After three straight losses in the UFC, Japanese fighter Yoshihiro Akiyama says he wants to drop down to welterweight for his next fight, and would like to debut at 170lbs in his home country when the UFC visits sometime in 2012.
Speaking to Sponichi.co.jp “Sexyama” broke the news of his intended weight drop as well as telling them that he hopes to move his camp to North America and train alongside of UFC welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre.
Despite three straight “Fight of the Night” bonuses, Akiyama was only able to go 1-3 in four Octagon appearances, suffering a tough knockout loss to Vitor Belfort in the first round of their August bout at UFC 133. The Japanese fighter would also lose to Michael Bisping at UFC 120 and to Chris Leben at UFC 116, while winning his debut at UFC 100 against Alan Belcher.
Before that string of losses, ‘Sexyama’ was on a fourteen fight undefeated streak going 12-0-2 from July of 2005 until July 2010.