Tag: Jose Aldo

Is the UFC Close to Signing Shooto and Sengoku Featherweight Champ Hatsu Hioki?

On Tuesday, the Shooto 143-pound Lightweight Champion Hatsu Hioki made waves by announcing that he was relinquishing his belt, starting rumors all over the mixed martial arts community that one of the consensus top-five featherweights in the world was …

On Tuesday, the Shooto 143-pound Lightweight Champion Hatsu Hioki made waves by announcing that he was relinquishing his belt, starting rumors all over the mixed martial arts community that one of the consensus top-five featherweights in the world was on his way to the UFC.

Along with the collapse of Sengoku, where Hioki reigns as its featherweight champion, it seems as if the path is soon to be clear for the Japanese superstar to make his way to the United States.

As per @thefightshow on Twitter,

“Hatsu Hioki will be in attendance at #UFC 131 in Vancouver on 06/11 according to @shuhirata.”

While he is still technically under contract with Sengoku, the promotion’s financial difficulties and impending doom mean his release and subsequent signing with the UFC should only be a matter of time.

There is no doubt that UFC featherweight matchmaker Sean Shelby is licking his lips at the possibility of bringing in Hioki to prop up one of the promotion’s shallower weight classes.

Hioki is a world-class fighter who has defeated the likes of Mark Hominick, Marlon Sandro and “Lion” Takeshi Inoue.

The 27-year old holds a career record of 24-4 and has lost only once in his past 14 fights, a tough split decision loss to fellow featherweight kingpin Michihiro Omigawa at Sengoku ’11.

Clearly, the UFC could use someone of his caliber to challenge its own featherweight champion, Jose Aldo, because right now there aren’t many contenders at 145 pounds.

According to Mauro Ranallo, the former Pride commentator and current voice of Strikeforce, Hioki isn’t far away from getting a shot at the UFC’s 145-pound title. When asked on Twitter where he thought Hioki stands in the current featherweight ladder and whether he would get an immediate shot at Aldo’s belt, @mauroranallo responded

“I think they want to introduce him first but he would be no more than a win over a contender away.”

Who could that contender be?

Chad Mendes, the UFC’s top guy outside Aldo as of this moment, just took a fight with Rani Yahya and so he’s booked.

Mark Hominick is on a medical suspension after his head almost exploded at the hands of Aldo during UFC 129. But since Hioki is being introduced at UFC 131, it could be that the UFC wants to set up a fight with someone competing that night, barring injury of course.

So it comes down to three names: Kenny Florian, Diego Nunes and Dustin Poirier.

Although Florian is making his 145-pound debut after competing as a middleweight, welterweight and lightweight during his UFC career, he is a recognizable name and the UFC would surely love for him to defeat the unknown Nunes and challenge Aldo for the belt.

But if Nunes wins, he’s probably next in line, and it wouldn’t make sense to give Hioki someone coming off a loss, which is why Poirier might make the most sense. He destroyed Josh Grispi at UFC 125 even though he was a heavy underdog and if he defeats Brit Jason Young at UFC 131, he needs to fight a top guy next. Cue Hioki.

Obviously, this is all speculation at this point. Hioki first needs to sign with the UFC and the two big featherweight fights at UFC 131 still need to occur first. But with Aldo recovering from a shoulder injury and getting ready for a fall return, the UFC needs to have a viable contender ready for him.

Whether it’s Florian, Nunes, Poirier, or even Hioki himself is not clear yet. What is clear, however, is that the UFC seems ready to bring in another top-ranked fighter, furthering its status as the premier mixed martial arts destination for not just North Americans, but for fighters from all around the world.

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Chad Mendes on Bypassing Wait for Jose Aldo Fight: ‘I Just Want to Compete’

Filed under: UFCFaced with what might be one of the toughest career decisions for a mixed martial artist, Chad Mendes wasted little time in coming to a decision. The unbeaten 26-year-old featherweight contender had already been mentioned as the likely …

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Faced with what might be one of the toughest career decisions for a mixed martial artist, Chad Mendes wasted little time in coming to a decision. The unbeaten 26-year-old featherweight contender had already been mentioned as the likely next opponent for division champion Jose Aldo. An August date had been mentioned as a possibility. Everything seemed to be lining up perfectly for his shot at gold. But then Aldo announced he wouldn’t be ready by August.

With the prospective Aldo match pushed back a month or two into the fall, Mendes (10-0) had two options: train and wait, or train and fight someone else. He chose the latter, putting his title opportunity in jeopardy. But on Tuesday’s edition of The MMA Hour, Mendes said it was not a particularly hard call to make for him and his team.

