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HERO'S Quarterfinals Set
Fight Entertainment Group has bolstered the line-up for July 16's
HERO'S 154-pound tournament kickoff in Yokohama.
In addition to the Caol Uno (Pictures)-Katsuhiko Nagata (Pictures)bout that was revealed on June 15, FEG has announced three quarterfinal bouts to complete the first round of the 154-pound tournament.
Defending tournament champion "JZ" Gesias Calvancanti (Pictures) will take on fellow Brazilian Andre Dida of the Chute Boxe Academy, while another stalwart Brazilian lightweight, "Shaolin" Vitor Ribeiro (Pictures), fights 2000 Sydney Games competitor Kazuyuki Miyata (Pictures).
In a rematch from last year's tournament, HERO'S star Hideo Tokoro (Pictures) squares off with "Black Mamba" Kultar Gill (Pictures) once again. In May 2006, Gill knocked out the "Cinderella Boy" in only 43 seconds after connecting with a vicious knee to the head. Tokoro has won four in a row since the loss, while Gill has floundered since his big win, losing three straight.
FEG also announced three superfights. As previously reported by Sherdog.com, the card will see former Shooto world 143-pound champion Alexandre Franca Nogueira (Pictures) take on Shooto and ZST veteran Shuichiro Katsumura (Pictures), while Dynamite!! USA standouts Yoon Dong Sik, coming off of his triumphant win over Melvin Manhoef (Pictures), will take on Ivory Coast-born variety show comedian Bernard Ackah (Pictures), fresh off his crushing KO win over former NFL player Johnnie Morton (Pictures).
In the third, and perhaps most intriguing superfight, former pro wrestler Katsuyoshi Shibata will take on Ralek Gracie. While Shibata is seen as a possible future Japanese star to FEG and the HERO'S promotion, the Gracie is thought by many to be the future of the fighting Gracie Family. The 21-year-old BJJ black belt, and son of UFC founder Rorion Gracie, will be making his MMA debut in the bout.
FEG president Sadaharu Tanigawa stated that he hoped to add at least another three bouts to the card in the next two weeks, with some surprises. Currently, Melvin Manhoef (Pictures) and Kin Taiei are both scheduled to compete against yet-to-be-determined opponents.
Tanigawa also teased the possibility of in-ring returns of "KID" Norifumi Yamamoto (Pictures) and Yoshihiro Akiyama (Pictures) for the September 17 HERO'S card. The 30-year-old Yamamoto, who recently spent time training with American Kickboxing Academy, took a hiatus from HERO'S competition last July to pursue his dream of qualifying for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, while Akiyama was indefinitely suspended by FEG after his now infamous New Year's Eve bout with Kazushi Sakuraba (Pictures), when Akiyama admitted to using a skin moisturizer prior to the bout.
In addition to the Caol Uno (Pictures)-Katsuhiko Nagata (Pictures)bout that was revealed on June 15, FEG has announced three quarterfinal bouts to complete the first round of the 154-pound tournament.
Defending tournament champion "JZ" Gesias Calvancanti (Pictures) will take on fellow Brazilian Andre Dida of the Chute Boxe Academy, while another stalwart Brazilian lightweight, "Shaolin" Vitor Ribeiro (Pictures), fights 2000 Sydney Games competitor Kazuyuki Miyata (Pictures).
In a rematch from last year's tournament, HERO'S star Hideo Tokoro (Pictures) squares off with "Black Mamba" Kultar Gill (Pictures) once again. In May 2006, Gill knocked out the "Cinderella Boy" in only 43 seconds after connecting with a vicious knee to the head. Tokoro has won four in a row since the loss, while Gill has floundered since his big win, losing three straight.
FEG also announced three superfights. As previously reported by Sherdog.com, the card will see former Shooto world 143-pound champion Alexandre Franca Nogueira (Pictures) take on Shooto and ZST veteran Shuichiro Katsumura (Pictures), while Dynamite!! USA standouts Yoon Dong Sik, coming off of his triumphant win over Melvin Manhoef (Pictures), will take on Ivory Coast-born variety show comedian Bernard Ackah (Pictures), fresh off his crushing KO win over former NFL player Johnnie Morton (Pictures).
In the third, and perhaps most intriguing superfight, former pro wrestler Katsuyoshi Shibata will take on Ralek Gracie. While Shibata is seen as a possible future Japanese star to FEG and the HERO'S promotion, the Gracie is thought by many to be the future of the fighting Gracie Family. The 21-year-old BJJ black belt, and son of UFC founder Rorion Gracie, will be making his MMA debut in the bout.
FEG president Sadaharu Tanigawa stated that he hoped to add at least another three bouts to the card in the next two weeks, with some surprises. Currently, Melvin Manhoef (Pictures) and Kin Taiei are both scheduled to compete against yet-to-be-determined opponents.
Tanigawa also teased the possibility of in-ring returns of "KID" Norifumi Yamamoto (Pictures) and Yoshihiro Akiyama (Pictures) for the September 17 HERO'S card. The 30-year-old Yamamoto, who recently spent time training with American Kickboxing Academy, took a hiatus from HERO'S competition last July to pursue his dream of qualifying for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, while Akiyama was indefinitely suspended by FEG after his now infamous New Year's Eve bout with Kazushi Sakuraba (Pictures), when Akiyama admitted to using a skin moisturizer prior to the bout.
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