Author: Daniel Herbertson

Revised Featherweight and New Bantamweight Class for DREAM in 2011

Filed under: News, JapanDREAM Executive Producer Keiichi Sasahara announced post DREAM.15 that the featherweight limit will be revised and a new bantamweight division will be created for 2011. Sasahara reasoned that for fighters like Caol Uno who will …

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DREAM Executive Producer Keiichi Sasahara announced post DREAM.15 that the featherweight limit will be revised and a new bantamweight division will be created for 2011. Sasahara reasoned that for fighters like Caol Uno who will come down from lightweight, he would like to offer them some flexibility when choosing weight classes.

The official limits have not been decided yet but the bantamweight division will probably be contested at 60 kg (132 lb) or 61 kg (134.5) and the featherweight division should be raised to 65 kg (143 lb).

The decision to change the weight limits will have quite a few implications within DREAM and FEG. 63 kg featherweight champion Bibiano Fernandes has not yet been spoken to regarding the changes and Sasahara admitted that it is quite likely that he will be angry about it. Fernandes will need to decide what weight limit he will be moving to and a decision will be made regarding his title then.

DREAM.15: Aoki vs. Kawajiri Preview and Predictions

Filed under: DREAM, JapanA bout that has been in the making for years and the most important bout ever under the DREAM banner. On July 10 at DREAM.15 champion Shinya Aoki and challenger Tatsuya Kawajiri will meet in a lightweight title fight to decide …

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A bout that has been in the making for years and the most important bout ever under the DREAM banner. On July 10 at DREAM.15 champion Shinya Aoki and challenger Tatsuya Kawajiri will meet in a lightweight title fight to decide who will be Japan’s representative to the world.

Also Gegard Mousasi, Melvin Manhoef and Jake O’Brien will attempt to advance towards light-heavyweight gold, Gesias “JZ” Cavalcante will attempt to rebound against Katsunori Kikuno and Mitsuhiro Ishida and Michihiro Omigawa will return in featherweight action.

Below, a full breakdown of FEG’s latest effort with predictions so good, I like to call them pre-fight results.

Jake O’Brien Possibly Out Against Mousasi – Ricco Rodriguez In

Filed under: DREAM, News, JapanGegard Mousasi has often talked of fighting at heavyweight. Ricco Rodriguez has often talked of moving down to light-heavyweight. Now they might meet in the middle. Although Jake O’Brien was apparently only one kilogram o…

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Gegard Mousasi has often talked of fighting at heavyweight. Ricco Rodriguez has often talked of moving down to light-heavyweight. Now they might meet in the middle. Although Jake O’Brien was apparently only one kilogram over (2.2 lb) the 93 kg (205 lb) weight limit, Rodriguez is now saying via twitter that DREAM is now offering him Mousasi.

Only hours before Rodriguez’s tweet, MMAFighting.com asked the question to the former UFC heavyweight champion if he would be interested in taking a fight if offered one at this late stage.
“You know, who knows. If Jake O’Brien doesn’t make weight, who knows? Maybe me and Gegard will fight. I did everything, I cancelled other fights to come here, to get this opportunity with DREAM. I’m not going to mess it up, I believe that the loyalty I showed with DREAM will give me an opportunity to step up. I just don’t see them coming up with something at the last minute. But the reality is that they tried to find opponents for me. They tried to contact everybody they knew and every person turned it down.”

Gesias "JZ" Cavalcante: His Sword is My Sword

Filed under: DREAM, interview, Japan

Under the K-1 Hero’s banner Gesias “JZ” Cavalcante ran through some of the best competition in Japan with only one of his seven opponents even making it out of the first round. JZ was considered among the very best…

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Under the K-1 Hero’s banner Gesias “JZ” Cavalcante ran through some of the best competition in Japan with only one of his seven opponents even making it out of the first round. JZ was considered among the very best lightweights in the world. His run in DREAM though has left him with two losses, a no contest and he has been plagued with knee injuries. Now for the first time he claims to be back and injury free and at DREAM.15 will be facing one of the best young talents in Japan, Katsunori Kikuno.

Jake O’Brien Misses Weigh-In for DREAM.15

Filed under: DREAM, News, JapanDREAM Lightweight Champion Shinya Aoki and challenger Tatsuya Kawajiri both passed the weigh-ins today at an even 70 kg (154.3 lbs) ahead of tomorrow’s DREAM.15, to be held at Saitama Super Arena in Japan.

The pair had a…

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DREAM Lightweight Champion Shinya Aoki and challenger Tatsuya Kawajiri both passed the weigh-ins today at an even 70 kg (154.3 lbs) ahead of tomorrow’s DREAM.15, to be held at Saitama Super Arena in Japan.

The pair had an interesting back-and-forth when asked about seeing each other weigh-in the day before their fight.

“I don’t really like to take a look at men’s bodies, so I didn’t really look at him. He said he’ll surprise the fans. I’ll make sure ours will be a shocking fight,” Kawajiri said.

Aoki was noticeably more relaxed than the tense, hostile fighter we saw yesterday. “I like both men and women. His body is a nice body, and if we both fight with men’s spirit, we can have a fight that everyone wants to see.”

Jake O’Brien, who is set to face former DREAM and Strikeforce champion Gegard Mousasi, was notably absent from the weigh-ins as he was still cutting weight. O’Brien is set to weigh-in later today.

Keiichi Sasahara Explains Alistair Overeem’s Absence

Filed under: DREAM, News, JapanDREAM Executive Producer Keiichi Sasahara met with the press Thursday to attempt to clarify the on-again, off-again situation regarding Alistair Overeem’s participation at DREAM.15. Well, clarify is probably the wrong wor…

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DREAM Executive Producer Keiichi Sasahara met with the press Thursday to attempt to clarify the on-again, off-again situation regarding Alistair Overeem‘s participation at DREAM.15. Well, clarify is probably the wrong word.

“Towards the end of the negotiations, because of reasons that I am not able to tell you, although the two fighters agreed to fight, it happened that these fighters could not fight. It’s not because of money, but if the reasons are something that I cannot tell you then you might be able to guess what they would be. Because of that, we are not able to have these two fighters fight.”

Ricco Rodriguez was at no point mentioned by Sasahara as Overeem’s opponent. Instead, former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski was planned.

Sasahara’s full statement after the break.