“We talked about it,” he said. “It definitely is something we were thinking about, but I want to compete. It’s frustrating to get in here and train 2-3 times a day hard, every day, and not have a light at the end of the tunnel, a fight to look forward to. That’s what motivates me. Getting that opponent, knowing who it is, watching tape on him, that’s what motivates me to get in and bust my butt every day. It’s frustrating not knowing, so like I said, I just want to compete.”

He acknowledged that the decision was made a bit easer by the fact that the bout was not yet official. Neither side had ever signed a contract. Still, Aldo-Mendes was clearly the intended direction of the promotion.

The would-be challenger said in addition to wanting to get a hard date for his next bout, he also prefers to give the champion proper time to heal rather than simply hoping he can make a proposed date.

“It’s something I wanted and it’s what I was pushing for, but overall if he’s injured, take as much time as you need,” he said. “I’d rather fight the best Jose Aldo there is and have no excuses.

“I love to fight,” he continued. “I want to get in there and compete. I didn’t want to wait 8-9 months if he wasn’t going to fight. So I decided to go with Rani Yahya, a for-sure fight. I had the contract in front of me, so I took it.”

Mendes’ bout with Yahya will take place at UFC 133 on August 6 — the same date he would have faced Aldo. The former WEC star won his UFC debut in February with a unanimous decision over Michihiro Omigawa, making it a perfect 5-for-5 in Zuffa-promoted bouts.

Yahya (16-6) is a very different fighter from Aldo. While the champion Aldo is all fast-twitch muscle, a wiry, powerful striker with capable takedowns, Yahya is a submission specialist who has 14 wins via tapout. In his last bout, he defeated former champ Mike Brown via decision.

Before that, though, Yahya had lost two in a row. The Brown fight marked his return to featherweight, and Mendes feels it’s a better weight class for him, as evidenced by the way he controlled Brown.

“I think 145 is his more natural weight,” he said. “You can tell he feels a lot better. He dominated Brown, and Brown’s a strong wrestler. It looked like he just overpowered him. I’m not looking past the guy at all.”

Given Yahya’s jiu-jitsu pedigree, this could be the type of match where Mendes uses his wrestling in reverse, to keep the fight standing where he feels he has an edge. Even though Mendes admits his standup is “probably the weakest part” of his game, he adds that it’s not weak at all, simply suffering in comparison to other aspects. He adds that he has no qualms in taking the fight to the ground against a dangerous submission specialist.

A win would make him 11-0, and he hopes that the sum total of all this will be the same payoff he was originally supposed to get: a matchup with Aldo.

“Honestly, it’s not something that’s been told to me by anyone important,” he said. “I’m hoping that’s what’s going to happen. I honestly believe that’s what I deserve. I feel like I’ve proven myself and if I beat Yahya, that’s just another step to the title. So like I said, no one’s told me, but let’s keep our fingers crossed. “

 

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Hioki Relinquishes Shooto Belt; Likely UFC-Bound

(Video courtesy of YouTube/EskriMMA)

Shooto featherweight champion Hatsu Hioki announced today that he has relinquished his belt and that he is moving on from the Japanese promotion in search of other challenges.

“At this time, I’ve returned the Shooto world lightweight title,” Hioki told Sherdog.com via email. “There is a pride in wearing the Shooto world title, but I think that, in the near future, I would like to challenge a new stage of pride.”

According to Sherdog, the popular 24-4-2 fighter, who holds a pair of wins over UFC featherweight contender Mark Hominick as well as one a piece over Takeshi “Lion” Inoue and Marlon Sandro, is being flown in to Vancouver, BC to attend UFC 131. I think we can all connect the dots on where he’s fighting next.


(Video courtesy of YouTube/EskriMMA)

Shooto featherweight champion Hatsu Hioki announced today that he has relinquished his belt and that he is moving on from the Japanese promotion in search of other challenges.

“At this time, I’ve returned the Shooto world lightweight title,” Hioki told Sherdog.com via email. “There is a pride in wearing the Shooto world title, but I think that, in the near future, I would like to challenge a new stage of pride.”

According to Sherdog, the popular 24-4-2 fighter, who holds a pair of wins over UFC featherweight contender Mark Hominick as well as one a piece over Takeshi “Lion” Inoue and Marlon Sandro, is being flown in to Vancouver, BC to attend UFC 131. I think we can all connect the dots on where he’s fighting next.

Unless he’s just a huge fan of Nick Ring or fellow countryman Michihiro Omigawa and we’re just reading into this all wrong, Hioki will be a welcome addition to the UFC’s somewhat vapid 145-pound class. When you scratch beneath the surface of plausible threats to champ Jose Aldo’s strap like Hominick, Chad Mendes, Josh Grispi and Dustin Poirier, there are really no other viable contenders waiting in the wings. “Shooto no Ko” will provide the division with a much needed spark.

