Author: Daniel Herbertson

Norifumi ‘KID’ Yamamoto, Michihiro Omigawa Sign With UFC

Filed under: DREAM, UFC, News, JapanUFC president Dana White has made it no secret over the years that he has been interested in signing Norifumi “KID” Yamamoto. With sources indicating that Yamamoto had a falling out with FEG post-DREAM.14, finally on…

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UFC president Dana White has made it no secret over the years that he has been interested in signing Norifumi “KID” Yamamoto. With sources indicating that Yamamoto had a falling out with FEG post-DREAM.14, finally one of Japan’s top featherweights will be making his way to the UFC, White revealed via twitter on Friday.

Yamamoto isn’t the only fighter that has been poached from DREAM this week, top 10 featherweight Michihiro Omigawa has also re-signed with the UFC this week and will be making his debut against Chad Mendes at either UFC 126 in February or UFC 128 in March.

K-1 World GP Final Predictions

Filed under: K1, JapanThe 2010 K-1 World GP is the most important event of the year for the future of mixed martial arts in Japan. With FEG themselves admitting that they are financially strained, success with ticket sales, Fuji TV and sponsors are vit…

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The 2010 K-1 World GP is the most important event of the year for the future of mixed martial arts in Japan. With FEG themselves admitting that they are financially strained, success with ticket sales, Fuji TV and sponsors are vital if K-1 and DREAM are to continue in 2011. Fortunately, to distract us from troubling business matters, we have eight of the best kickboxers in the planet fighting for our amusement.

Semmy Schilt will attempt to win his record-setting fifth K-1 World GP, Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem looks to be the first fighter to ever to hold a K-1 belt and major MMA belt at the same time, Peter Aerts makes one final attempt at his fourth GP and Gokhan Saki, Tyrone Spong, Kyotaro and Daniel Ghita attempt to usher in the new generation of kickboxing.

Shinya Aoki vs. Yuichiro ‘Jienotsu’ Nagashima Booked for Dynamite!!

Filed under: DREAM, News, JapanA mixed rules bout between DREAM Lightweight Champion Shinya Aoki and K-1 World MAX 2010 -70kg Japan tournament winner Yuichiro “Jienotsu” Nagashima has been booked for Fighting and Entertainment Group’s end of year event…

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A mixed rules bout between DREAM Lightweight Champion Shinya Aoki and K-1 World MAX 2010 -70kg Japan tournament winner Yuichiro “Jienotsu” Nagashima has been booked for Fighting and Entertainment Group’s end of year event, MMA Fighting has learned from sources.

The bout between two of Japan’s most eccentric lightweights will be contested under alternating rounds of MMA and K-1 rules as we first saw at Dynamite!! 2004, when Jerome Le Banner and Bob Sapp fought to a draw.

Le Banner may have missed out on a K-1 Finals berth on Saturday due to his temper tantrum against Kyotaro in Seoul, but the Frenchman will instead be appearing at Dynamite!! 2010, Le Banner’s management has told French website Ikusa.fr. The K-1 veteran will take on Dream light heavyweight GP finalist Tatsuya Mizuno in a mixed martial arts rules bout. Le Banner has not fought MMA since a 2006 victory of Jimmy Ambriz and has a notable 2005 win over current UFC standout Yoshihiro Akiyama.

Rikuhei Fujii Claims King of Pancrase Crown

Filed under: News, JapanTOKYO — Pancrase’s penultimate event of the year at Differ Ariake on Sunday featured three title fights in which all participants had met in the ring before.

Light heavyweight King of Pancrase Ryo Kawamura made a small step to…

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TOKYO — Pancrase‘s penultimate event of the year at Differ Ariake on Sunday featured three title fights in which all participants had met in the ring before.

Light heavyweight King of Pancrase Ryo Kawamura made a small step towards redeeming himself from his embarrassing knockout loss to Yuji Sakuragi in September as he managed to fight to a tense majority draw in the rematch for the belt.

Yuki Kondo was looking for redemption as he dropped a unanimous decision to Wajutsu Keishukai RJW’s Rikuhei Fujii in Cage Force back in September, but it was spoiled as Fujii again outworked the 85-fight veteran on the feet and on the canvas to claim Kondo’s crown.

In the fight of the night, current flyweight King of Pancrase Kiyotaka Shimizu and former champ Mitsuhisa Sunabe fought to an entertaining split draw in their rubber match. Sunabe pushed the action early and scored well with strikes while Shimizu came home strong to even the score and retain his crown.

Marlon Sandro vs. Hatsu Hioki Booked for Sengoku Soul of Fight

Filed under: Sengoku, News, JapanSengoku Raiden Championship promoter World Victory Road announced four fights on Wednesday for its end of year “Soul Of Fight” event including the biggest featherweight bout in Japan for the year; Shooto Champion Hatsu …

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Sengoku Raiden Championship promoter World Victory Road announced four fights on Wednesday for its end of year “Soul Of Fight” event including the biggest featherweight bout in Japan for the year; Shooto Champion Hatsu Hioki will take on Sengoku Featherweight Champion Marlon Sandro in the Brazilian’s first title defense.

Aside from controversial split decision losses to Michihiro Omigawa both Sandro and Hioki have torn through the competition within Sengoku over the last two years, both fighters earning consensus top-ten rankings.

Also announced: Kazuo Misaki will return for the first time since his thrilling fight of the year candidate with Middleweight Champion Jorge Santiago to face Mike Seal; Yukio Sakaguchi will come out of retirement in a SRC “jacket rules” bout against Jin Suk Jung; and New Japan Kickboxing Champion Norihiro “Musashi” Miyamoto and WPMF Champion Hiroki Komata will clash under Muay Thai rules.

Marlon Sandro vs. Hatsu Hioki Booked for Sengoku Soul of Fight

Filed under: Sengoku, News, JapanSengoku Raiden Championship promoter World Victory Road announced four fights on Wednesday for its end of year “Soul Of Fight” event including the biggest featherweight bout in Japan for the year; Shooto Champion Hatsu …

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Sengoku Raiden Championship promoter World Victory Road announced four fights on Wednesday for its end of year “Soul Of Fight” event including the biggest featherweight bout in Japan for the year; Shooto Champion Hatsu Hioki will take on Sengoku Featherweight Champion Marlon Sandro in the Brazilian’s first title defense.

Aside from controversial split decision losses to Michihiro Omigawa both Sandro and Hioki have torn through the competition within Sengoku over the last two years, both fighters earning consensus top-ten rankings.

Also announced: Kazuo Misaki will return for the first time since his thrilling fight of the year candidate with Middleweight Champion Jorge Santiago to face Mike Seal; Yukio Sakaguchi will come out of retirement in a SRC “jacket rules” bout against Jin Suk Jung; and New Japan Kickboxing Champion Norihiro “Musashi” Miyamoto and WPMF Champion Hiroki Komata will clash under Muay Thai rules.