yokozuna with most championships wins. It's just Sumo and MMA is a very different type of combat sports. Transitioning from Sumo to MMA is as hard as transitioning from Boxing to MMA. And that man is already passed his prime when he dominated the Sumo ring. -In Sumo,a fight will end when one of the wrestler out of the ring or touched the ground with anything that is not their sole feet. So... a fight could end in just 10 sec- 5 minutes. There's no second round unless it's a draw. - In Sumo there's no weight division, become big is a great advantage so that you'll not get carried like a baby and not get pushed outside the ring easily.And can generate more force with more weight. - Meanwhile they're looking like a morbidly obese, they rarely get diagnosed with obese related desease. Because their 6 hours daily training and diet make their body only stores fat under their skin. They don't have a visceral fat. And they had regular check ups with doctors to make sure their body fat percentage is not exceeded 30%. That's is a body of pure dedication of an athlete. Not your average McDonald's loyal customers.

[@warrax111]

"your average Mcodnalds' loyal customer"? I wonder, who do you mean by "your".

[@kevindunlap5525]

The Chad.

[@warshipsatin8764]

he eats far more and far worse than the average mcdonalds customer

[@bretmartinez8212]

Exactly the average MMA fans don't understand sumo at all. They're highly skilled athletes with much less fat than people think

[@philmcguire7346]

im guessing your fat

[@ivo4357]

Akebono mastered the noble martial art of leaning on your opponent and falling asleep while hugging him. The healthiest of sports, eating your way to death, and then fall into each other in a small circle and try to scratch your opponent's eyes out. I'd rather be watching a curling marathon.

[@dwightbeach3242]

Big funky

[@kevindunlap5525]

Oh wow, a morbidly obese american. Let's make him a sumo wrestler. I lost a lot of respect for sumo then.

[@bretmartinez8212]

I'm most certain the average sumo wrestler would snap you in half

[@ivo4357]

@@bretmartinez8212 I'm most certain he would die of a heart attack trying to chase me.

[@bretmartinez8212]

@@ivo4357 So you would run away from a sumo wrestler

[@johnhamaker8441]

Frye didn't even try to dodge away , he just kept walking into a guy who outweighs him by what 200 pounds ?

[@tekservices8699]

Damn, that was a hell of a thing to watch

[@zerolosses4nero]

Guys like Connor brought lots of Recognition to MMA but Connor encouraged and perpetrated too many dishonourable acts.

[@BicycleDud]

I think about the third or fourth hit.....this guy knew don fry was there to win!

[@ianfosterUSA]

Don is a savage, he's awesome

[@rsears720]

Chuck Norris was born from a hair on Don Fryes' mustache.

[@kevindunlap5525]

Don made a concentrated effort to not absolutely destroy Chad. He wasn't in his best shape, but he could have really inflicted severe violence on Chad's head. It was interesting to see the liver shot efforts!

[@chrisgibson8882]

Tellement d'émotion cumullée qui sort d'un coup dans les bras du coach, c'est touchant 😢❤

[@Музыканашеймолодости]

Уверен с таким весом даже лежать тяжело...

[@daniilvadimovich2009]

Это бой бати против сына😂

[@bigd9363]

FAST FORWARD 10 MINUTES!!! you're welcome These guys hug each other more than I hug my wife and kids

[@billbbobby2889]

The Real Beast of his time.

[@velvety2528]

2:56 lmao his face after the referee tells him to do something

[@chlorophyll6154]

Imagine he's going to fight against the prime Don Frye, man was gas by 3 strike

[@50shadeWolf]

This reminds me of a video game I played back in the 80s.

[@twistedtrailerparktales2126]

Don Frye was the Justin Gathjie of his generation. An NCAA wrestling champion and judo blackbelt that stood and traded with everyone.

