Japanese MMA Legends Fight on New Year's Eve
With the return of HERO'S to South Korea forthcoming this Sunday,
Fight Entertainment Group may have overshadowed their upcoming
event by announcing a match-up of MMA icons for New Year's Eve.
At a press conference in Tokyo Tuesday, FEG president Sadaharu Tanigawa officially announced that two of MMA's most legendary figures, Kazushi Sakuraba (Pictures) and Masakatsu Funaki (Pictures), would square off at K-1 Premium 2007 Dynamite!! on Dec. 31 at the Kyocera Dome in Osaka. The bout is the first bout added to the line-up for Dynamite!!, and comes a year less a day of the announcement of last year's Dynamite!! main event between Sakuraba and Yoshihiro Akiyama (Pictures).
Funaki and Sakuraba, both 38 years old, are products of the historic UWFi shoot-style pro-wrestling system, which gave birth to mixed martial arts in Japan. Sakuraba last saw action in September, when he easily submitted Funaki's pupil Katsuyori Shibata (Pictures) via first round armbar. Funaki has not competed since he was choked unconscious by Rickson Gracie (Pictures) in their milestone match-up in May 2000.
The former King of Pancrase Funaki shocked the MMA world this past July, when he announced at the HERO'S 154-pound tournament opener that he would make his return to MMA after a seven year retirement to fight on New Year's Eve.
The bout will be contested at HERO'S 187-pound weight limit, with a 10-minute opening round and a five-minute second round, with a possible five-minute extension round if necessary.
At a press conference in Tokyo Tuesday, FEG president Sadaharu Tanigawa officially announced that two of MMA's most legendary figures, Kazushi Sakuraba (Pictures) and Masakatsu Funaki (Pictures), would square off at K-1 Premium 2007 Dynamite!! on Dec. 31 at the Kyocera Dome in Osaka. The bout is the first bout added to the line-up for Dynamite!!, and comes a year less a day of the announcement of last year's Dynamite!! main event between Sakuraba and Yoshihiro Akiyama (Pictures).
Funaki and Sakuraba, both 38 years old, are products of the historic UWFi shoot-style pro-wrestling system, which gave birth to mixed martial arts in Japan. Sakuraba last saw action in September, when he easily submitted Funaki's pupil Katsuyori Shibata (Pictures) via first round armbar. Funaki has not competed since he was choked unconscious by Rickson Gracie (Pictures) in their milestone match-up in May 2000.
The former King of Pancrase Funaki shocked the MMA world this past July, when he announced at the HERO'S 154-pound tournament opener that he would make his return to MMA after a seven year retirement to fight on New Year's Eve.
The bout will be contested at HERO'S 187-pound weight limit, with a 10-minute opening round and a five-minute second round, with a possible five-minute extension round if necessary.
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