Hayato "Mach" Sakurai will return to the ring Oct. 28 in Tokyo, he announced Thursday at a news conference.

The former Shooto champion and PRIDE contender will compete in Caesar Takeshi's Shoot Boxing promotion.

Shoot Boxing is a style developed from kickboxing by Takeshi, who was part of the original lineup of fighters, trainers and students under Satoru Sayama`s Shooto promotion and international commission.

Takeshi left Shooto in 1985 to pursue his dream of creating a combat sport that allows kicking, punching, throwing, and standing submissions.

Sakurai is no stranger to Shoot Boxing. The first gym he joined after leaving judo for full-time MMA was Takeshi's.

Honing his striking skills under the instructor, Sakurai became the sixth All Japan Amateur Shoot Boxing champion in 1995. He joined Shooto in 1996 and went undefeated in 20 bouts over the next five years, earning the Shooto 167-pound title during that time.

Despite Sakurai`s 15-year history with the Shoot Boxing style, he never fought for the promotion under professional rules. The Oct. 28 bout will be his debut.

Still, Sakurai said he felt as if he were returning to his "old home."

No opponent has been named for the 167-pound bout.

Two former K-1 MAX champions will join Sakurai on the card. Andy Souwer (Pictures) will meet another K-1 Max fighter, Andy Ologun (Pictures), and Albert Kraus takes on Shoot Boxing 2006 champion Kenichi Ogata.