‘Kid’ Yamamoto Off May 15 Strikeforce
Loretta Hunt Apr 29, 2010
Japanese superstar Norifumi
“Kid” Yamamoto will not face King of the Cage veteran Federico
Lopez in a preliminary matchup at Strikeforce “Heavy Artillery”
on May 15 at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, the promotion’s CEO
Scott Coker said on Thursday.
“I know that we’d received a request from Dream to put ‘Kid’ on the (May 15) card and at that time we felt we should oblige,” said Coker during a conference call for the May 15 event. “I think they had some changes in Japan with their format for May 29 and so I think he’ll be fighting in Japan on the 29th.”
Sherdog.com reported on Thursday that a previously-planned
eight-man light heavyweight tournament has been scrapped by the
Japanese promotion, leaving the event with only four confirmed
bouts on its current roster.
Stirikeforce and the Japan-based Dream have a strategic alliance where they share talent between the two promotions. Melvin Manhoef, Dream welterweight champion Marius Zaromskis, and Dream lightweight champion Shinya Aoki have all competed in the U.S.-based Strikeforce in the last few months. Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz is expected to compete against Japanese star Hayato Sakurai at Dream 14 as well.
Coker said Strikeforce “Heavy Artillery” will now host five fights airing live on Showtime and six to seven non-televised bouts on the undercard.
Strikeforce “Heavy Artillery” features two heavyweight bouts pairing former UFC champion Andrei Arlovski against Antonio Silva and Strikeforce champion Alistair Overeem defending his title against Brett Rogers.
“I know that we’d received a request from Dream to put ‘Kid’ on the (May 15) card and at that time we felt we should oblige,” said Coker during a conference call for the May 15 event. “I think they had some changes in Japan with their format for May 29 and so I think he’ll be fighting in Japan on the 29th.”
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Stirikeforce and the Japan-based Dream have a strategic alliance where they share talent between the two promotions. Melvin Manhoef, Dream welterweight champion Marius Zaromskis, and Dream lightweight champion Shinya Aoki have all competed in the U.S.-based Strikeforce in the last few months. Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz is expected to compete against Japanese star Hayato Sakurai at Dream 14 as well.
Coker said Strikeforce “Heavy Artillery” will now host five fights airing live on Showtime and six to seven non-televised bouts on the undercard.
Strikeforce “Heavy Artillery” features two heavyweight bouts pairing former UFC champion Andrei Arlovski against Antonio Silva and Strikeforce champion Alistair Overeem defending his title against Brett Rogers.
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