scurlaruntings
09-14-2009, 06:03 PM
Japanese gold-medalist judoka Satoshi Ishii (0-0) looks to make his MMA debut at Sengoku's year-end event, and World Victory Road today revealed his opponent.
Ishii well meet fellow Olympic gold-medalist Hidehiko Yoshida (8-7-1) at an as-yet-unannounced year-end event for the organization.
World Victory Road officials also announced that a name change may be in the works for the Sengoku series, and further details regarding the Ishii vs. Yoshida fight – including an exact date – will be released before the end of the month.
Japanese fight fans are expected to take a keen interest in the bout between two national heroes.
The 240-pound Ishii has been heavily courted by several MMA organizations, including the UFC, following his gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Games. The 22-year-old is considered among the worlds' top heavyweight prospects based on his success as a judoka.
Yoshida earned his Olympic gold at the 1992 Barcelona Games. Yoshida is also a four-time medalist at the World Championships.
Yoshida is currently mired in a 1-4 slump in MMA, but the 40-year-old has never hesitated to take on the world's best fighters as witnessed by a career record that includes Josh Barnett, Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic, Wanderlei Silva, Mark Hunt, Royce Gracie and Don Frye.
Interesting debut. Ishii is going to be a very good prospect to watch. But a debut vs Yoshida? He's not mucking about. I hope he stays on the Japanese circuit as well as he said he wanted to come to the UFC.
Ishii well meet fellow Olympic gold-medalist Hidehiko Yoshida (8-7-1) at an as-yet-unannounced year-end event for the organization.
World Victory Road officials also announced that a name change may be in the works for the Sengoku series, and further details regarding the Ishii vs. Yoshida fight – including an exact date – will be released before the end of the month.
Japanese fight fans are expected to take a keen interest in the bout between two national heroes.
The 240-pound Ishii has been heavily courted by several MMA organizations, including the UFC, following his gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Games. The 22-year-old is considered among the worlds' top heavyweight prospects based on his success as a judoka.
Yoshida earned his Olympic gold at the 1992 Barcelona Games. Yoshida is also a four-time medalist at the World Championships.
Yoshida is currently mired in a 1-4 slump in MMA, but the 40-year-old has never hesitated to take on the world's best fighters as witnessed by a career record that includes Josh Barnett, Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic, Wanderlei Silva, Mark Hunt, Royce Gracie and Don Frye.
Interesting debut. Ishii is going to be a very good prospect to watch. But a debut vs Yoshida? He's not mucking about. I hope he stays on the Japanese circuit as well as he said he wanted to come to the UFC.