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Diaz to Fight Inoue in Dream Title Eliminator
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Diaz to Fight Inoue in Dream Title Eliminator
Friday, May 02, 2008
by Tim Leidecker (tleidecker@sherdog.com)

Dream promoter Fighting & Entertainment Group announced Friday four additional bouts for its May 11 card.

The eighth and final first-round fight in the promotion's middleweight grand prix will be a battle of two professional wrestlers. Japanese fighter Katsuyori Shibata (Pictures) will drop from heavyweight to middleweight to take on former Icon Sport middleweight champion Jason Miller.

In a reserve match for the 185-pound tournament, Dutch knockout machine Melvin Manhoef (Pictures) will meet Korean judoka Dae Won Kim (Pictures). Manhoef, who turns 32 on the eve of the event, has racked up all of his wins in Japan by knockout. However, Kim also gained some notoriety last October with a doctor stoppage over Marcelo Garcia (Pictures).

In a title eliminator for the newly created Dream welterweight championship, Nick Diaz (Pictures) will get a chance to reverse his recent misfortunes as he squares off against former King of Pancrase Katsuya Inoue (Pictures).

Diaz is coming off a tough TKO loss to Karl James Noons (Pictures) last November. His March fight against Jae Suk Lim (Pictures) was cancelled by the California State Athletic Commission, which said he had not turned in his medical information in time.

Inoue recently moved down to lightweight after compiling a 16-5-2 record at 165 pounds between 2003 and 2007. He only managed a draw, however, in April against Russian sambo fighter Djamal Kurbanov (Pictures).

The winner of the Diaz-Inoue bout is expected to get a shot at Hayato Sakurai (Pictures) for the welterweight belt, either at Dream 5 in July or at Dream 6 in September.

Also, a lightweight fight between Pride Bushido veteran Daisuke Nakamura (Pictures) and Korean judo ace Bu Kyung Jung (Pictures) was announced. Nakamura recently impressed in a decision victory over Russian submission fighter Juri Ivlev in St. Petersburg.

Jung, although without a win in two attempts in MMA so far, will get another chance after gutsy performances against two of Japan's lightweight stars, Shinya Aoki (Pictures) and Mitsuhiro Ishida (Pictures).

Shooto and Deep veteran Takeshi Yamazaki (Pictures) is also scheduled to compete in a featherweight bout.
 

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