(You call that a fighter’s fist pose, Sakurai? Show me some goddamned intensity! Photo courtesy of DreamOfficial.com via Suki MMA.)
Fighting and Entertainment Group (FEG) — the parent company of Japanese MMA promotion DREAM — announced today that their upcoming welterweight grand prix will feature #9 pound-for-pounder Shinya Aoki, moving back up in weight class from last year’s lightweight GP, in which he was a finalist. Perennial welterweight threat/amateur porn star Hayato "Mach" Sakurai will also participate in the 168-pound tournament (which kicks off April 5th in Nagoya, Japan), and freak show mainstay Ikuhisa Minowa will be on the card in a non-GP match. No other fighters have been named for the grand prix, though the winner of the DEEP 40 bout between Hidetaka Monma and Seichi Ikemoto is expected to join the field.
No word yet if Aoki and Sakurai will have to face each other in the first round of the grand prix, but the two fighters previously met at a Shooto event in August 2005, where the far-more-experienced (at the time) Sakurai defeated Aoki by unanimous decision. Aoki went on to win Shooto’s middleweight (168 pounds) championship the next year — which he still technically holds — before dropping to lightweight in 2007. Both men have won their last two fights, with Sakurai winning a decision against Kuniyoshi Hironaka at DREAM 6 last September and scoring a TKO over Katsuyori Shibata at Dynamite!! 2008 on New Year’s Eve, and Aoki earning quick submission victories over Todd Moore and Eddie Alvarez at the same events.
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Comments
Thu, 02/12/09 - 01:26
I am DREAMing of other things than these fights....
Thu, 02/12/09 - 01:27
Fuck All You "First" Bitches. I love ruining that for all you assholes.
Thu, 02/12/09 - 01:37
I am not convinced by Aoki just yet....
Thu, 02/12/09 - 01:38
id like to see aoki get knocked out again. his butt scoot gaurd pull was pussy-like
Thu, 02/12/09 - 01:39
aoki's gonna submit him. rd 1
Thu, 02/12/09 - 01:41
6TH!!!!!!
Thu, 02/12/09 - 01:46
The guy on the right of that photo looks like he gets his hair cut at the Anime Barbershop!
Thu, 02/12/09 - 01:48
Sakurai better fear the Aoki butt scoot rush... Eddie Alvarez did.
Thu, 02/12/09 - 01:56
If Mach is going to face Aoki, he might want to spend some more time with his Yoga instructor...which is fine by him!!
Thu, 02/12/09 - 02:03
i can't wait to see Aoki butt scoot across the ring, sub his opponent easily and then challenge bj penn again.
Thu, 02/12/09 - 02:06
I wonder what the pay rate is in Japan vs Affliction. I know the fighters in the UFC make dog shiet, but I bet Japan is higher pay than Affliction...
Thu, 02/12/09 - 02:11
IF Aoki thinks he can do the oaky pokey then he can suck my FURRY somewhat vieny, cancer filled testies! meowmix nigga
Thu, 02/12/09 - 02:30
I get my haircut at the anime barber shop... don't hate us because of our full thick mop on our heads.
Thu, 02/12/09 - 02:32
Minowa is the shiiiiieeeeet... he isnt all that great but the rolling shots and the dropkicks are awesome.
Thu, 02/12/09 - 03:17
Aoki is one of my favorite fighters... i just wish they wouldn't let him take the microphone anymore
Thu, 02/12/09 - 03:37
@Old,Bald and Irish "The guy on the right of that photo looks like he get's his hair cut at the Anime barbershop!" You don't know who the fuck Ikuhisa "the punk" Minowa is you fucking MMA novice? Go watch some shit not seen on Spike TV before your dumb ass tries to post some stupid shit on a mma website moron!
Thu, 02/12/09 - 03:38
Mach Sakurai has a 10 inch dork!
Thu, 02/12/09 - 06:11
Why are the comments on Cage Potato so retarded? (also, WAR MONMA)
Thu, 02/12/09 - 06:14
@BM2, Like Yours?
Thu, 02/12/09 - 06:15
Also I agree with Logan about Edith's Tits and I don't care if they're fake.
Wed, 02/18/09 - 09:07
In reference to the photo: I don't think the pictured subjects are trying to make a fighter's pose, if I'm not mistaken that's a shot of a three way tie for the Japanese rock paper scissors championship.
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