Ishida, Misaki head up Strikeforce at Hef's house

Although this weekend is the proverbial calm before next week's storm for Japanese MMA, one of Nihon's top lightweights will take the stateside stage this Saturday, as "The Endless Fighter" Mitsuhiro Ishida will meet AKA upstart Justin “The Silverback” Wilcox on the main card of Strikeforce's second trip to the Playboy Mansion in Beverly Hills, Calif.

The bout will mark the mainland U.S. debut for Ishida. Despite 21 professional bouts over a seven-year career, Ishida has fought only once outside of Japan, losing a unanimous decision to then Shooto world champion Vitor "Shaolin" Ribeiro in Hawaii in July 2004. The fight will also be Ishida's first action since May, where he was upset by veteran Caol Uno via a second-round submission in the quarterfinals of Dream's lightweight tournament.

"We are really looking forward to bringing Mitsuhiro Ishida to compete in front of a live audience in the mainland United States for the first time," Strikeforce's Mike Afromowitz told Sherdog.com. "His opponent, Justin Wilcox, is a highly accomplished wrester, so this matchup is a great addition to our line-up for the Mansion. We expect a highly competitive matchup."

Wilcox was a standout wrestler at Edinboro University, the school perhaps best known in the MMA world for producing NCAA champion turned top welterweight Josh Koscheck. Wilcox has since followed Koscheck to San Jose's American Kickboxing Academy, and has put together four straight wins, including a decision victory over infamous Ultimate Fighter 5 alumnus Gabe Ruediger last month.

Saturday's Strikeforce bill in the Hills will also feature lightweight champion Josh Thomson in a non-title tune-up bout against Lion's Den product Ashe Bowman. One of the world's top lightweights by virtue of his masterful June performance against Gilbert Melendez, there has been much speculation over Strikeforce's ability to find world-class opposition for "The Punk.” While Afromowitz would not characterize the Ishida and Thomson bouts as a double showcase build-up for a title fight in the future, he did acknowledge the opportunity.

"A Thomson-Ishida matchup is a possibility, if Ishida wins," conceded Afromowitz.

Also representing Japan on Strikeforce's second trip to Hef's House will be Sengoku middleweight ace Kazuo Misaki, who takes on Joe "Diesel" Riggs.

Misaki has seen action twice in 2008, submitting Shooto 183-pound world champion Siyar Bahadurzada in March, and taking a unanimous verdict over WEC veteran Logan Clark in June. Although he sustained a left ankle injury that put him on crutches following the Clark bout, the injury healed quickly and has left no lasting impact on the "Grabaka Hitman.”

The comebacking Riggs, who has suffered through a string of injuries and a recent licensing issue, got back into action in July where he notched a second-round submission over Matt Dempsey in a tune-up bout in his native Arizona.

Sherdog.com’s live Strikeforce stream will begin at 7:30 Pacific on Saturday evening.

Aoki-Moore a last-minute affair for Dream

Although last week's addition of Yoshihiro Akiyama versus Masanori Tonooka was thought to have finalized Dream's Sept. 23 middleweight grand prix finale at Saitama Super Arena, parent company Fighting and Entertainment Group has come through with last-minute theatrics by announcing a bout between lightweight star Shinya Aoki and WEC veteran Todd Moore for next Tuesday's line-up.

For Aoki, the bout with Moore will be his sixth of the year. However, despite success in the first half of 2008, Aoki is rebounding from crushing disappointment, as he was brutally halted in his July rematch with former submission victim Joachim Hansen in the finals of Dream's lightweight grand prix. The loss snapped Aoki's 13-fight unbeaten streak, which dated back to August 2005.

"Although the bout was decided at the last minute, as the 'central pillar of Dream,' I thought to myself, 'Aoki's got no choice but to come out and fight,'" explained the colorful grappler. "So with my appearance and message to the audience at Dream 3 and my participation in all the Dream cards from the beginning until now, I'll get the award for perfect attendance."

The 24-year-old Moore carried a spotless 9-0 record into his WEC debut last December, where dropped a unanimous decision to John Alessio. In August, the Houston native made the drop to 155 pounds, but was quickly submitted in his divisional debut by All American wrestler turned prospect Shane Roller.

"Until now, I've always performed with very strong confidence. If the Shinya Aoki that shows up puts forth everything he has, a natural and good result will come, I think," concluded Aoki.