4/16 DEEP 41 - RESULTS

An action packed event in Korakuen Hall earlier today. The main event was for the DEEP lightweight title between Katsunori Kikuno and Koichiro Matsumoto. Alliance's Kikuno won a decisive victory by KO.

Kazuyuki Miyata returned to the ring and also won got a good win in his fight.

The female fight of the night lasted only 21 seconds, a front kick and knees to the body secured the win for the DEEP female lightweight champion.

Main-Event - Lightweight Title Fight:
11. Katsunori Kikuno Def. Koichiro Matsumoto by KO Round 1 4:32

10. Miku Matsumoto Def. Nicdali "The Nightqueen" Calanic by TKO Round 1 0:21
9. Kazuyuki Miyata Def. Jae Hyun So by Guillotine choke Round 1 2:31
8. Ryuki Ueyama Def. Kousei Kubota by Decision 3-0
7. Hiromitsu Kanehara Def. Kenji Nagai by TKO Round 2 3:02
6. Yuji Sakurai Def. Minoru Kato by KO Round 2 0:59
5. Toshiaki Kitada Def. Joe Taimanglo by Guillotine choke Round 1 1:29
4. Seigo Mizuguchi Def. WakaArashi by necklock Round 1 0:19
3. Tomoya Miyashita Def. Crazy Hiru by Spinning choke Round 1 2:39
2. Baek Won Sik (?) Def. Naoki Matsushita by TKO (doctor stop) Round 1 3:59

Opening Fight:
1. Yasuhiro Kawasaki Def. Shun Yagi (?) by TKO Round 1 3:02

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4/16 DEEP 41 - Fight Order

It will be a very interesting event in Korakuen Hall on Thursday. For me, I am looking forward to seeing Miyata returning to the ring, but there are other very good fights on the card.

The main event is the DEEP lightweight title fight, fighting for the vacant title are Katsunori Kikuno and Kichiro Matsumoto. It should be a very good fight.

The female fight on the card is between DEEP champion Miku Matsumoto, who is taking on Nicdali Calanic. The Japanese media has had a bit of focus on this fight, and I expect it to be a good fight for the fans of female MMA.

To get you a bit more excited about the event GoForkYouself have put together this preview of this event:



Main-Event - Lightweight Title Fight:
11. Katsunori Kikuno 10-1-1 vs. 7-1-0 Koichiro Matsumoto

10. Miku Matsumoto vs. 5-2-0 Nicdali "The Nightqueen" Calanic
9. Kazuyuki Miyata 5-7-0 vs. 2-5-0 Jae Hyun So
8. Ryuki Ueyama 9-11-4 vs. 24-29-10 Kousei Kubota
7. Hiromitsu Kanehara 16-22-1 vs. 5-7-2 Kenji Nagai
6. Yuji Sakurai 9-14-1 vs. 2-6-1 Minoru Kato
5. Toshiaki Kitada 7-4-2 vs. 5-3-0 Joe Taimanglo
4. Seigo Mizuguchi 4-4-0 vs. 2-3-0 WakaArashi
3. Tomoya Miyashita 9-5-5 vs. Crazy Hiru
2. Naoki Matsushita 9-10-9 vs. Baek Won Sik (?)

Opening Fight:
1. Yasuhiro Kawasaki 1-0-1 vs. Shun Yagi (?)

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4/16 DEEP 41 - Fights Added

DEEP have announced 3 more fights for their DEEP 41 card, and the card should be close to final now.

The most interesting addition is the fight between Toshiaki Kitada and Joe Taimanglo. Taimanglo is following the trend of exchanges between Japanese organizations and PXC, the Guam based organization.

Also added is Kenji Nagai to face Hiromitsu Kanehara and Crazy Hiru to face Tomoya Miyashita.

Crazy Hiru is a fighter I know from Shoot Boxing and it will be interesting to see how he does in DEEP. I am not sure that this is his MMA debut, as Crazy Hiru is obviously not his real name...

Added:
Hiromitsu Kanehara 16-22-1 vs. 5-7-2 Kenji Nagai
Toshiaki Kitada 7-4-2 vs. 5-3-0 Joe Taimanglo
Tomoya Miyashita 9-5-5 vs. Crazy Hiru

Previously Announced:
Lightweight Title Fight:
Katsunori Kikuno 10-1-1 vs. 7-1-0 Koichiro Matsumoto

Miku Matsumoto vs. 5-2-0 Nicdali "The Nightqueen" Calanic
Ryuki Ueyama 9-11-4 vs. 24-29-10 Kousei Kubota
Yuji Sakurai 9-14-1 vs. 2-6-1 Minoru Kato
Seigo Mizuguchi 4-4-0 vs. 2-3-0 Waka Arash
Kazuyuki Miyata 5-7-0 vs. 2-5-0 Jae Hyun So
Naoki Matsushita 9-10-9 vs. Baek Won Sik (?)

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4/16 DEEP 41 - Miyata Returns!

Saeki has announced that Kazuyuki Miyata is set to make his return at DEEP 41 taking place in Korakuen Hall April 16. Miyata has not fought since his loss in the DREAM lightweight tournament last year. It is over a year since Miyata lost to Luiz "Buscape" Firmino. Since then, he has opened his own gym.

He is taking on the very young (20) Jae Hyun So, in a fight neither fighter wants to lose. Jae Hyun So is a veterean of Korean organization Spirit MC, and though his record is not good there are lots of Korean fighters coming up.

