Main Event

The fight I was going to see was Norifumi “KID” Yamamoto versus Ian Schaffa, a fighter from Australia.  KID is a small man with one huge reputation. Born on March 15, 1977, he began his career as an amateur wrestler at the age of 21. At 28, he has already won six of seven Proto Shoot matches (4 KOs), and since 2004 he has won four of six K-1 fights. He won all three Hero fights since 2005 (3 KOs) and on New Year’s Eve he achieved the first Hero’s Middle Weight Championship Belt in a K-1 Premium Dynamite Fight. In addition to this, he has the Killer Bee’s Gym, his own clothing line, and has modeled for W-Taps, Dickies, and Burton.

Just one day after the fight, I went into a popular woman’s store to buy a gift for my girl. When I simply mentioned to the sales lady that I had seen the KID fight the night before, every girl in the store stopped what they were doing and was eager to hear about my adventure. Mind you, I went to this fight expecting to receive a ticket, sit down, and watch a couple of guys punch each other. To my surprise, I was met at the gate, led down a long hall, and was walked into the belly of the beast, KID’s locker room. Suddenly, and without any introduction, I was surrounded by some of the toughest Asian men I have ever seen, guys that looked like they could break down doors with their heads. I was in the midst of the Killer Bee team, a mix of veteran fighters and up-and-comers. The mood in the locker room was serious, so serious that I thought I might get a pre-fight beating just for taking pictures.


As the second to last fight began to wrap up, I figured that I should get to my seat and watch KID’s fight. Yet, as the entourage made its way down to the stage entrance, I was pulled along with them into the ring. The fighting began and KID and Schaffa got down to business right away. Within the first round, KID had already been hit by his opponent three times in the groin. The fight had almost come to end earlier than expected. Instead, KID relieved his anger at the fouls with a series of direct hits that brought Schaffa to the floor. Once on the floor, Schaffa remained there for the rest of the round. This must have seemed like hours for the defeated Australian.


When these guys go down, the fight isn’t necessarily over and it only gets uglier. I was on the edge of the other side of the ring, my camera on the mat, and still, I could feel the punches to the face. KID was a pile driver of punches into Schaffa’s face and I had this queasy feeling in my gut as if someone was about to die. I have only felt this way one other time, when I was 18-years-old and witnessed a late night club beating. Four guys got into it with another and left him on the street to die.