7/10 DREAM 15 - JZ Calvan vs. Kikuno Announced

FEG have announced 2 additional fights for DREAM 15 to take place in Saitama Superarena on July 10. Returning is HEROs champion JZ Calvan, who will take on DEEP chamption Katsunori Kikuno. Sherdog's Tony Loiseleur made this interview with the DEEP champion (well worth a read).

FEG also announced a light-heavyweight fight, the very popular Melvin Manhoef will take on Tatsuya Mizuno.

At DREAM 14 FEG announced what will most likely be the main event as two of Japan's favorite fighters will battle for the title. Tatsuya Kawajiri will challenge for Shinya Aoki's belt.

Lightweight Dream title fight:
Shinya Aoki vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri

Light: JZ Calvan vs. Katsunori Kikuno
Light-Heavy: Melvin Manhoef vs. Tatsuya Mizuno

Discuss in the FORUM

Read more...

4/29 DEEP M-1 Challenge Japan

The M-1 Challenge has gained in popularity, and last year's event in Korakuen Hall was very good. This year the event is being held in Differ Ariake, and it looks like it should be a very good event.

The Japanese team is taking on the UK, and it should be a very competitive battle. The stars on the Japanese team are Hidehiko Hasegawa, Riki Fukuda and Yusuke Kawaguchi.

I have had some problems finding the fight record for some of these fighters, but there are some very good talents in here. There will also be some superfights and opening fights at this event. But just with the M-1 challenge fights there are 15 fights, this should be very good value ticket.

Japan vs UK
70kg: Luiz Andrada 8-6-3 vs. 6-7-0 Ian "M-16" Butlin
76kg: Hidehiko Hasegawa 16-11-5 vs. 6-2-0 Simon Phillips
84kg: Riki Fukuda 13-4-0 vs. 10-7-0 Matt Thorpe
92kg: Tatsuya Mizuno 5-4-0 vs. 7-6-0 Tom Blackledge
Over 92kg: Yusuke Kawaguchi 8-0-0 vs. 8-4-1 Rob Broughton

USA Team West vs Korea
70kg: David Jansen 9-0-0 vs. 8-1-0 Nam Yuichul
76kg: Fabio Negao 8-4-0 vs. 7-3-0 Myeon Ho Bae
84kg: Giva Santana 11-1-0 vs. 4-7-0 Min Suk Heo
92kg: Raphael Davis 5-1-0 vs 12-6-0 Jae Young Kim
Over 92kg: Shane Del Rosario 5-0-0 vs. 11-6-0 Lee Sang Soo

France vs Spain
70kg: Maktar Gueye 4-3-0 vs. 3-2-0 Jose Luiz Zapater Aguirre
76kg: Farouk Lakebir 2-3-0 vs. 8-1-0 Jose Beltran
84kg: Christophe Daffreville 2-3-0 vs. Rayco Zebenzui Romero Silva
92kg: Christian M'Pumbu 11-2-1 vs. 2-0-0 Enoc Solves
Soufian Elgarne vs. 5-1-0 Rogent Lloret

Read more...

7/17 DEEP/M-1 - Challenge 5 - RESULTS

I went out to M-1 Challenge today and it was a lot of fun! I really enjoyed the fights, in particular Nakamura vs. Cristea was very entertaning! How Cristea managed to get out of that many arm-bars is beyond me, but is was a lot of fun to watch. Unfortunately, he lost a decision but I was impressed!

Otherwise all the teams performed great! Of course, I expected the Japanese to win at home, but they were crushed by a very good Dutch team!!!

***UPDATE***
It was not Mike Hayakawa that fought in this event... It was "Mike" from Blue Dog Gym... "Mike" Hayakawa is fighting in Shooto tonight.

The other results:

Superfight: Tatsuya Mizuno Def. Yoshiyuki Nakanishi by KO round 1 4:13

Japan vs. Nederlands: +93kg: Jessie Gibson Def. Katsuhisa Fujii by KO round 1 1:34
Japan vs. Nederlands: 93kg: Kamil Uygun Def. Yuji Sakuragi TKO Round 1 (well placed knee)
Japan vs. Nederlands: 84kg: Jason Jones Def. Yuta Watanabe by TKO round 2 2:03
Japan vs. Nederlands: 76kg: Romano delos Reyes Def. Ken Hamamura by decision 2-0
Japan vs. Nederlands: 70kg: Daisuke Nakamura Def. Bogdan Cristea by Decision 3-0

Super-fight: Yuki Ito Def. Takaaki Aoki by decision 2-0
Super-fight: Seigo Inoue Def. "Mike" by decision 2-0

France Vs. USA: +93kg: Malick Ndiaye Def. James Jack by Key-lock Round 1 3:54
France Vs. USA: 93kg: Christian Mpumbu Ndjoku Def. Barry Guerin by TKO Round 1 0:32
France Vs. USA: 84kg: Karl Amoussou Def. Mike Dolce by TKO round 2 0:41
France Vs. USA: 76kg: Jake Ellenberger Def. Farouk Lakebir by decision 2-0
France Vs. USA: 70kg: Keith Perrigon Def. Samuel Judes by TKO Round 1 3:16

Read more...