Miyata promised me to go for a KO in his next fight, he has been working hard on his striking so look for an even more agressive Miyata to enter the ring this time! This fight will be at 67kg, and Miyata is hoping to get down to featherweight at 65kg.

Also announced is the fight between Naoki Matsuchita and Korean Baek Won Sik (?)

Kazuyuki Miyata 5-7-0 vs. 2-5-0 Jae Hyun So
Naoki Matsushita 9-10-9 vs. Baek Won Sik (?)

Previously Announced:
Lightweight Title Fight:
Katsunori Kikuno 10-1-1 vs. 7-1-0 Koichiro Matsumoto

Miku Matsumoto vs. 5-2-0 Nicdali "The Nightqueen" Calanic
Ryuki Ueyama 9-11-4 vs. 24-29-10 Kousei Kubota
Yuji Sakurai 9-14-1 vs. 2-6-1 Minoru Kato
Seigo Mizuguchi 4-4-0 vs. 2-3-0 Waka Arash

Participants:
Hiromitsu Kanehara 16-22-1
Toshiaki Kitada 7-4-2
Tomoya Miyashita 9-5-5

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4/16 DEEP 41 - Fights Announced

Deep 41 should be another good DEEP event. It was announced yesterday that DEEP 52kg champion Miku Matsumoto will take on an American fighter in Nicdali Calanic. Japanese media is very interested in this fight, despite it being a non-title fight. Miku is on a 9 fight winning streak and have also done well in Shoot Boxing lately.

There is also a lightweight title fight announced, the new champion will be deceided between Katsunori Kikuno and Koichiro Matsumoto. These are 2 fighters that have been in great shape lately, and it should be a good fight.

Announced as a participant is Hiromitsu Kanehara, the veteran of Pancrase, Pride and Rings will be making his DEEP debut. And he will be hungry, having only won 1 of his last 15(!) fights.

I am also hearing rumors of a big name Japanese fighter maybe being added to this card.

Announced:
Lightweight Title Fight:
Katsunori Kikuno 10-1-1 vs. 7-1-0 Koichiro Matsumoto

Miku Matsumoto vs. 5-2-0 Nicdali "The Nightqueen" Calanic
Ryuki Ueyama 9-11-4 vs. 24-29-10 Kousei Kubota
Yuji Sakurai 9-14-1 vs. 2-6-1 Minoru Kato
Seigo Mizuguchi 4-4-0 vs. 2-3-0 Waka Arashi

Participants:
Hiromitsu Kanehara 16-22-1
Toshiaki Kitada 7-4-2
Tomoya Miyashita 9-5-5

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2/1 Pancrase Changing Tour 1 - Fights Announced!

Pancrase was IMO one of the most improved promotions last year. They will hold their first event of 2009 February 1 in Differ Ariake and they are looking to continue their momentum.

Pancrase have confirmed an opponent for their veteran Takafumi Ito. Ito has fought every year (except 2000) since his Pancrase debut 14 (!) years ago, and all except 2 of his 71 fights have been in Pancrase. This time he is taking on a new comer in "AB", last year's Neo-Blood tournament finalist. "AB" has had a very hard Pancrase career so far, being fed to some of the best talent around, so don't pay too much attention to his record. I really hope he gets to show something in this fight.

Added:
Feather: Masaya Takita "J-Taro" 9-10-2 vs. 19-4-0 Jameel "The Sargent" Massouh
Fly: Takuya Eizumi 3-1-0 vs. 3-4-0 Tokuaki Ninomiya
Welter: Shingo Suzuki 1-0-0 vs. 5-3-0 "Strasser" Kiichi Kunimoto
Light: Takafumi Ito 34-27-10 vs. 0-2-0 Hiroki "AB" Aoki

Previously Announced:
Feather: Kenji Arai 13-12-2 vs. 10-5-5 Masanori Kanehara
Welter: Asaki Honda 4-3-1 vs. 24-28-10 Kousei Kubota
Middle: Ryuji Ohori 3-3-0 vs. 7-5-4 Takenori Sato

Participating:
Katsuya Inoue 17-6-3

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2/1 Pancrase Changing Tour 1 - First Fights Announced!

Pancrase have announced the first 3 fights for their Changing Tour debut. ZST standout, Masanori Kanehara will be making his Pancrase debut against Kenji Arai. Arai had an ok 2008, and will be looking to improve in 2009. He starts the year ranked #3 and his goal would be to get the title.

Also added is the welterweight bout between Asaki Honda and Kousei Kubota. Honda went 0-2 (lost to the finalists in the welterweight tournament) in 2008, he will be looking to start 2009 off with a win! Kubota returns to Pancrase after 5 years fighting mainly in DEEP. He is an experienced competitor that seems to have been around much longer than his 31 years would suggest, he made his Pancrase debut in 1997. Also added is the middleweight fight between Ryuji Ohori and Takenori Sato.

Lets hope Pancrase is able to start 2009 on the same note they left 2008, the last few events have really been good!

Announced:
Feather: Kenji Arai 13-12-2 vs. 10-5-5 Masanori Kanehara
Welter: Asaki Honda 4-3-1 vs. 24-28-10 Kousei Kubota
Middle: Ryuji Ohori 3-3-0 vs. 7-5-4 Takenori Sato

Participating:
Takafumi Ito 34-27-10
Yuichi Ikari 10-5-3

The event will be held in Differ Ariake. This event will have some Neo-Blood Tournament fights, that means an early start, 14:30. The main card will start at 17:00.

Ticket Prices:
SS: 10,000円
A: 8,000円
B: 6,000円
C: 5,000円

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