DSE Announces Four More for PRIDE's "Second Coming"
Dream Stage Entertainment has bolstered the line up for its Feb. 24
PRIDE card in Las Vegas at the Thomas and Mack Center with four
additional match-ups.
Confirming the hot rumor of the week, DSE revealed that PRIDE lightweight champion Takanori Gomi (Pictures) will face former UFC competitor Nick Diaz (Pictures) in a non-title bout at 161 pounds. Gomi is coming off of a quick and dominant win over Mitsuhiro Ishida (Pictures) on New Year's Eve, while Diaz, who will see his first ever action at 161, knocked off Brazilian Gleiseon Tibau this past November.
DSE announced another much-rumored lightweight contest between former Shooto world champion Hayato Sakurai (Pictures) and former KOTC lightweight champion Mac Danzig (Pictures). Danzig was riding a 12-fight winning streak until Jan. 19, when he lost his KOTC title to former PRIDE competitor Clay French (Pictures) via split decision.
Looking to atone for his loss, Danzig will make the jump to PRIDE to meet Sakurai, who is coming off a win this past August over Brazilian stand out Luciano Azevedo (Pictures).
PRIDE's "The Second Coming" card also features the return of 2006 Welterweight Grand Prix winner Kazuo Misaki (Pictures). In his U.S. debut, Misaki faces current PRIDE color commentator Frank Trigg (Pictures), who returns to the PRIDE ring for the first time in seven years.
Despite losing to undefeated Paulo Filho (Pictures) in the semifinals, Misaki was able to step in as an injury alternate and defeat Denis Kang (Pictures) to take PRIDE's 183-pound tournament this past Nov. Trigg, meanwhile, made his MMA return in Dec., stopping cult favorite Jason Miller to become ICON Sport's middleweight champion.
Finally, DSE revealed that Hidehiko Yoshida (Pictures)'s star pupil Kazuhiro Nakamura (Pictures) would make his second appearance in Las Vegas, taking on veteran Travis Wiuff (Pictures). Nakamura made a strong impression in his last American outing, stopping Canadian Travis Galbraith (Pictures) with strikes, before dropping a decision to "Shogun" Mauricio Rua (Pictures) on New Year's Eve.
After a three-fight losing streak in mid-2006, Wiuff rebounded, putting together back-to-back victories over Wojtek Kaszowski (Pictures) in IFL action, and taking a decision over Jason Guida (Pictures) in December.
Confirming the hot rumor of the week, DSE revealed that PRIDE lightweight champion Takanori Gomi (Pictures) will face former UFC competitor Nick Diaz (Pictures) in a non-title bout at 161 pounds. Gomi is coming off of a quick and dominant win over Mitsuhiro Ishida (Pictures) on New Year's Eve, while Diaz, who will see his first ever action at 161, knocked off Brazilian Gleiseon Tibau this past November.
DSE announced another much-rumored lightweight contest between former Shooto world champion Hayato Sakurai (Pictures) and former KOTC lightweight champion Mac Danzig (Pictures). Danzig was riding a 12-fight winning streak until Jan. 19, when he lost his KOTC title to former PRIDE competitor Clay French (Pictures) via split decision.
Looking to atone for his loss, Danzig will make the jump to PRIDE to meet Sakurai, who is coming off a win this past August over Brazilian stand out Luciano Azevedo (Pictures).
PRIDE's "The Second Coming" card also features the return of 2006 Welterweight Grand Prix winner Kazuo Misaki (Pictures). In his U.S. debut, Misaki faces current PRIDE color commentator Frank Trigg (Pictures), who returns to the PRIDE ring for the first time in seven years.
Despite losing to undefeated Paulo Filho (Pictures) in the semifinals, Misaki was able to step in as an injury alternate and defeat Denis Kang (Pictures) to take PRIDE's 183-pound tournament this past Nov. Trigg, meanwhile, made his MMA return in Dec., stopping cult favorite Jason Miller to become ICON Sport's middleweight champion.
Finally, DSE revealed that Hidehiko Yoshida (Pictures)'s star pupil Kazuhiro Nakamura (Pictures) would make his second appearance in Las Vegas, taking on veteran Travis Wiuff (Pictures). Nakamura made a strong impression in his last American outing, stopping Canadian Travis Galbraith (Pictures) with strikes, before dropping a decision to "Shogun" Mauricio Rua (Pictures) on New Year's Eve.
After a three-fight losing streak in mid-2006, Wiuff rebounded, putting together back-to-back victories over Wojtek Kaszowski (Pictures) in IFL action, and taking a decision over Jason Guida (Pictures) in December.