7/17 DEEP/M-1 - Challenge 5

Tomorrow M-1 Challenge 5 kicks off my long weekend packed with MMA. I cant wait! There has been a couple of changes since I first posted the card, so here is what it looks like now.

This should be a good event, there are 13 fights on the card and that should be enough for some solid entertainment.

The fight-order is announced:

13. Main-Event: Superfight: Tatsuya Mizuno 3-3-0 vs. 3-0-0Yoshiyuki Nakanishi

12. Japan vs. Nederlands: +93kg: Katsuhisa Fujii 8-14-1 vs. 4-1-0 Jessie Gibson
11. Japan vs. Nederlands: 93kg: Yuji Sakuragi 9-11-1 vs. 4-2-0 Kamil Uygun
10. Japan vs. Nederlands: 84kg: Yuta Watanabe 8-1-3 vs. 4-3-0 Jason Jones
9. Japan vs. Nederlands: 76kg: Ken Hamamura 14-4-4 vs. 7-5-0 Romano delos Reyes
8. Japan vs. Nederlands: 70kg: Daisuke Nakamura 14-9-0 vs.4-2-1 Bogdan Cristea

7. Super-fight: Yuki Ito 6-2-3 vs. 4-3-0 Takaaki Aoki
6. Super-fight: Seigo Inoue 3-3-1 vs. 1-3-2 Nobuhiro "Mike" Hayakawa

5. France Vs. USA: +93kg: Malick Ndiaye 1-1-0 vs. 2-1-0 James Jack
4. France Vs. USA: 93kg: Christian Mpumbu Ndjoku vs. 5-0-0 Bryan Harper
3. France Vs. USA: 84kg: Karl Amoussou 6-1-1 vs. 3-4-0 Mike Dolce
2. France Vs. USA: 76kg: Farouk Lakebir 2-0-0 vs. 17-4-0 Jake Ellenberger
1. France Vs. USA: 70kg: Samuel Judes 2-1-0 vs. 1-0-0 Keith Perrigon

Read more...

3/15 DREAM - Mirko has opponent, DREAM has rules

Mirko's opponent for his return to Japan is Tatsuya Mizuno. Mizuno is a Pancrase fighter in a very thin Pancrase Heavyweight division. The best fighter he has fought to date is Assuerio Silva, he lost by TKO in round 2. None of his fights to date has gone the distance, and I am willing to bet that this one won't go the distance either.

Also, DREAM has announced that they will have 10 minutes first round, followed by 5 min. second round.
-No kicking a downed opponent, which means, soccer-kicks are not allowed.
-In case of No Contest, the fighter who can continue will go through to the next round, if neither fighter is able to contine the promoter will chose a fighter to go through.
-In case of injury, the fighter who can continue will go through to the next round, if neither fighter is able to contine the promoter will chose a fighter to go through.

Weight divisions:
Light weight under 70kg
Welter weight under 76kg
Middle weight under 84kg
Light-heavy weight under 93kg
Heavy weight Over 93.1 kg

Superfights:
Mirko “Crocop” Filipovic 22-6-2 vs. 3-2-0 Tatsuya Mizuno
Hayato "Mach" Sakurai 31-7-2 vs. 14-7-3 Hidetaka Monma

Lightweight GP:
Mitsuhiro Ishida 15-3-1 vs. 0-1-0 Bu Kyung Jung
Artur Oumakhanov 7-2-0 vs. 3-2-0 Katsuhiko Nagata
Andre "Dida" Amade 6-2-1 vs. 12-1-0 Eddie Alvarez
Shinya Aoki 12-2-0 vs. 14-1-1 Gesias "J.Z." Calvancante
Tatsuya Kawajiri 20-4-2 vs. 9-6-0 Kultar “Black Mamba” Gil
Kazuyuki Miyata 5-6-0 vs. 11-3-0 Luiz Firmino "Buscape"
Koutetsu Boku 13-4-1 vs. 16-6-1 Joachim Hansen

Participating:
Minowaman 38-27-8

Source:
http://sportsnavi.yahoo.co.jp/fight/other/headlines/etc/20080311-00000014-spnavi-fight.html
http://sportsnavi.yahoo.co.jp/fight/other/headlines/etc/20080311-00000012-spnavi-fight.html

Read more...