Haha, I called Shikamaru fighting the girl a long time ago.

It was foreshadowed so much in recent chapters.

So Kimimaro belongs to an awesome ninja clan huh, go figure.

I guess if he was there during the Sound/Sand invasion it would have been a different story, but I guess he was too sick.

I am thinking that this might be kind of like the Kenshin vs Shishio fight in Rurouni Kenshin.

Both have a good chance of beating the other, but one of them is too ill and just dies on the spot of wounds not caused by the fighting.

I don't think Kimimaro will make it through this fight alive either way.