[@danielwebster5748]

Yes and he is a 7th degree black belt in judo that's very high among Americans actually that's very high among anyone but Japan does have several dozen that are 10th degree but the 7th degree black belt is definitely an expert. I had a book that was from the 1960s and there was a fourth degree black belt and at the time he was the highest ranking American of all so 7th degree is definitely impressive.. akebono definitely need some training and strikes I mean he got a few good strikes in and some knees but you could tell he was out matched in the boxing category. And I got that big is definitely dangerous but if he can't take you out within the first couple of minutes his body can't keep continuing he's going to run out of gas.

[@ryanweaver3615]

Taro is listed at 6’8 515lbs, no wonder Don had a Tuff time with this dude just to massive.

[@natev1956]

Well that was a smart move to kick out his leg because he's so top-heavy and his legs are so much weaker

[@mantovannni]

That is one massive tub of lard.

[@denverdanoreno]

I'm surprised Don Frye didn't dance more oh, he kept being pushed into the ropes knowing his 400-pound opponent could Tire him out.

[@RussRolle]

I can appreciate the unique challenge for Frye taking on this mountain of sweat and blubber, but what a terrible fight to watch.

[@TerminusHostilia]

Lotta folks don't know he's good in a lot more ways than just fighting and taking care of horses. He has a 'golden soul', if any man ever did. I guarantee.

[@jeffwarren6906]

Yes Sir , I absolutely agree

[@nofilteralltruth]

Listen to his podcast You can tell

[@PeterDemerly]

Don Frye didnt need huge muscles or massive size or big word trash talk his skill and fist said it all. He was a pure beast and his opponents always learned that the painful way.

[@rickfalcon5572]

Don Frye always reminds me of Mayor Mike Haggar from Final Fight.

[@Roger_EC]

Frey debió resolver pronto con golpes a las piernas. Pienso que no debió sufrir tanto como en este pelea. El final lo dice todo.

[@carmengreenwood566]

Great fight

[@marvinmurakami8828]

Akebono's body looks entirely made of ballistic gel.

[@marctoleds6259]

Royce Gracie almost popped Akebono's elbow and wrist.

[@Moment-14]

Oh, I didn't see this was Don Frye until the final 30 seconds of the fight

[@crazycoyote1738]

Resembles a fight in a nursing home, fighting for who will get to seat next to the young arts and craft lady instructor…

[@tradtke101]

@1:23 Good thing it wasn't a cage match, or he'd be Don French Frye. 😂😂😂😂

[@lieutenantcommanderdata1418]

Nice

[@joaodaniellopesfilholopesf8723]

Don Frye look likes Tom Seleck.

[@jacobsizemore2578]

I thought about this and his match at Wrestlemania when I think about akebono, rip legend

[@_DB.COOPER]

Don was the best!

[@Friedermanns]

Dan was the beast !

[@Raeodor]

Never skipped big mac day.

[@Tairygreen]

Don really took it easy on that guy. He was prob paid a lot to let it go past 30 seconds

[@donnywilkes6417]

He should be disqualified for the leaning on Frye.

[@watchmanonthewall14]

Love Don Frye. He's absolutely tough. But his strategy for this fight was very poor. His boxing fundamentals were sloppy, and he had no foot movement. You absolutely have to use speed against a 400 lb opponent. Don let him lean on him on the ropes for minutes at a time. No good. That's what tired Don out so fast, as the guy is 400 lb.

[@PROFESSOR-I.C.]

I agree. This guy was slow and predictable coming straight forward. All Don had to do was sidestep him and clock him at least a couple times, switch it to leg kicks. Fight smarter!

[@cristianogomez7731]

Don dry is the best, except at lateral movement.

[@beelinebeelime1037]

@@PROFESSOR-I.C. п

[@rebelp311]

Love people that talk shit and the thet know what they are talking about, but have never fought 😂 You get in the ring with a sumo wrestler!

