Thomson vs Kawajiri, and Sakuraba vs Zaromskis lined up for Dynamite!! 2010 (UPDATED)
A Lightweight encounter between former StrikeForce lightweight Champion Josh ”The Punk” Thomson and Japanese MMA fighter Tatsuya Kawajiri is on tap for Dynamite! 2010, sources close to the event have said. With both fighters having signed their pre fight agreements over the last few days.
Thomson is coming off a win over Gesias ”JZ” Cavalcante at StrikeForce: Diaz vs Noons II. Whereas Kawajiri, is coming off a loss to current DREAM Lightweight Champion Shinya Aoki. Prior to his bout with Aoki, Kawajiri had strung together an impressive four fight win streak, and will look to get back on track against ”The Punk.”
Meanwhile, MMA Junkie reports that the Pride FC legend Kazushi Sakuraba is set to take on the reigning Champ Marius Zaromskis for the DREAM Welterweight Championship at the same event. Sakuraba will be looking to bounce back from two straight losses, from the hands of Jason ”Mayhem” Miller at DREAM 16 and Ralek Gracie at Dream 13.
Zaromskis will be making the trip back to Japan for the first time since DREAM 12. The DREAM Welterweight Champ hasn’t had much success in the States, losing two of his last three fights. His latest outing ending in a No Contest due to an illegal eye poke against Waachim Spiritwolf at ShoMMA: 12, and will look to get back to winning ways against the Japanese veteran.
***UPDATE***
Three additional bouts have now been added to Dynamite!! 2010’s end of year card:
According to MMAFighting.com a featherweight title fight has now been confirmed, with reigning Champion Bibiano Fernandes taking on Hiroyuki Takaya. The two previously met in DREAM’s 2009 featherweight Grand Prix Final where Fernandes won by a close split decision and will serve as a very interesting rematch. Since losing that fight, Takaya has put together two straight knockout victories over Joachim Hansen and Chase Beebe. Whereas Fernandes has only competed once since then, taking a split decision victory over Jochim Hansen earlier this year.
DREAM lightweight Champion Shinya Aoki is also set to feature on the card in a special mixed rules match with K1 World Max 2010 – 70kg finalist Yuichiro ”Jienotsu” Nagashima. This bout will be a clash of styles with two of Japan’s best known lightweights, with alternating rounds of MMA and K1 rules as first seen at Dynamite!! 2004 where Jerome Le Banner and Bob Sapp fought to a draw.
Speaking of Le Banner, the Frenchman has also been signed to Dynamite’s end of year card. The K1 legend Le Banner will be taking on DREAM light heavyweight Grand Prix finalist Tatsuya Mizuno in an MMA rules fight. Le Banner has not competed in Mixed Martial Arts since 2006 when he beat Jimmy Ambriz. The Frenchman also has a notable win over UFC fan favourite Yoshihiro Akiyama.
Rumours have also start to circulate about a possible bout between multiple division DREAM Champion and former Strikeforce light heavyweight Champion Gegard Mousasi and Japanese Sumo fighter Shinichi Suzukawa, the bout is yet to be officially announced.
Dynamite!! 2010 will take place on New Years Eve at the Saitama Super Arena, in Saitama Japan.
HT: BloodyElbow.com
