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Shooto Confirms 154-Pound Title Fight
Leading Shooto promoter Sustain has announced its biggest card of
2008 thus far, with Shooto Tradition 1: Road to 20th Anniversary
set for May 3 at JCB Hall in Tokyo.
Headlining the event will be a rematch for the vacant Shooto world 154-pound title between current Shooto Pacific Rim champion Takashi Nakakura (Pictures) and Ganjo Tentsuku (Pictures).
Nakakura and Tentsuku met in a hotly contested, back-and-forth brawl in October 2006, which ended in a majority draw. Nakakura has gone 3-0 since their first encounter, defeating then-undefeated Mizuto Hirota (Pictures) for the Pacific Rim title in February of last year, submitting Jani Lax (Pictures) in July, and dominating Yusuke Endo (Pictures) to a lopsided decision in November. Tentsuku lost a close decision to Endo in their February 2007 rematch, but rebounded in August with a dominant decision over Mizuto Hirota (Pictures).
The Shooto 154-pound world title has been vacant since Jan. 2007, when then-champion Tatsuya Kawajiri (Pictures) relinquished the title due to a broken thumb which left him unable to defend the crown in the mandatory time period.
Also announced for the card, up-and-coming 123-pounder Ryuichi Miki (Pictures) will take a large step up in competition agaist one of the division's elite, Yasuhiro Urushitani (Pictures).
Miki, the 2006 Shooto rookie champion at 123 pounds, is undefeated in his last seven bouts, and is coming off a dominant display over Kenji Hosoya (Pictures) last month. Conversely, Urushitani is coming off trying times in 2007. In March, Urushitani was handed a split draw in his world title challenge against Shinichi "BJ" Kojima, a fight which he thoroughly dominated. Although he avenged his Dec. 2003 loss to rival and former champion Mamoru Yamaguchi (Pictures) in September, Urushitani was again part of a dubious draw against Guam's Jesse Taitano (Pictures) in December.
Shooto icon Rumina Sato (Pictures) has also been announced for the card against a yet-to-be-named opponent. Sato last saw action in September, where he was upset by Hideki Kadowaki (Pictures), who choked out "Shooto's Charisma" in the first round.
The event will be the first ever MMA card at the new JCB Hall. The new hall, whose naming rights have been purchased by Japanese credit card company JCB is part of Meets Port, the new multi-purpose facility in the Tokyo Dome city entertainment complex, which opens on March 19. The hall, which seats approximately 3,000 spectators depending on configuration, is thought to offer a sister venue to nearby Korakuen Hall, which has served as the most important hub for Japanese combat sports since it opened in 1962.
Headlining the event will be a rematch for the vacant Shooto world 154-pound title between current Shooto Pacific Rim champion Takashi Nakakura (Pictures) and Ganjo Tentsuku (Pictures).
Nakakura and Tentsuku met in a hotly contested, back-and-forth brawl in October 2006, which ended in a majority draw. Nakakura has gone 3-0 since their first encounter, defeating then-undefeated Mizuto Hirota (Pictures) for the Pacific Rim title in February of last year, submitting Jani Lax (Pictures) in July, and dominating Yusuke Endo (Pictures) to a lopsided decision in November. Tentsuku lost a close decision to Endo in their February 2007 rematch, but rebounded in August with a dominant decision over Mizuto Hirota (Pictures).
The Shooto 154-pound world title has been vacant since Jan. 2007, when then-champion Tatsuya Kawajiri (Pictures) relinquished the title due to a broken thumb which left him unable to defend the crown in the mandatory time period.
Also announced for the card, up-and-coming 123-pounder Ryuichi Miki (Pictures) will take a large step up in competition agaist one of the division's elite, Yasuhiro Urushitani (Pictures).
Miki, the 2006 Shooto rookie champion at 123 pounds, is undefeated in his last seven bouts, and is coming off a dominant display over Kenji Hosoya (Pictures) last month. Conversely, Urushitani is coming off trying times in 2007. In March, Urushitani was handed a split draw in his world title challenge against Shinichi "BJ" Kojima, a fight which he thoroughly dominated. Although he avenged his Dec. 2003 loss to rival and former champion Mamoru Yamaguchi (Pictures) in September, Urushitani was again part of a dubious draw against Guam's Jesse Taitano (Pictures) in December.
Shooto icon Rumina Sato (Pictures) has also been announced for the card against a yet-to-be-named opponent. Sato last saw action in September, where he was upset by Hideki Kadowaki (Pictures), who choked out "Shooto's Charisma" in the first round.
The event will be the first ever MMA card at the new JCB Hall. The new hall, whose naming rights have been purchased by Japanese credit card company JCB is part of Meets Port, the new multi-purpose facility in the Tokyo Dome city entertainment complex, which opens on March 19. The hall, which seats approximately 3,000 spectators depending on configuration, is thought to offer a sister venue to nearby Korakuen Hall, which has served as the most important hub for Japanese combat sports since it opened in 1962.
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