Archive for the ‘DREAM’ Category

Jun
12/13

DEEP Cage Impact 2013 Preview: Choi Finally UFC Bound?

Last Updated on Wednesday, 12 June 2013 05:20
Written by BabaluJack
Wednesday, June 12th, 2013

DEEP will make history this Saturday as they present Cage Impact 2013 in Korakuen Hall, the first time the historic venue has hosted a caged MMA event. The card is stacked with familiar faces, rising stars and some potentially violent match-ups.

Korean prospect Doo Ho Choi headlines the event, he will take on former Lightweight King Of Pancrase Shoji Maruyama in a featherweight bout that is not expected to go the distance. Since his knockout win over former DEEP lightweight champ Nobuhiro Obiya in 2011, Choi has become one hottest prospects in the Japanese circuit, and he is only 22 years old. For the past two years, fans have watched him obliterate the likes of Mitsuhiro Ishida, Kosuke Umeda and Tatsunao Nagakura. It is no secret that Zuffa have been keeping their eye on the Korean featherweight, and if the rumors are true he will be UFC bound this year, so its pretty handy that this bout takes inside a cage. Maruyama, who is coming off a decision loss to featherweight champ Kazunori Yokota, is clearly the underdog here, despite being the more experienced fighter. However, he is never afraid of a brawl and will happily engage with Choi on the feet and a win over the 22 year old would be the biggest of Shoji’s career.

The co-main event has violence written all over it, ‘Mr DEEP’ Ryuta Sakurai will take on Yuji Sakuragi in a middleweight contest. Sakurai, a former middleweight champion, is coming off a win over Hiromitsu Kanehara last December and he will be hoping a win gets him a rematch with current middleweight champion Kazuhiro Nakamura. Sakuragi meanwhile will look bounce back from a defeat to Daiju Takase in December.

Kasuya Toida fought his last MMA fight this past April, the Shooto veteran announced his retirement straight after his decision loss to Seiji Akao. DEEP will hold a retirement ceremony for 36 year old submission specialist which will feature Toida facing Masakazu Imanari in an exhibition bout.

Elsewhere on the card sees the return of DEEP featheweight champion Kazunori Yokota and former lightweight Champion Katsunori Kikuno. Yokota will take on the unknown Kim OonKyeom while Kikuno takes on veteran Jutaro Nakao.

The other bout worth noting is a bantamweight affair between Yoshiki Harada and Koichi Ishizuka. DEEP boss Shigeru Saeki has raised the stakes in this one, whoever knocks their opponent within 30 seconds will take away 300,000 Yen.

Posted under DEEP, DREAM, Pancrase, Shooto, UFC |

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Jun
02/13

Former DREAM execs to host event in 2013?

Last Updated on Sunday, 2 June 2013 10:33
Written by admin
Sunday, June 2nd, 2013

Get the rumor mill roaring because another one has floated our way.

Earlier this year, we had been told that former DREAM staff had left GLORY after their one off event for New Years Eve. The plan was to put together a DREAM type show sometime in July. That has yet to pan out.

The newest bit of news coming out of Japan is that former DREAM execs plan to do a show sometime this fall. While no confirmation has been made as of writing, September seems to be the most likely month for the show to take place.

Since DREAM fizzled, the men in charge have all gone their own ways. With that said, it seems likely that there is at least “talk” of an event in 2013 under a yet to be named banner.

Vale Tudo Japan is doing a great job filling the void for DREAM. After a wonderful event this past December, their summer show is panning out to be even more spectacular.

Posted under DREAM |

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May
27/13

Mamoru, Takaya, Tokoro And Uno Confirmed For VTJ 2nd + VTJ 3rd Set For October

Last Updated on Monday, 27 May 2013 07:53
Written by BabaluJack
Monday, May 27th, 2013

Big news coming out of Vale Tudo Japan as four more bouts have announced for VTJ 2nd which will take place on June 22nd. The event will once again put three of Japan’s finest up against a trio of young, promising American competition, desperate to make a name for themselves.

DREAM Featherweight Champion Hiroyuki Takaya will take on “The Doomsday Prophet” Daniel Romero. Takaya will look to get back into winning ways in this fight, you may remember his decision loss to Georgi Karakhanyan at DREAM 18. Outside of MMA competion, Takaya competed in Shootboxing back in April but ended being dominated by Hiroki Shishido, who took the decision victory. Romero is 22 years old and holds an 7-4 record, this is undoubtedly the biggest match-up of his young career.