[@stupidhead9117]

@@rebelp311 Are you in the army? Secure the border? Ha ha

[@kapow1324]

I was lucky enough to come across Don Fry while travelling around Africa...watched him beat up 2 Hippopotamus, 4 Lions and 2 crocodiles at the same time 🤫

[@3O2MuStAnG]

So basically all these animals got lucky he wasn't hungry so they merely took a beating. 😂

[@dcpunisher4781]

Damn the weight difference made me think this was a fake video, but no, it reminded me that Pride FC and Japanese-rooted MMA is Incredible. UFC of course is the dominant MMA promotion in the United States at least, but I remember 20 years ago in high school when I first got into MMA, I remember feeling that Pride FC was like the hardcore underground raw version of UFC.

[@jd9119]

Some of those punches Akebono took were pretty hard.

[@unclejacksjackshack]

Akebono’s corner-BE THE BLANKET

[@js_youtube70]

3:00 funniest look Don gave to the ref. 😂, He reminds me of Tom Selleck in the Magnum pi series. Don, awesome fighter, especially against the shamrock guy, thought don was going to get his leg broken. Unbelievable

[@damntueton]

I always thought of him as Yoked Freddie Mercury.

[@PedrroEnriqueEscamillaSalguero]

A las mujeres les gusta dar abrazos son bien cariñosas😅😅😅😅

[@ciro7025]

Ese Don Frye se parece a Tom Sellec..

[@jonnybrello4360]

Don almost dropped him with his first combo, but picked him up as he was laying on him, what a tank.

[@douglasbrannon6525]

Rope a Dope did not work real well, even though Frye won in the end with a choke. Frye should have did more foot work and circling to keep from being pinned up against the ropes with all of that weight on him in the corner. Akebono had one simple strategy of trapping Frye up against the ropes. But he possibly could have under arm hooked Frye and thrown him to the mat and rolled on top of him.

[@WhiskeyMcnair]

Imagine fighting a 400lb mobile waterbed. Don is holding him up like I hold up my cal king mattress to flip it

[@DaveNeve]

i've never rated Sumo as a martial art despite having read positive Japanese articles about it and this fight simply confirms what I think about Sumo. Sumo has nothing to do in MMA.

[@humbled289]

Taro Akebono is the king of smother, what a legend. lol

[@tshawtshi3040]

Why did don cry at the end?

[@jellydamgood]

Probably because unlike what the know it alls in the comments said, it was a hard fight and he was glad he won?

[@GulfCoastTim]

​​​​@@jellydamgood Yep. If you listen in the end of this video @12:39, i think Don Frye said..."That's tough".

[@chillingsworth4384]

Probably because he was smothered in between slippery man boobs. I’d probably cry too

[@georgehorner1578]

Don's thinking, now I know how Steve Mcqueen felt in the Blob.

[@stevecrabtree7654]

A little weight difference.

[@stevejames8070]

Frye is the absolute don. Total menace in the ring who was happy to go to war with anyone. Proper legend

[@brycebullard3619]

So the human blob's best offense is to lean on his opponent?

[@Dan-bp3bb]

Ravishing Don Frye

[@thomaspollock3904]

What took Frye so long to kick him in one of those bandaged knees? Was he trying to drag the fight out?

[@TheSean7564]

I'm a few minutes into the fight and had to pause the video to look at the comments to see if anyone else was asking what I was asking ... thank you, Thomas! #1. Don is an absolute stud and I would (and could) never say anything to take away from that but as far as coaching and planning a fight against a fighter this fat you have to be thinking "attack the mountain's knees!"

[@TLC21]

When I saw the pic of these 2 I immediately felt bad for the super heavy weight.

[@Carl-jm2yw]

I'm real happy that Tom Selleck won.

[@gabrielpita9657]

Both they did awesome 💪

[@NeonLine]

didnt one of these guys compete in the Kengan tournament?

[@TheRealStevenSeagals]

Akebono is like what I’d imagine Kim jong in born in Alabama would look like

[@nealk6387]

That blubbering mass was bleeding in the first 30 seconds.

[@viking4130]

On weekends Taro swims up the bay of Tokyo and walks around crushing the city . OH NO THEY SAY HE'S GOTTA GO, GO GO GODZILLA !