By now ya’ll know that Hioki has some prime wins under his belt (something you can’t always say about fighters competing on the other side of the Pacific), including Mark Hominick (twice) and an upset over Marlon Sandro for the Sengoku featherweight strap. Hioki hit a rough stretch in 2007, dropping consecutive decisions under the Shooto banner, but he hasn’t really lost since if you don’t count the decision loss to Michihiro Omigawa that the judges hung on him–and we don’t.
By now ya’ll know that Hioki has some prime wins under his belt (something you can’t always say about fighters competing on the other side of the Pacific), including Mark Hominick (twice) and an upset over Marlon Sandro for the Sengoku featherweight strap. Hioki hit a rough stretch in 2007, dropping consecutive decisions under the Shooto banner, but he hasn’t really lost since if you don’t count the decision loss to Michihiro Omigawa that the judges hung on him–and we don’t.
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.
Filed under: Results, JapanIf Shooto’s 2010 Rookie Tournament Finals are any indication, Japan has a bright future in MMA as the newcomers put on one of the events of the year at Shinjuku Face in Tokyo on Saturday. The sports oldest promotion crowned c…
If Shooto‘s 2010 Rookie Tournament Finals are any indication, Japan has a bright future in MMA as the newcomers put on one of the events of the year at Shinjuku Face in Tokyo on Saturday. The sports oldest promotion crowned champions in six divisions including rookie MVP and Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto teammate Kyoji Horiguchi.
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…
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.
If 
Shooting Disco 13 offered a glimpse of the future as a host of 2010 Amateur