Fan favorite Hideo Tokoro makes his return to Vale Tudo Japan. The DREAM Bantamweight Japan GP winner was last seen knocking out the legendary Rumina Sato in quick fashion back at VTJ 1st last December. He will take on the Dragon House Flyweight Champion Taylor McCorriston.

MMA legend Caol Uno will make his return to the cage as he takes on Strikeforce and Tachi Palace Fights veteran Anthony Avila. Uno is fresh off his submission victory over Kyu Hwa Kim back in March but this will be a tough fight for the 38 year old veteran. Team Alpha Male’s Avila holds an 11-1 record, that one loss coming in only his second fight, he has choked out four of his last five opponents.

Finally, former Shooto Bantamweight and Flyweight Champion Mamoru Yamaguchi will face off against current Shooto 115-pound champion, Mikihito Yamagami.

Vale Tudo Japan also announced VTJ 3rd, which is set to take place October 5th at the Ota Ward Gymnasium.

Posted under DREAM, Shootboxing, Shooto |

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May
24/13

Video Highlight – The Best Of Masanori Kanehara

Last Updated on Friday, 24 May 2013 03:15
Written by BabaluJack
Friday, May 24th, 2013

Posted under DEEP, DREAM, Pancrase, UFC |

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May
14/13

Omigawa Enters ROAD FC Featherweight Tournament

Last Updated on Tuesday, 14 May 2013 08:02
Written by BabaluJack
Tuesday, May 14th, 2013

Michihiro Omigawa is set to compete in the ROAD FC Featherweight Tournament which will take place at ROAD FC 12 on June 22nd.

The 37 year Judoka is 1-5 in his last six bouts, which include a second difficult stint in the UFC and decision loss to Tatsuya Kawajiri last New Year’s Eve at DREAM 18. Omigawa will look to repeat the success he had in the Sengoku Featherweight Grand Prix back in 2009, where, to surprise of many, he reached the finals of tournament, defeating the likes of Marlon Sandro, LC Davis and Nam Phan in the process, he would lose out to Masanori Kanehara in the finals but solidified himself as one of the best featherweights in Japan.

Also competing in the tournament is DEEP veteran Kosuke Umeda. The 42 year old, fighting out of R-Blood, holds a 13-12-3 record, including a win over Won Sik “Parky” Park.

Posted under DEEP, DREAM, RoadFC, UFC |

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May
13/13

Kikuno vs Nakao Confirmed For DEEP Cage Impact

Last Updated on Thursday, 23 May 2013 10:31
Written by BabaluJack
Monday, May 13th, 2013

Former DEEP Lightweight champ, Katsunori Kikuno will take on veteran Jutaro Nakao in a lightweight clash at DEEP Cage Impact at Korakuen Hall in June.

Since losing to Satoru Kitaoka last June, the Kyokushin Karate expert Kikuno has won his last three fights, including two quick knockouts of Takafumi Ito and Luiz Andrade I. Nakao, a 17 year veteran, has fought for the UFC, PRIDE and Shooto. In 2004, he became DEEP’s inaugural Welterweight Champion after winning a 8 man tournament, which saw Nakao knockout Shinya Aoki and Daisuke Nakamura. At 42 years of age, Nakao is at the tail end of his career but that is not stopping him from taking on elite competition like Kikuno.

Posted under DEEP, DREAM, Shooto, UFC |

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Apr
25/13

OneFC makes Shukan Gendai in Japan

Last Updated on Thursday, 25 April 2013 09:54
Written by admin
Thursday, April 25th, 2013

OneFC in a recent issue of Shukan Gendai. Click the image for a FULL SIZE view.

One of the larger media outlets, Shukan Gendai, published a full page article regarding Asia’s largest mixed martial arts promotion recently.

The article highlighted OneFC’s rise and their two biggest Japanese fighters, Shinya Aoki and Kotetsu Boku.

The promotion seems to be making a very valiant effort in reeducated the Japanese public, showing them that mixed martial arts does not have to be in bed with organized crime to be fulfilling and successful. Both Zuffa and OneFC are the only two promotions outside of the country that have expressed any interest, with Zuffa holding two shows in two years at the Saitama Super Arena.

No concrete dates were set regarding OneFC dropping into Japan, but our guess is it is something you can plan on in the future. As they continue to roll through Asia, OneFC is utilizing the media in each and every country, trying to educate the least likely of fan. This is a very smart tactic, one that will likely lead to added viewership and spur interest in the respective countries.

Posted under DREAM, OneFC |

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Archive for the ‘DREAM’ Category

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