Author: Daniel Herbertson

Leonardo Santos Out, Kiuma Kunioku In Against Maximo Blanco at SRC 15

Filed under: Sengoku, JapanFour-time BJJ World Cup champion Leonardo Santos has suffered a neck injury during training and has been forced out of his anticipated title elimination match with Yoshida Dojo rising star Maximo Blanco at Sengoku Raiden Cham…

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Four-time BJJ World Cup champion Leonardo Santos has suffered a neck injury during training and has been forced out of his anticipated title elimination match with Yoshida Dojo rising star Maximo Blanco at Sengoku Raiden Championship 15. Stepping in on just over one week’s notice will be former welterweight and middleweight King of Pancrase Kiuma Kunioku.

In 2002, Kunioku held both the welterweight and middleweight Pancrase crowns and during his 66-fight career has picked up significant victories over UFC middleweight contender Nate Marquardt, Genki Sudo, Frank Shamrock, Guy Mezger and Masakatsu Funaki but since a 2004 TKO loss to Kazuo Misaki has slipped somewhat, going 4-7-2 in his last 13 outings.

Santos defeated Kunioku with a quick rear-naked choke back at Sengoku 12.

Hiroya-Kubo, Yamomoto-Ikemoto added to K-1 MAX Finals

Filed under: K1, JapanFEG today announced three matches for the K-1 World MAX 2010 -70kg World Championship Tournament Finals to be held on November 8th at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan.

In superfights, 2009 Krush Lightweight GP Finalist Yuta …

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FEG today announced three matches for the K-1 World MAX 2010 -70kg World Championship Tournament Finals to be held on November 8th at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan.

In superfights, 2009 Krush Lightweight GP Finalist Yuta Kubo will attempt to follow up his performance in this year’s K-1 -63kg Japan Tournament against former FEG golden boy Hiroya and Former DEEP Welterweight Champion and Dream Welterweight GP entrant Seichi Ikemoto will have a tough task in his K-1 debut against Yuya Yamamoto who took third in the K-1 World MAX 2009 GP.

In a tournament reserve bout Andre “Dida” Amade follow a close majority decision loss in the World MAX Final 16 to Yuichiro “Jienotsu” Nagashima to face Hinata who impressively KO’d Arthur Kyshenko back in July but was most recently choked out in quick fashion by Shootboxing ace Andy Souwer.

Michihiro Omigawa Thinks He’s Better Than Jose Aldo and Wants to Prove it

Michihiro Omigawa has never been one to keep his thoughts to himself.

As he rose to relevance in Sengoku’s 2009 Featherweight GP he would shout “Kusottare!” any time he was given a microphone, essentially telling everyone who doubts him to “f**k off!…

Michihiro Omigawa has never been one to keep his thoughts to himself.

As he rose to relevance in Sengoku’s 2009 Featherweight GP he would shout “Kusottare!” any time he was given a microphone, essentially telling everyone who doubts him to “f**k off!” Since he reinvented himself for the GP, he has “claimed the necks of” fellow top 10 featherweights Marlon Sandro and Hatsu Hioki and most recently took a submission win over former WEC Champion Cole Escovedo. Afterwards, Omigawa called his DREAM.16 victory “a perfect fight” and declared himself the “center of the featherweight world.”

Now, unhappy with the way he is being treated in Japan, Omigawa is setting his sights on the WEC and Jose Aldo.

“For me, the WEC is the top promotion in the States so I’m seriously considering fighting there. I’m very determined and willing to fight in the WEC at some point, and I was exchanging emails with them, but we still haven’t met in person. It’s not an official offer yet, but we are in talks. Jose Aldo is a well-rounded fighter, and an interesting opponent for me, but technique-wise I am better and I’d like to prove that.”

Masaaki Sugawara KOs Ayumu "Gozo" Shioda at Shooting Disco 13

Filed under: JapanShooting Disco 13 offered a glimpse of the future as a host of 2010 Amateur Shooto champions made their professional debuts. In the evening’s main event, former top 10 flyweight Masaaki Sugawara broke a two fight losing streak, knocki…

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Shooting Disco 13 offered a glimpse of the future as a host of 2010 Amateur Shooto champions made their professional debuts. In the evening’s main event, former top 10 flyweight Masaaki Sugawara broke a two fight losing streak, knocking out Masanori Kanehara trainer Ayumu “Gozo” Shioda early in round three with a knee that looked as though it broke the grappler’s nose.

Rough Stone GP Finalists Decided at Jewels 10th Ring

Filed under: News, JapanLeading Japanese women’s promoter Jewels held its 10th event Sunday at Shinkiba 1st Ring, Tokyo with the rookie tournament style “Rough Stone GP” being the focus with semifinal bouts in three different weight classes.

Undefeate…

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Leading Japanese women’s promoter Jewels held its 10th event Sunday at Shinkiba 1st Ring, Tokyo with the rookie tournament style “Rough Stone GP” being the focus with semifinal bouts in three different weight classes.

Undefeated Jewels Lightweight GP participants Sakura Nomura and Ayaka Hamazaki were also on display as they picked up victories in a Shootboxing bout and one day grappling tournament respectively and Jewels poster girl Saori Ishioka took a narrow decision over the Joachim Hansen-trained Celine Haga.

Masanori Kanehara vs. Doo Ho Choi Added to Sengoku 15

Filed under: Sengoku, JapanFormer Sengoku Raiden Championship featherweight champion Masanori Kanehara will return to action against Doo Ho Choi at SRC 15 the promotion announced Thursday.

Kanehara controversially won the featherweight belt after he t…

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Former Sengoku Raiden Championship featherweight champion Masanori Kanehara will return to action against Doo Ho Choi at SRC 15 the promotion announced Thursday.

Kanehara controversially won the featherweight belt after he took a narrow decision over a battered Michihiro Omigawa in the finals of the 2009 GP. Kanehara was soundly defeated by Hatsu Hioki in the semifinals of the tournament,. but Hioki sustained an injury along the way and so Kanehara was slotted into the final.

Kanehara went on to secure his top career victory over Norifumi “KID” Yamamoto at Dynamite!! on New Year’s Eve, but his first title defense in SRC in June was disastrous as Marlon Sandro took only 38 seconds to KO Kanehara and claim the belt. After losing his strap, Kanehara returned to ZST for a grappling bout against Emerson Azuma where he was victorious by leg lock in the closing seconds.