UFC Fight Night 52 Adds Japanese Stars Yoshiro Akiyama & Takanori Gomi
It looks like the UFC are stocking up their Fight Night Japan card in September with plenty of local talent.
Earlier today during a press- conference in Tokoyo for Fight Night 52, UFC officials announced three well known Japanese fighters have agreed to fight at the event which takes place on September 20 in the Saitama Arena.
UFC Fight Night 52 will take place in Saitama, Japan, the card features a heavyweight main event as knockout artist’s Mark Hunt and Roy Nelson are set to throw it down.
The only official fight to be announced during the conference featured one of the Japanese stars as Kyoji Horiguchi was revealed to be taking on Chris Cariaso in a pivotal matchup in the featherweight division.
Horiguchi is 2-0 inside the Octagon after taking wins over Dustin Pague and Darrell Montague. He takes on Cariaso who will be looking for his fourth straight win in the division after beating Louis Smolka last month.
Officials also said former Pride lightweight champion Takenori Gomi and Yoshihiro Akiyama would be fighting on the card but they are yet to receive opponents.
“The Fireball Kid” is set to make his return to the Octagon following a unanimous decision win over Isaac Vallie-Flag at UFC 172, the fight earned both men “Fight of the Night” bonuses. Gomi is 3-1 in his last 4 now with his only loss coming in a controversial decision to Diego Sanchez.
Akiyama will be in desperate need of a win when he steps on the cage in front of his home crowd after dropping his last four fights in the welterweight division. The 38-year old has just one win inside the Octagon which came against Alan Beltcher in a close decision at UFC 100.
With the announcements, the UFC Fight Night 52 card now looks as followed:
Mark Hunt vs. Roy Nelson
Rin Nakai vs. Miesha Tate
Chris Cariaso vs. Kyoji Horiguchi
Takanori Gomi vs. opponent TBA
Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. opponent TBA
Norifumi Yamamoto vs. opponent TBA
