With the devastating earthquake and subsequent Tsunami that hit Japan last week, there was much uncertainty as to whether or not fighters Tatsuya Kawajiri (27-6-2), DREAM champ Shinya Aoki (26-5, 1NC), and Hiroyuki Takaya (15-8-1) would still be participating at the upcoming April Strikeforce event.
An earlier report had a couple of the promotions fighters tagged as possible replacements at the event in lightweights Jorge Masvidal and K.J. Noons. It appears now though that all three Japanese fighters will participate at the event.
Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley will take place on April 9 at the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, California. The main card will be broadcast on Showtime.
Reports from MMAJunkie.com and Josh Gross have confirmed the news.
Kawajiri will meet Strikeforce lightweight champ Gilbert Melendez (18-2) for his title, as both men meet in a rematch of their 2006 PRIDE bout. Kawajiri recently earned a unanimous decision win over Josh Thomson at K-1’s New Years Eve event, Dynamite!! 2010, earning one win over a previous Strikeforce champ. It’s been almost a year since Gilbert fought last by earning a unanimous decision win over Aoki at the Strikeforce: Nashville show.
Aoki is set to face Lyle “Fancy Pants” Beerbohm (16-1) on the main card and carries a three fight win streak into the lightweight match. The DREAM champ also fought on the Dynamite!! 2010 card in a K-1/DREAM rules bout. Aoki was knocked out at 4 seconds of that bout against K-1 fighter Yuichiro Nagashima. Beerbohm recently suffered his first career defeat, losing to Pat Healy at a recent Strikeforce Challengers event last month. “Fancy Pants” is 5-1 with the Strikeforce promotion.
DREAM featherweight champ Takaya does not currently have an opponent but is expected to fight on the card. The Japanese fighter earned the title at the same K-1 event on December 31st, by earning a unanimous decision over Bibiano Fernandes. It was his third straight win after stopping both Chase Beebe and Joachim Hansen by knockout at previous DREAM events.