Two World Title Bouts Announced for March Shooto Event
Leading Shooto promoter Sustain has announced early designs for its
March 28 Back to Our Roots 8 card at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo.
In the main event, 143-pound Shooto world champion Akitoshi Tamura (Pictures) will make his first title defense against Hideki Kadowaki (Pictures).
Tamura, 27, has not competed since last May, when he dominated then-champion "Lion Takeshi" Takeshi Inoue (Pictures) en route to a unanimous decision to take the title.
Kadowaki, who will celebrate his 32nd birthday two days before the bout, is an unlikely title challenger. A longtime gatekeeper, he shocked and impressed last September when he submitted Shooto icon Rumina Sato (Pictures) in the first round.
Tamura and Kadowaki met previously in March 2005, with Kadowaki taking a unanimous decision.
With titleholder Akitoshi Hokazono (Pictures) having announced his retirement from competition, a second title clash on the card between Koetsu Okazaki (Pictures) and Masakatsu Ueda (Pictures) will declare the fifth 132-pound world champion of professional Shooto.
The fighters, both of which were undefeated 132-pound rookie champions, earned their title shots in similar fashion.
Okazaki, 28, took a majority decision over Atsushi Yamamoto (Pictures) in May to break into the upper echelon of the Shooto world rankings. Meanwhile, the 30-year-old Ueda punched his ticket into the title fight on Jan. 26 after he also beat Yamamoto.
Also announced for the card, one of Kenji Kawaguchi (Pictures)'s three former 143-pound Shooto rookie champions, Tenkei Fujimiya (Pictures), will take on Noboru Asahi-trained Hiroshi Nakamura. Kawaguchi's hope for a fourth rookie champion in the division, All Japan amateur champion Hiroshige Tanaka, will fight Kenichiro Marui in a 143-pound rookie tournament bout.
Former Shooto world champion "Lion Takeshi" Takeshi Inoue (Pictures) as well as former Shooto competitor and grappling star Baret Yoshida have also been confirmed for the event.
In the main event, 143-pound Shooto world champion Akitoshi Tamura (Pictures) will make his first title defense against Hideki Kadowaki (Pictures).
Tamura, 27, has not competed since last May, when he dominated then-champion "Lion Takeshi" Takeshi Inoue (Pictures) en route to a unanimous decision to take the title.
Kadowaki, who will celebrate his 32nd birthday two days before the bout, is an unlikely title challenger. A longtime gatekeeper, he shocked and impressed last September when he submitted Shooto icon Rumina Sato (Pictures) in the first round.
Tamura and Kadowaki met previously in March 2005, with Kadowaki taking a unanimous decision.
With titleholder Akitoshi Hokazono (Pictures) having announced his retirement from competition, a second title clash on the card between Koetsu Okazaki (Pictures) and Masakatsu Ueda (Pictures) will declare the fifth 132-pound world champion of professional Shooto.
The fighters, both of which were undefeated 132-pound rookie champions, earned their title shots in similar fashion.
Okazaki, 28, took a majority decision over Atsushi Yamamoto (Pictures) in May to break into the upper echelon of the Shooto world rankings. Meanwhile, the 30-year-old Ueda punched his ticket into the title fight on Jan. 26 after he also beat Yamamoto.
Also announced for the card, one of Kenji Kawaguchi (Pictures)'s three former 143-pound Shooto rookie champions, Tenkei Fujimiya (Pictures), will take on Noboru Asahi-trained Hiroshi Nakamura. Kawaguchi's hope for a fourth rookie champion in the division, All Japan amateur champion Hiroshige Tanaka, will fight Kenichiro Marui in a 143-pound rookie tournament bout.
Former Shooto world champion "Lion Takeshi" Takeshi Inoue (Pictures) as well as former Shooto competitor and grappling star Baret Yoshida have also been confirmed for the event.
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