Preview: 123-lb. Title Fight Highlights Shooto Card
Introduction
Jordan Breen Mar 15, 2007
While March Madness will be contested on the hardwood in the United
States this weekend, across the Pacific it will in the ring and the
cage, as Tokyo will be the site of an action filled weekend in the
world mixed martial arts.
In case for some strange reason you were left unfulfilled after February's BACK TO OUR ROOTS supercard in Yokohama, leading Shooto promoter Sustain strikes back on Friday night with BACK TO OUR ROOTS II at Korakuen Hall, with an eight bout fight card, with an outstanding blend of diaper dandies and primetime performers that would even get Dickie V excited.
Shooto 2007 rookie tournament action continues when Kousuke Eda and Kazuya Tamura (Pictures) kick off the much anticipated
132-pound bracket, while 115-pounders Katsuya Murofushi and
Tatsuya Yamamoto look to set the tone for a pivotol year for young
flyweight talent in Shooto.
Italian born, Swiss trained Ivan Mussardo has fought around the block in Europe, and will look to make a splash in his first trip to Japan, when he takes on Yoshitaro Niimi (Pictures), who is in desperate need of a win. Meanwhile, "Tiger" Takehiro Ishii was once tabbed as a possible 115-pound star, but his window of opportunity is closing as a young crop of talent emerges in the blossoming division. In a bid to thrust himself back into the upper echelon of the division, Ishii takes on 2006 rookie champion Shinya Murofushi, who is looking to solidify himself as more than just rookie hype.
Speaking of rookie hype, two of 2006's most outstanding rookie champions return, when Masakazu Ueda makes his Class A debut against tough GUTSMAN competitor So Tazawa (Pictures), looking to break into the Shooto world rankings, while wildchild "Wicky" Akiyo Nishiura (Pictures) will look for better success in his second Class A outing, taking on submission savvy veteran Hideki Kadowaki (Pictures).
In the evening's semifinal bout, Shooto's charisma returns when Rumina Sato (Pictures) steps into the ring for the first time in over a year. The 33-year-old Sato still has dreams about being a Shooto world champion, and if he is to have a final chance, he will have to get through Shooto Europe's top 143-pounder in Swiss-based Brazilian Augusto Frota Guimaraes.
And, in the main event, two of Shooto's best and brightest settle the score in the 123-pound division, when former number one world ranked competitor Yasuhiro Urushitani (Pictures) challenges newly crowned champion "BJ" Shinichi Kojima (Pictures), in a Shooto world bantamweight title bout with all the markings of a classic championship clash.
In case for some strange reason you were left unfulfilled after February's BACK TO OUR ROOTS supercard in Yokohama, leading Shooto promoter Sustain strikes back on Friday night with BACK TO OUR ROOTS II at Korakuen Hall, with an eight bout fight card, with an outstanding blend of diaper dandies and primetime performers that would even get Dickie V excited.
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Italian born, Swiss trained Ivan Mussardo has fought around the block in Europe, and will look to make a splash in his first trip to Japan, when he takes on Yoshitaro Niimi (Pictures), who is in desperate need of a win. Meanwhile, "Tiger" Takehiro Ishii was once tabbed as a possible 115-pound star, but his window of opportunity is closing as a young crop of talent emerges in the blossoming division. In a bid to thrust himself back into the upper echelon of the division, Ishii takes on 2006 rookie champion Shinya Murofushi, who is looking to solidify himself as more than just rookie hype.
Speaking of rookie hype, two of 2006's most outstanding rookie champions return, when Masakazu Ueda makes his Class A debut against tough GUTSMAN competitor So Tazawa (Pictures), looking to break into the Shooto world rankings, while wildchild "Wicky" Akiyo Nishiura (Pictures) will look for better success in his second Class A outing, taking on submission savvy veteran Hideki Kadowaki (Pictures).
In the evening's semifinal bout, Shooto's charisma returns when Rumina Sato (Pictures) steps into the ring for the first time in over a year. The 33-year-old Sato still has dreams about being a Shooto world champion, and if he is to have a final chance, he will have to get through Shooto Europe's top 143-pounder in Swiss-based Brazilian Augusto Frota Guimaraes.
And, in the main event, two of Shooto's best and brightest settle the score in the 123-pound division, when former number one world ranked competitor Yasuhiro Urushitani (Pictures) challenges newly crowned champion "BJ" Shinichi Kojima (Pictures), in a Shooto world bantamweight title bout with all the markings of a classic championship clash.