Hump Day Headlines with Stephanie Ann Cook

Chad Mendes not waiting for title shot against Jose Aldo. Will face Rani Yahya at UFC 134. Joseph Benavidez vs. Eddie Wineland set for UFC on Versus 5. Dana White says neither Jon Jones vs..

Chad Mendes not waiting for title shot against Jose Aldo. Will face Rani Yahya at UFC 134.

Joseph Benavidez vs. Eddie Wineland set for UFC on Versus 5.

Dana White says neither Jon Jones vs. Rampage Jackson or Georges St. Pierre vs. Nick Diaz are done deals, also says rumored details of the meeting with Diaz was bullsh*t.

Zuffa reportedly purchased Strikeforce for $40 million.

Dana White says Brock Lesnar has an appointment at the Mayo Clinic tomorrow and make some decisions on his future.

Watch UFC 130 Pre-Fight Press Conference coverage: here.

Yahya Steps in for Aldo to Face Mendes at UFC 133 August 6 in Philadelphia

(“Get a load of this guy. He calls himself ‘Money.'”)

The UFC moved swiftly to find a replacement opponent for number one UFC featherweight contender Chad Mendes when 145-pound champ Jose Aldo bowed out of a planned late summer match-up with the 26-year-old Hanford, California native earlier in the week. According to MMAJunkie, the promotion has inked Rani Yahya to face Mendes at UFC 133 August 6 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

(“Get a load of this guy. He calls himself ‘Money.’”)

The UFC moved swiftly to find a replacement opponent for number one UFC featherweight contender Chad Mendes when 145-pound champ Jose Aldo bowed out of a planned late summer match-up with the 26-year-old Hanford, California native earlier in the week. According to MMAJunkie, the promotion has inked Rani Yahya to face Mendes at UFC 133 August 6 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

According to Aldo, contrary to a Heavy.com report, he did not injure himself since his fight with Mark Hominick in April, but he is dealing with lingering nagging injuries that are going to take some time and rest to heal. As such, he was instructed by his doctor to take the time to heal up and take care of his afflictions before stepping back into the Octagon in the Fall.

News of the Mendes-Yahya pairing was first reported by MMAJunkie.com.

The fight could prove a huge opportunity for Yahya, an accomplished grappler who holds wins over Hominick and former WEC featherweight champions Mike Brown and Eddie Wineland. With guys like Josh Grispi and Dustin Poirier already booked for fights, Yahya was the next man down on the list who wasn’t already spoken for.

Mark Hominick was another fighter who was being considered, but considering he is still under a medical suspension in Canada from his UFC 129 war with Aldo and the fact that he and his wife had their first baby two weeks ago, he’s likely taking a much deserved vacation.

Yahya Steps in for Aldo to Face Mendes at UFC 133 August 6 in Philadelphia

(“Get a load of this guy. He calls himself ‘Money.'”)

The UFC moved swiftly to find a replacement opponent for number one UFC featherweight contender Chad Mendes when 145-pound champ Jose Aldo bowed out of a planned late summer match-up with the 26-year-old Hanford, California native earlier in the week. According to MMAJunkie, the promotion has inked Rani Yahya to face Mendes at UFC 133 August 6 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

(“Get a load of this guy. He calls himself ‘Money.’”)

The UFC moved swiftly to find a replacement opponent for number one UFC featherweight contender Chad Mendes when 145-pound champ Jose Aldo bowed out of a planned late summer match-up with the 26-year-old Hanford, California native earlier in the week. According to MMAJunkie, the promotion has inked Rani Yahya to face Mendes at UFC 133 August 6 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

According to Aldo, contrary to a Heavy.com report, he did not injure himself since his fight with Mark Hominick in April, but he is dealing with lingering nagging injuries that are going to take some time and rest to heal. As such, he was instructed by his doctor to take the time to heal up and take care of his afflictions before stepping back into the Octagon in the Fall.

News of the Mendes-Yahya pairing was first reported by MMAJunkie.com.

The fight could prove a huge opportunity for Yahya, an accomplished grappler who holds wins over Hominick and former WEC featherweight champions Mike Brown and Eddie Wineland. With guys like Josh Grispi and Dustin Poirier already booked for fights, Yahya was the next man down on the list who wasn’t already spoken for.

Mark Hominick was another fighter who was being considered, but considering he is still under a medical suspension in Canada from his UFC 129 war with Aldo and the fact that he and his wife had their first baby two weeks ago, he’s likely taking a much deserved vacation.